Geography and Environment Society
The Geography and Environment Society represents and consists of students enrolled and interested in environmental science, environmental studies, or geography.
We organize social events, field trips (most notably our annual trip to Joggins Fossil Cliffs in Nova Scotia), dyke walks, and academic help sessions.
Our goal is to bridge the gap between the classroom and the wider community and provide students with an opportunity to meet other like-minded students, get to know their professors, and have some fun along the way!
The G&E society is for anyone interested in the environment or the Department, you do not have to be an environment or geography student. If you like being outdoors, are interested in the local environment, or are just looking to make some new friends, be sure to come out and join us!
If you are curious about our specific events or want to see what we get up to, be sure to follow us on social media or contact us:
- Instagram: @
- Twitter:
- Facebook:
- E-mail: g&esociety@mta.ca
Student research
Students carry out their own research as summer projects or as part of directed studies courses.
Students have chosen to research a diverse array of topics including:
- understanding the distribution of microplastics, which will lead to better management strategies for wastewater treatment facilities
- inclusivity in Montreal’s Gay Village
- tick education, which has led to New Brunswick’s Department of Education using the curriculum created by the researcher
Student research profiles
Laura Penny
Honors Environmental Science and minor Biochemistry
Supervisor: Dr. David Lieske
Project: Mapping seabird-fishery interactions with machine learning
Impact: This study is an intersection of machine learning and environmental management. We aimed to capture which interactions are driving the abundance of an important prey item for the gannets and use that knowledge to infer future risks.
Best part: This project has greatly increased my confidence in problem solving and dealing with challenges at the conceptual and computational level. It was an exciting project, and the best part was weaving all this work and data into a coherent and meaningful picture.
Connor Nickel
Major Environmental Science, minor Geographic Information Systems
Supervisor: Dr. David Lieske
Project: Remote sensing of tick expansion in New Brunswick
Impact: This project is a land cover change analysis of forests in New Brunswick. Specifically, the aim of the project is to show how ticks are expanding through fragmented forests in the province, to raise community awareness and monitor of ticks.
Best part: I've learnt a lot about remote sensing software and the challenges presented by such projects. This project has been an excellent opportunity to explore this technology in an academic setting and in a meaningful way.
Taylor Crosby
BSc Honours Environmental Science, Minor: Political Sciences
Supervisor: Dr. Josh Kurek
Project: Microplastic export near wastewater treatment plants in New Brunswick rivers
Impact: Microplastics are present in many of the products and materials that we use everyday. They also act as a contaminant in the environment and as vectors for other harmful pollutants. Understanding their distribution will hopefully lead to better management strategies of our wastewater treatment facilities.
Best part: I have learned so much alongside such great people! There is nothing more fun than having the opportunity to work outside in the field, even when things don't go as planned. I have been able to see so many nooks and crannies of this province as a result of my research involvement and would not trade it for the world!