Mountains are the proverbial canary in the coal mine when it comes to climate change, and the impacts of climate change on high elevation regions will be felt far downstream. Mountain glaciers and snowpacks are critical sources of seasonal streamflow and soil moisture. Mountains provide unique habitats and ecological niches, and support a huge range of biodiversity. And mountains are seeing some of the greatest rates of warming observed on the planet. This talk will focus on ongoing and future research in mountains both near and far, identify how and why mountains are changing so fast, highlight the challenges in collecting data from high elevations, and hopefully generate a mountain of discussion.

Born and raised in Southwestern Ontario, Dr. Joseph Shea has moved from the Hamilton “Mountain” to conduct research on snow, ice, and water in mountain ranges around the planet. His research is focused on measuring and modelling the impact of climate change at high elevations, and the application of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS, aka drones) and satellites for change detection. After completing his PhD in 2010 and conducting post-doctoral research at UNBC, he spent 4 years in Nepal with his family working in the Himalayas before returning to Prince George. When he’s not parenting three fantastic kids he trail runs, mountain bikes, and skis, and can be occasionally seen around town performing with his band The Ebbs.

6:45 pm – Doors Open, 7:00pm – Lecture with a Q & A afterward
Cash bar
Free event aimed at an adult audience.

We are pleased to acknowledge that CBC Daybreak North – Northern British Columbia is the official media sponsor of the Adult Speaker Series. https://www.cbc.ca/