{"id":8,"date":"2016-04-19T14:37:31","date_gmt":"2016-04-19T14:37:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cms.eas.ualberta.ca\/froeselab\/?page_id=8"},"modified":"2026-04-03T18:20:55","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T18:20:55","slug":"research-group","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/cms.eas.ualberta.ca\/froeselab\/research-group\/","title":{"rendered":"Research Group"},"content":{"rendered":"

Some present opportunities to join our group<\/strong><\/p>\n

I am not actively seeking new graduate students at this time (for Sept 2026).<\/em><\/p>\n

Research Students<\/strong><\/div>\n
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I do not tend to have a very large group size, mostly because of the high costs of northern research, and that I like to work closely with students and commit sufficient resources to do a project well.\u00a0 You can read through some of the past student projects below to get a sense of the range of things that I tend to encourage students to pursue.\u00a0 It’s unusual that I will have more than one or two graduate positions available in any given year.<\/div>\n
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However, if you are competitive for scholarships or have significant experience carrying out research than I’m happy to discuss potential projects with you.\u00a0 At the moment, most of my research is focused on upper Mackenzie basin, the area from the lower Athabasca valley to the central Mackenzie valley, though I do have several projects going on in the Yukon where the majority of my research has taken place.<\/div>\n
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In 2022, we opened the Permafrost Archives Science Laboratory (PACS Lab) which is an ice-core styled lab focused on Permafrost characterization and analyses of permafrost-preserved records for a variety of applications.\u00a0 This is a state-of-the-art lab (see News) that will have many opportunities for novel projects related to permafrost science and engineering.<\/div>\n
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I encourage students to develop their own projects- the main caveat being that it must fit broadly within the goals. and be consistent with the funding I have available. But contact me if you think you might be interested. Be aware, however, right now my group is near capacity- that makes it harder to find a spot, but not impossible…<\/div>\n
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People<\/strong><\/p>\n

Research Associates<\/strong><\/p>\n

Joel Pumple, MSc.\u00a0 Permafrost Archives Laboratory Manager<\/em><\/p>\n

Jordan Harvey, MSc- CT and Multi-sensor core logging technician<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Postdoctoral<\/strong><\/p>\n

Doctoral<\/strong><\/p>\n

Joseph Young – PhD – (2018 -)\u00a0Permafrost landsystems in the Mackenzie Mountain Foothills, NWT and setting of prominent thaw slumps and permafrost changes. [PermafrostNet]<\/em><\/p>\n

Scott Cocker – PhD (2020-\u00a0 )\u00a0 Beringian paleoecology using traditional and ancient enivronmental DNA methods.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Alexandre Chiasson – PhD (2020- )\u00a0Geologic setting and permafrost characterization in the central Mackenzie valley corridor.\u00a0 [PermafrostNet]<\/em><\/p>\n

Alejandro Alvarez- PhD (2022- ) Permafrost landsystems and ground ice distribution along the southern Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk corridor<\/em><\/p>\n

MSc.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Brielle Andersen-\u00a0 MSc. Thesis studen (2020-2024) (co-supervised with Ben Rostron UofA). Characterizing buried valley systems of the Edmonton area for groundwater resources using electrical resistivity tomography (ERT)<\/em><\/p>\n

Michelle Landry- MSc. Thesis student (2022-2025) Permafrost integrity in drilling sumps in the Sahtu Region, NWT<\/em><\/p>\n

Undergraduate researchers<\/strong><\/p>\n

Robbie Hann– BSc Thesis student (2023-2024)\u00a0 Controls on ground ice abundance over the last 50,000 years from syngenetic permafrost in the Klondike area<\/p>\n

Juanita Sandoval Ortiz– Undergraduate researcher in PACS Lab<\/p>\n

Jarod McLeay– BSc. Thesis student (2023-2024)\u00a0\u00a0Urease diversity in permafrost and potential for microbially induced calcite precipitation (co-supervised with Brian Lanoil)<\/em><\/p>\n

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Alumni<\/strong><\/p>\n

PDF and Research Associates<\/strong><\/p>\n

Omid Asghari, PhD- Geostatistics and ground ice modelling.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>Omid led the permafrost index properties project as part of PermafrostNet.\u00a0 Omid is now working as a resource<\/p>\n

Mahya Roustaei, Research Associate- Development of non-destructive methods to characterize permafrost using Computed Tomography and Multi-Sensor Core Logging.\u00a0 Present position: Assistant Professor and Director of the Geotechnics Laboratory, Civil Engineering, University of Ghent<\/p>\n

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Alistair Monteath<\/a>, PhD-\u00a0Late Pleistocene shrub expansion in Beringia and characterization of frozen materials (PACS Lab). [FATE and PermafrostNet]. <\/em>Present position: Research Fellow, British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, UK<\/p>\n

Martin Margold<\/a> (2015-2018)\u00a0 Cosmogenic dating of Laurentide Ice Sheet dynamics.<\/em> Present position: Associate Professor, Charles University, Prague<\/span><\/p>\n

Trevor Porter<\/a>\u00a0 (2012-2014)\u00a0 Water isotope reconstructions of late Cenozoic climate.<\/em>\u00a0 Present position: Associate Professor, University of Toronto<\/span><\/p>\n

Fabrice Calmels<\/a>\u00a0 (2007-2012) Permafrost resilience and response to historic disturbances.<\/em>\u00a0 Present position: Permafrost Geoscience Research Chair, Yukon University, Whitehorse, YT<\/span><\/p>\n

Svetlana Kuzmina (2007-2012) Fossil insects from Beringian sedimentary environments.<\/em>\u00a0 Present position:\u00a0 Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow<\/span><\/p>\n

Stephen Kuehn<\/a> (PDF 2007-2009) Electron microprobe development for tephrochronology applications.<\/em>\u00a0Present position: Associate Professor, Concord University, WV.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

PhD<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ben Stoker<\/a>\u00a0 (PhD 2019-2024)\u00a0 (co-supervised with Martin Margold, Charles University, Prague- based at Charles University).\u00a0 Laurentide Ice Sheet dynamics in the central Mackenzie valley.\u00a0<\/em>Present position: Postdoctoral Fellow Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University<\/p>\n

Tyler Murchie<\/a> (PhD 2021; co-supervised with Hendrik Poinar, McMaster University- based at McMaster).\u00a0 Ancient Environmental DNA.\u00a0 [FATE Collaboration]\u00a0 <\/em>Present position: Research Scientist Hakai Institute, Victoria, BC<\/p>\n

Alireza Saidi-Mehrabad<\/a>\u00a0 PhD 2021 (co-supervised with Brian Lanoil- based in Biological Sciences).\u00a0 Microbial community changes across the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary from relict permafrost. <\/em>Present position: \u00a0Postdoctoral Fellow at the Desert Research Institute, Las Vegas, NV<\/p>\n

Sophie Norris<\/a> – (PhD 2020) Reconstructing the patterns and dynamics of the late Wisconsian Laurentide Ice Sheet deglaciation in NW Saskatchewan and NE Alberta.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em>Present position:\u00a0 Present position: Assistant Professor, University of Victoria.<\/p>\n

Robin Woywitka<\/a> (PhD 2018)\u00a0Geoarchaeology of the Oilsands Region, NE Alberta.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/i>Present position: Assistant Professor, Department of Earth Sciences, Grant Macewan University.<\/p>\n

Lauren Davies<\/a>\u00a0 (PhD 2018)\u00a0 Toward a cryptotephra framework for northwestern North America<\/em>.\u00a0 Present position: Leverhulme Early Career Fellow, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, UK<\/p>\n

Derek Turner<\/a> (<\/em>PhD 2014) Stratigraphy of SW Yukon Quaternary sediments.\u00a0<\/em> (co-supervised with Brent Ward, Simon Fraser University).\u00a0 Present position: Instructor, Douglas College, British Columbia<\/p>\n

Britta Jensen<\/a> (PhD 2012)\u00a0\u00a0Tephrochronology of Middle Pleistocene to Holocene sediments in Yukon and Alaska.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>Present position: <\/span>Associate Professor, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta Edmonton.<\/p>\n

Alberto Reyes<\/a> (PhD 2010)\u00a0\u00a0Stratigraphy, chronology and paleoenvironmental significance of perenially frozen interglacial sediments in eastern Beringia.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/em>Present position: Associate Professor, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta Edmonton.<\/span><\/p>\n

Grant Zazula<\/a> (PhD\/PDF 2006)-\u00a0Paleoecology of Pleistocene Beringian Arctic Ground Squirrel nests<\/em>.\u00a0\u00a0Grant was based at SFU Biology for his PhD but worked closely with me through his dissertation and a brief PDF at University of Alberta.\u00a0 Present position:\u00a0Yukon Paleontologist, Government of Yukon, Whitehorse, Yukon.<\/p>\n

MSc. (Primary Supervisor)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Casey Buchanan – MSc Thesis Student\u00a0 (2022) Isotopic characterization of active layer processes in a permafrost peatland catena.\u00a0<\/i>Present position: Researcher, Yukon University Permafrost Geoscience Research Group<\/p>\n

Allison Rubin – MSc. Thesis student \u00a0(2022) \u00a0Stratigraphy and sedimentology of Edmonton area buried valleys.\u00a0\u00a0<\/i>Present position: Hydrogeologist, Alberta Energy Regulator<\/p>\n

Jordan Harvey – MSc Thesis Student (2021-2023) (co-supervised with Britta Jensen)\u00a0 Cryptotephra and dating of Yukon lakes. <\/em>Present position: CT and MSCL Technician, Permafrost Archives Laboratory<\/p>\n

Joseph Young (MSc 2018) Sedimentology and Stratigraphy of the lower Athabasca valley, NE Alberta:\u00a0\u00a0<\/i>Present position:\u00a0PhD candidate at the University of Alberta, Edmonton.<\/p>\n

Sasiri Bandara\u00a0(<\/em>MSc 2017 co-supervised with Vince St. Louis, Biological Sciences) Mercury from Yukon permafrost.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>Present position: <\/span>Researcher – University of Alberta\/Alberta Environment and Parks<\/p>\n

Joel Pumple (MSc 2016)\u00a0Characterization of permafrost valley fills along the Alaska Highway, SW Yukon.\u00a0<\/em>Present position: <\/span>PACS Lab Installation Manager\/Technical Director, Edmonton.<\/p>\n

Matt Mahony (MSc 2015)\u00a0\u00a0A 50,000 year record of meteoric water isotopes from Yukon permafrost.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>Present position: Staff Environmental Scientist, Burns & McConnell, Charlotte, NC<\/span><\/p>\n

Hayley Dunning (MSc 2011)\u00a0 Tephrochronology of SW Yukon and SE Alaska sites.<\/em>\u00a0 Present position: Hayley realized through her thesis that her real passion was writing about science more than science, and went to journalism school at UBC and is now a media officer at Imperial College, London.<\/p>\n

Kristen Kennedy (MSc 2009)\u00a0Sedimentology and stratigraphy of the Last Glacial Maximum Eagle River meltwater channel, Northern Yukon.<\/em> Present position: <\/span>Yukon Geological Survey project geologist, Whitehorse, Yukon.<\/p>\n

Britta Jensen (MSc 2007)\u00a0\u00a0Tephrochronology of east-central Alaska loess deposits.\u00a0 <\/em>Britta subsequently completed a PhD with me and a PDF at Queens University, Belfast, and eventually came back to us as an Assistant Professor running her own research group.<\/p>\n

Simon Robinson (MSc 2007)\u00a0Paleoecology of Pleistocene sandsheets and loess in interior Alaska.\u00a0\u00a0Present position: <\/span><\/em>Consultant in the U.K.<\/p>\n

Mike Davies (MSc 2007)\u00a0\u00a0Debris flow hazards near Valemont, BC.\u00a0\u00a0Present position: <\/span><\/em>BGC Consultants, Edmonton<\/p>\n

MSc. (Co-supervisor)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n

Patrick Neuberger\u00a0 (co-supervised with Brian Lanoil).\u00a0 Microbial community changes along an anthropogenic permafrost thaw gradient.\u00a0 Present position: Agriculture Canada<\/span><\/p>\n

Ann Hammad\u00a0 (co-supervised with Brian Lanoil).\u00a0 Microbial community changes from relict permafrost<\/span><\/p>\n

Tara Sadoway\u00a0 (co-supervised with Hendrik Poinar) Ancient Environmental DNA from relict permafrost, Yukon.\u00a0 Researcher Medical Genetics, The Sick Kids Hospital, Toronto<\/span><\/p>\n

Veronique Germaine (co-supervised with Michel Lamothe) UQaM.\u00a0 Dating eolian sandsheets along the Upper Yukon River between Dawson City and Eagle, Alaska<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Recent undergraduate theses<\/strong><\/p>\n

Evan Francis– BSc. Thesis student\u00a0 (2022- 2024)\u00a0 Paleoenvironmental reconstruction of Beringian environments, Yukon.\u00a0<\/em>Research Intern: Alfred Wagner Institute, Potsdam, Germany<\/p>\n

Marlianne Sadoway — BSc. Thesis. (2020-2021) Multiple isotope (14C, 3H, 18O, 2H)\u00a0 characterization of Wagner Natural Area groundwater<\/em><\/p>\n

Katrina Neill (BSc Thesis 2019-2020) <\/span>Terminal Pleistocene environmental change as recorded in relict permafrost from central Yukon.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Allison Rubin (BSc. Thesis 2019-2020)\u00a0 Drainage history and HEC-RAS modeling of glacial lake Edmonton drainage\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0Present Position: MSc. Student, University of Alberta<\/span><\/p>\n

Alejandro Alvarez (BSc. Thesis) Characterization and dating of Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway permafrost cores<\/em>. Present Position: MSc. Student, University of Alberta<\/span><\/p>\n

Julia Valentine-Soares (2018) Isotope hydrology of Parkland County lakes, precipitation and groundwater. Present Position: MSc Student, Hydrogeology, University of British Columbia<\/span><\/p>\n

Aria Zhang (2017) Isotope hydrology of Whitemud Creek and its relation to the North Saskatchewan River. Present Position: Graduate student Hydrogeology, University of Waterloo<\/span><\/p>\n

Kasia Staniszewska (2017) Characterization of pore water stable isotopes across the MIS 5a-4 transition, Yukon. Present Position: Graduate Student, University of Alberta<\/span><\/p>\n

Madison Chamzuk (2016) Isotope time series of the North Saskatchewan River Present Position: Contaminant Hydrogeologist, Milennium EMS Solutions<\/span><\/p>\n

Gerard Otiniano (2016) Stable isotopes of Dempster Highway tree rings Present Position: PhD Student, University of Toronto<\/span><\/p>\n

Sasiri Bandara (2015) Characteristics of recent drained thermokarst lakes, Old Crow basin, YT. Present Position: Researcher – Alberta Environment and Parks<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Some present opportunities to join our group I am not actively seeking new graduate students at this time (for Sept 2026). Research Students I do not tend to have a very large group size, mostly because of the high costs of northern research, and that I like to work closely with students and commit sufficient … Continue reading “Research Group”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-8","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms.eas.ualberta.ca\/froeselab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms.eas.ualberta.ca\/froeselab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms.eas.ualberta.ca\/froeselab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms.eas.ualberta.ca\/froeselab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms.eas.ualberta.ca\/froeselab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8"}],"version-history":[{"count":44,"href":"https:\/\/cms.eas.ualberta.ca\/froeselab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":346,"href":"https:\/\/cms.eas.ualberta.ca\/froeselab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8\/revisions\/346"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms.eas.ualberta.ca\/froeselab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}