Olivier Makuch
"I'm researching the Canadian Arctic Tundra."
Olivier Makuch, an undergraduate student studying Environmental Science, received the Experiential Learning (EL) grant to discover and analyse the Tundra Biome. Throughout his degree, Olivier has formed and strengthened an interest in the intersection of Ecology, Remote Sensing and Geospatial Programming. Remote sensing for ecological purposes is a tool that has been used to document significant changes in the phenology of Tundra flora in the last two decades of the 20th century. Of late, the phenological trends within the Tundra are less understood and likely shifting due to changing climate and shifts in meteorological conditions. Under the supervision of Dr. Angela Kross, Olivier focused on determining how phenological trends have been changing, uncovered potential patterns in meteorological trends as well as shed light on a Biome that may be obscure to many.
The processing power required to conduct an analysis that incorporates meteorological variables and satellite data is significant and often hard to come by. This project titled “21st Century Multi-Scale Analysis of Phenological Trends within the Canadian Circumpolar Arctic” allowed Olivier to use the knowledge and skills he has developed throughout his degree to advance a methodology to explore large scale ecological analysis. Using the programming fundamentals acquired through classes offered by the Geography Department, Olivier learned JavaScript which allowed him to interact with the Google Earth Engine platform. This platform substantially increases the accessibility of big geospatial data processing and, hopefully, can be used by many more researchers in other fields of study.
Working with Dr. Kross allowed Olivier to acknowledge the importance of clear communication and time management. “As students we are often left to our own devices, we must meet deadlines and at times work in teams. However, we don’t often get the opportunity to practice working with experts. Through this experience I have gained the confidence to ask questions and request help from specialists who are advancing research in this field” says Olivier. “In addition, I have significantly improved my public speaking abilities as well developed a persuasive vocabulary through repeated presentations to my peers and others. The education that I have received in class at Concordia has provided me with the tools and knowledge necessary for developing a research project, however the EL opportunity has given me the experience and confidence for the next step in my academic and professional future.”
This article was written by Emily Andrews.
