Innovation March-April 2023

F E A T U R E

YOUTH INTERESTED IN PROTECTING ENVIRONMENT At AME, Johnston recognizes the concerns of the young demographic. "Not long ago we had a huge movement of young kids following people like Greta Thunberg and others who were out protesting and being really vocal about protecting the environment, environmental regulation and climate change and all these topics that are very important." As those students head into university, they are looking for career paths that support their concerns. "Mining has an historical stereotype perception of being a dirty industry and a sunset industry," Johnston explained. "But that whole conversation about

critical minerals electrifying the future and electrifying the energy transition to a low-carbon future are now starting to enter the minds of kids in high school and maybe going to university." Indeed, interest in the environmental sciences is skyrocketing, said Johnston. Climate change has also led to growth in the field of geohazard prevention and assessment. Jen Clarke, P.Geo., a geomorphologist with her own consulting firm in Kelowna, has a steady stream of work varying from post-wildfire natural risk assessment to landslide prevention and assessment and watershed assessment work. "In the natural geoscience world," she said, "I see strong demand and limited supply for those people able to assess

He said only a few students enter SFU wanting to study geology specifically. They often land in the earth sciences after they have taken an elective course that tweaked their interest and then switched their field of study. "When they take one of our elective courses," he said, "I think they realize the significance to different issues. Earth science really helps prepare people to solve problems we're facing, like climate change." Ward suggested fewer students may be interested in geoscience because of the negative connotation around the resource extraction paths in geosciences. When the students think of mining, they may focus on past disasters, pollution issues or conflicts in third-world environments, he said.

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