Sorry for the brief hiatus from blogging. This past week I was in Kenora and Dryden, Ontario getting into some great science outreach with an organization from uOttawa called Science Travels. Science Travels is a science outreach organization that sends science graduate students from the University of Ottawa and Carleton to northern communities to give presentations about a variety of science topics. This was my second Science Travels trip and it was a great one. I was teamed up with a neuroscientist, a chemist and a molecular biologist and together we gave talks on DNA, invasive species, the brain, chemistry, digestion, ecology and of course, geology! Throughout the week we presented 8 times per day and in total to well over 500 students. We were also lucky enough to present at three first nations reserves and it was a great experience to learn about first nations culture and present some science in some more isolated communities. It was a tiring week, but there is nothing better than than the feeling that the four of us may have gotten some kids interested in science or opened the door to a career that may not have been considered before.
Here is a map showing where we were. Kenora is the largest community nearby and has approximately 15,000 residents.
Click for larger image.
The photos for this week were kindly donated by my colleague Erin Adlakha from the University of Ottawa. They are some nice zoomed in microphotographs (XPL and PPL) of magnesiofoitite (alkali-deficient dravite) replacing dravite in basement metapelite below the Athabasca Basin.
Magnesiofoitite in XPL (Photo: Erin Adlakha)
Magnesiofoitite in PPL (Photo: Erin Adlakha)
Pretty amazing pics. I am trying to convince Erin to supply me with a few more so stay tuned for some more great photos from the Athabasca Basin.
Cheers,
Matt
