Smart Soups about mingling and sharing passion for research

Stacey Goyan
Argus

Student’s gathered in the Braun Building “snake pit” to take part in Lakehead’s third Smart Soup session. The presentations were done by the Faculty of Forestry, and included a complimentary lunch and an opportunity for students to mingle and learn more about research happening in the faculty.
While many in attendance were graduate students looking into their colleagues’ work, some undergrads were present to take in the offerings over some punch, a bun, and a warm bowl of potato and leek soup.
Dr. Brian McLaren and three PhD students were on hand to share their passion for forestry and research. McLaren discussed various techniques involved in forestry research, which focuses on hypotheses that look for surprises, as well as working within forest settings.
He describes a “bottom-up” approach to forestry, which starts with soils and works upward to determine relationships. McLaren stated that the best questions in science are those that can be transferred to different ecosystems, as well as make people appreciate nature more.
Julee Boan, a PhD student in Forest Sciences, said that she was inspired to return to school when she gained interest in the plight of the woodland caribou. In her research, she looks at the declining habitat of the caribou, which has halved over the last century.
Anthony Taylor’s research looks into forest productivity and the carbon cycle of enforced ecosystems. His research into anthropogenic climate change focuses on managing forests to mitigate carbon problems with techniques such as partial cutting, forest fire suppression, and reforestation. He called for new graduate students to take up the highly relevant work.
The session concluded with David Pelster’s discussion of his work on how nitrogen cycles through forests.
Thursday’s Smart Soup Session marked the second session this year.
“Mastermind” behind the sessions, Brendan Hughes, plans to continue the events next year, but with more frequency. He hopes to have four seminars in 2009-10, building towards three every semester in subsequent years. Hughes notes that several faculties are involved in the program, with possible upcoming sessions focusing on research in engineering, medicine, and behavioural sciences.