Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty & Staff
Faculty
NATHALIE VIGOUROUX-CAILLIBOT
Department Chair & Instructor
BSc (McGill), MSc (Oregon), PhD (SFU)
Courses taught: Physical and Historical Geology, Environmental Science, Mineralogy, Petrology
Nathalie is a geologist who specializes in volcanology, geochemistry, and geothermal geology. She has spent over 15 years studying active volcanoes and geothermal fields in the Indian Ocean, the Americas, and Southeast Asia. Prior to teaching at Douglas, Nathalie was a post-doctoral researcher with a private renewable energy company in Vancouver. She was involved in developing innovative field instrumentation for geothermal exploration. She is interested in developing and implementing low-cost field technology for everything from mineral exploration to volcano monitoring.
She is an adjunct professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at SFU and is pursuing her volcanology research close to home; studying one of the most recent eruptions in Canada and Canada's worst natural disaster, the eruption of Tseax volcano in the 18th century in northwest BC.
Office: S3936 NW; A3124 DL
Telephone: 604 527 5860
Email: vigourouxcaillibotn@douglascollege.ca
DERRICK MIDWINTER
Instructor
BSc (Dalhousie), MSc (Ottawa), B.Ed (UBC), PGeo
Courses taught: Introduction to Earth Sciences, Introduction to Environmental Science, Mineral Exploration and Mining
Derrick is a geologist with a decade of experience spanning various earth and environmental sciences industries. Before transitioning to education, he worked on mineral exploration projects throughout North America, including sites in British Columbia, Yukon, Ontario, Newfoundland, and Nevada. He also served as an environmental scientist, focusing on contaminated industrial sites, and current and abandoned mines. Derrick’s academic research centered on the tectonic and sedimentological history of the Sverdrup Basin in Nunavut, resulting in several published papers with the Geological Survey of Canada.
Driven by a passion for earth sciences education, Derrick pursued a Bachelor of Education and earned his teaching certification. He briefly taught high school science courses in Vancouver and worked with an outreach organization focused on integrating local geology knowledge into elementary and high school curricula across British Columbia. As an educator, Derrick is committed to raising awareness among students about the diverse career opportunities within earth and environmental sciences.
Office: S3609 NW
Telephone: 236-428-4720
Email: midwinterd@douglascollege.ca
GEOFF REITH
Instructor and GRDP Coordinator
BSc (Queen’s) MSc (Queen’s)
Courses taught: Physical and Historical Geology, Environmental Science, Global Environmental Change, Sedimentology and Stratigraphy, Field Methods
Geoff is a sedimentary geologist and has done research on how mud accumulates within ancient tidal systems. Along with this research, Geoff has also been a part of several sedimentary mapping projects in Argentina and in South Africa.
Geoff is very enthusiastic about teaching Earth Science and prior to teaching at Douglas College, he taught geology at Sonoma State University in California and at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan. He has also worked as a guide to the world-class Burgess Shale fossil beds in Yoho National Park.
Office: S3626 NW, A3124 DL
Email: reithg@douglascollege.ca
DEREK TURNER
Instructor
BSc (UVic), MSc (SFU), PhD (SFU), PGeo
Courses taught: Introduction to Earth Sciences, Dinosaur Planet, Field Methods, Environmental Geology, GIS, Mineral Exploration and Mining
Derek is a Quaternary geologist who explores the timing and causes of Pleistocene glaciations in the Canadian Cordillera, their connection to long-term climate change and their lasting impact on the people, ecology, and landscape of northwestern North America. Derek also has 10 years of consulting experience working on projects involving infrastructure and resource development, natural hazards and terrain, and surficial geology mapping for a variety of applications. As an educator, Derek is an enthusiastic advocate of student-led, experiential geoscience education and the use of open educational resources to make Earth and Environmental Science courses more accessible for his students.
Office: S3936 NW, A3124 DL
Telephone: 604 527 6568 NW, 604 777 6010 DL
Email: turnerd1@douglascollege.ca
DAVE WADDINGTON
Instructor
PGeo, BSc (UBC), MBA (Queen's)
Courses taught: Physical and Historical Geology, Natural Hazards, Earth Resources, Ocean Environment, Field Methods
In addition to his teaching experience, Dave brings to Douglas a decade of experience in the coal mining and oil and gas industries as an exploration geologist, including exploration for Deep Basin natural gas. He has served as Chair of the Department and has also taught courses in the Faculty of Commerce & Business Administration, specializing in Business Statistics.
Office: S3619 NW; A3124 DL
Telephone: 604 527 5230 NW; 604 777 6010 DL
Email:waddingtond@douglascollege.ca
MICHAEL C. WILSON
Faculty Emeritus
BA (Calgary), MA (Wyoming), PhD (Calgary), Cert. Intercult. St. (UBC)
Michael is an interdisciplinary earth scientist with interests in vertebrate paleontology, Quaternary stratigraphy, geomorphology, geoarchaeology, urban geology, forensic science, human use and impacts upon landscapes, and global change. He has conducted field work in North America, China, Japan, and Cameroon and has published several monographs and numerous articles in major scientific journals.
A past Chair of the Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, he remains active as a consultant in geoarchaeology and paleontology and is Adjunct Professor of Archaeology at Simon Fraser University. He is past holder of Woodrow Wilson, Izaak Walton Killam, and Canada Research Fellowships and is a Fellow of the Geological Association of Canada. In 2009 he received the Washington State Historic Preservation Officer’s Award for Special Achievement, for his studies of Ice-age fossil bison from the San Juan Islands.
Email: WilsonM@emeriti.douglascollege.ca
Staff
CORINNE GRIFFING
Laboratory Facilitator
BSc, MSc (U. of Nevada, Las Vegas), PhD (SFU)
Earth & Environmental Science Laboratories
Corinne is a lab facilitator for the Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences. She is responsible for aiding in lab preparation and instruction. She brings to Douglas College a passion for sharing earth science with people of all ages and backgrounds, along with experience in laboratory instruction and public outreach. She has a special interest in changes that occur throughout geologic time, and has research experience in Quaternary stratigraphy, paleoclimatology, glacial geology, environmental geology, and soil science.
Office: S3815A NW
Telephone: 604 777 6117
Email: griffingc@douglascollege.ca
FRANK MA
Laboratory Facilitator
BSc (UBC), MSc (SFU)
Earth & Environmental Science Laboratories
As an interdisciplinary geoscientist, Frank works at the Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences as a lab facilitator. He specialises in igneous geochemistry, petrology and the BC geology, and has years of experience in teaching introductory geosciences courses at UBC and SFU. Prior to joining Douglas College, Frank was involved in the BC teacher education program and investigated innovative teaching strategies such as constructivist and place-based learning to merge geosciences into environmental sciences. With a great passion in post-secondary geoscience education, Frank aims to promote student-centered experiential learning.
Office: S3805A
Telephone: 604 777 6117
Email: maa10@douglascollege.ca
ORLANDO VERA GAMBOA
Laboratory Facilitator
BSc (Venezuela), MSc (SFU)
Orlando is a lab facilitator for the Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences. He is responsible for aiding in lab preparation and instruction. He has special interest in subsurface Sedimentology and Stratigraphy. He brings to Douglas 9 years of experience in the oil and gas industry as an exploration and production geologist. Orlando also has experience in laboratory and lecture instruction that include courses such as Intro to Earth Sciences, History of The Earth, Dynamic Earth (SFU) and Economic Geological Resources (SFU).
Office: S3805A
Telephone: 604 527 5217
Email: veragamboao@douglascollege.ca