What I can do for you
Consulting
Experienced in freshwater hydrology, environmental science & biology, having worked or consulted for large organisations & various levels of gov’t
Public Speaking
An experienced public speaker having delivered talks to wide range of audiences including general public, academics, students and gov’t officials
Contract work
Available for diverse, short or medium-term field, laboratory or data analysis based work
Community outreach and science communication
Passionate about communicating scientific information and data to the general public through interactive communication and presentations
Areas of Expertise
academia
teaching
field studies
I have a wide array of research and general interests primarily falling within the realms of the physical and biological sciences. This experience has been gained through extensive post-secondary education, professional training, on-the-ground work experience and extensive collaborations. Through this I am able to offer a wide range of consulting services in the environmental realms. I look forward to discussing how I can help your organization and what I can do for you.
Environmental science with a focus on surface processes such as the interaction between sediment and microbial organisms
Physical, chemical and biological sampling and controlled experiments in a variety of lacustrine environments
Focusing on the interaction between physical and biological processes in annually frozen lacustrine environments
Hydrological monitoring and samping in fluvial and lacustrine environments. All with a focus on implications on biological activity (hydroecology)
Government of Alberta – Environment and Parks
In charge of data analysis, sythensizing and report writing for legally required surface water quality reports for the Athabasca River region and South Saskatchewan Basin.
Corporation of Delta – Burns Bog
In collaboration with Rain to River consulting and Hydrologica consulting, have been contracted to undertake hydrological flow monitoring in the Burns Bog Ecological Conservancy Area of southern British Columbia.
Bow River Basin Council
As the volunteer social media coordinator and member of the stakeholder engagement committee, I am in charge of various forms of direct contact and communication with stakeholders and the general public.
University of Victoria – Department of Geography
Researching the implications of winter surface cover changes on under-ice biogeochemical processes to better understand implications of climate change on lacustrine productivity.
David
David Barrett
Experience
A selection of who I've worked, collaborated and volunteered with
Geographically speaking
Why timing is key for sampling water quality in rivers
This article was originally written for and distributed in the September edition of the Bow River Basin Council (BRBC) Preserving Our Lifeline newsletter. I recommend checking it out, as it contains a number of great articles and information! Header photo credit: Christina Suzanne In large rivers, such as the Bow, there are a wide range Read more about Why timing is key for sampling water quality in rivers[…]
What does Earth day mean for me
What does Earth day mean for me? That is both an excruciatingly basic, yet immensely complex question for myself. As someone that is is lucky enough to make a living doing something I love, studying the environment, I am constantly thinking about the Earth and its importance in my life. Not just because it is Read more about What does Earth day mean for me[…]
Why wetlands are so important #WorldWetlandsDay
In case you were note aware, today (2 February) is World Wetlands Day. As a freshwater aquatic scientist currently working in lentic systems, I am overly passionate about wetlands and the services they provide. As a major player in the hydrological cycle, their protection is key to sustainable freshwater management. Apart from the hydrological aspects, they also provide Read more about Why wetlands are so important #WorldWetlandsDay[…]
Inserting scientific symbols on Mac OS 10.9
I am both a scientist (or at least a wannabe) and an avid Mac user. While the use of a PC is unavoidable for certain programs, especially during data analysis, all my word and image processing is done on my personal Mac. This has certain challenges along the way, including while doing scientific writing. While Read more about Inserting scientific symbols on Mac OS 10.9[…]
Finishing up that @!#$@% thesis
First off, let me apologise for my lack of blogging. The fall this year has brought along a busy time for me which has included finishing writing my masters thesis, relocating to Coastal BC (Victoria) and beginning work which lays the groundwork for a PhD starting in January (so long as all goes as planned). Read more about Finishing up that @!#$@% thesis[…]
Field safety and the grad student
The reality of the dangers associated with fieldwork research often go undiscussed within the academe. This is until tragedies occur, reminding us of what’s on the line. For graduate students especially, the onus of ensuring safe working conditions falls very squarely on the individual. In many instances you may be the only one looking out Read more about Field safety and the grad student[…]
Time management – grad school edition
What a wonderful time of year the summer is for graduate students and anyone in academia. More or less free from the throngs of people that are present during the major academic year, it should be a productive time of checking things of the to-do list and spitting out manuscripts or thesis chapters. Right? If Read more about Time management – grad school edition[…]
The ever climbing cost of graduate tuition
While we are very accustomed to reading about tuition fee increases for undergraduate students and the associated reactions to these increases, we are generally not made aware of the increasing cost of attending graduate school. I’m unsure of if this is due to a complacency and acceptance within graduate students or if this is related to a difference Read more about The ever climbing cost of graduate tuition[…]
Sharing science without the scientists
Well, another conference has come and gone (if you want a few highlights from it, check out the twitter hashtag #Congress_2013). The City of Saskatoon provided a nice, albeit pricey, location for the combined annual meetings of three large Canadian scientific organisations (CMOS, CGU and CWRA). Kudos need to be given to the organisers and Read more about Sharing science without the scientists[…]
Learning environmental science… in the field!
As a current graduate student and someone who has (relatively) recently completed an undergraduate degree, I feel oddly qualified to comment on the impacts that chronic underfunding has on undergraduate geography programs. In my experience, the biggest and most significant loss when the fiscal belt tightens often tends to be field or lab components of Read more about Learning environmental science… in the field![…]