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Bastian Schmidt
Analytical Ecologist | River
and Stream Ecology Lab
2003 - GIS Applications
Specialist, Sir Sandford Fleming College
2000 - B.Sc. University of Guelph, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences / Biotic
Systems
I have
always been fascinated by the way fresh water moves through our landscapes,
allowing life to flourish wherever it goes. I grew up exploring the
Credit
River
watershed, fishing for speckled trout in tiny headwater streams near my home
to languidly floating down the river’s main channel on a tractor inner
tube. These, and many other experiences, exploring
Ontario
’s waterways have shaped my academic and professional interests and will
continue to inspire me.
My academic
studies at the
University
of
Guelph
focused on understanding the flow of water through the landscape, its
chemistry, its biology and the anthropogenic influences we exert on it.
Mastering the art and science of geomatics at
Sir
Sandford
Fleming
College
proved to be the natural and practical extension of the knowledge I acquired
while at
Guelph
.
I then had
the opportunity of applying my academic training at the Institute for
Watershed Science at
Trent
University
where I plied my trade for over six years. My projects at the Institute
included developing new spatial analysis techniques, teaching professional
geomatics courses as well as software application development.
I joined
the River and Stream Ecology Lab of the Ontario Ministry of Natural
Resources in the spring of 2010. Here I endeavour to continue to advance our
understanding of
Ontario
’s aquatic resources.
My research
interests reflect my schooling and professional experience: finding novel
ways of applying geomatics technologies (e.g. GIS, remote sensing, modelling
etc.) to assist with maintaining a healthy balance between human development
and environmental protection. I am particularly interested in analysis of
digital elevation models in the context of hydrological landscape processes.
Some of my current research
includes:
> Stream thermal and flow regime characterisation methods in the context
of renewable energy development
> Development of a database framework for existing and future provincial
stream temperature logger network data
> Quantifying the influence of natural and altered lentic systems on the
lotic networks to which they are connected with a focus on their network
landscape position.
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