Ice time: braving the elements in Daring Lake

Chris Derksen treks across Canada’s North to learn more about climate change and its effects

Working up in Daring Lake, Northwest Territories is just that - daring. Severe cold and unpredictable weather can make working conditions difficult.

This doesn’t stop Chris Derksen. Focusing on cryosphere and climate interaction studies, Chris spends a good part of his time in the field in some of Canada’s northernmost locations: Daring Lake, Churchill (MB), Inuvik (NWT) and Puvirnituq (QC). 

In this field of work, scientists investigate changes in the cryosphere – regions of snow and ice – by taking field measurements and comparing their results with satellite data.

The results show that rapid reductions in snow and ice cover have the potential to seriously impact the Arctic climate, and that this impact will be felt by all Canadians.

Chris contributed to the 2008-2009 International Polar Year by leading a component of the ‘Variability and Change in the Canadian Cryosphere’ project. This gave him the opportunity to engage Canada’s northern communities, in particular the Inuit, who see the effects of climate change in the North first-hand.

Working in these often harsh conditions isn’t for everyone, but a long-standing love for the outdoors keeps Chris going. When the environment is both your office and your getaway, working to protect it is easy.

Learn more about Chris Derksen’s work and check out other Environment Canada scientists on our S&T Expert page.