Jacqueline Hung, arctic soil expert

For our second activity (yay!) we have two experts attending ArcticNet next week in Ottawa, ON, who have registered with us to participate in an outreach activity with two classrooms at Brookfield High School. This week we are featuring one of our two participating experts, Jacqueline Hung, a soil scientist who uses field techniques, lab experiments, and remote sensing to investigate changes in soil and plants as a result of climate change.

You can follow Jacqueline on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Who are you and what do you do?

I am a soil scientist that uses field techniques, lab experiments, and remote sensing to investigate changes in soil and plants as a result of climate change. My work is done primarily in the Canadian High Arctic in Nunavut.

How did you get here?

I’ve always enjoyed being outdoors, travelling, and doing hands-on activities. In high school, I had no idea what studying geography entailed and didn’t see it as an option for university studies. Lo and behold, after starting my undergraduate degree, I came to discover the world (pun intended) of geography courses that were available! I love that geography is so interdisciplinary and lends itself to many other disciplines. My Master’s was when I started honing in on what my interests really were and that’s when I got hooked on Arctic research through my supervisor.

What are you working on now?

I’m currently looking at the relationship between soil nutrients, plant growth, and greenhouse gas fluxes in Arctic ecosystems.

Why is your work important?

My work will help scientists understand and predict Arctic contributions to the global climate system as a result of greenhouse gas release. These results will also help policy makers develop strategies to help mitigate the anticipated change as a result of climate change.

What advice would you give to a budding arctic soil scientist/permafrost researcher?

Start early! I knew I always enjoyed hands-on experiences and sought out research opportunities early as a high schooler. Seek these opportunities out and you never know where it will take you!