A Strong Start to the Laurier–ARI Spring Speaker Series

April 25, 2025

On Thursday, April 24, we kicked off the first session of the Laurier–ARI Spring Speaker Series with an incredible evening of northern research and community connection! Over 70 people gathered at Makerspace YK — a fantastic turnout to celebrate Earth Week and dive into research happening right here in our own backyard.

Alicia Pouw, PhD Candidate, presented on Snowfall on Yellowknife Lakes, touching on how the recent changes in snowfall have affected lake ice conditions. Christine Dunbar, MSc Student, followed with her research on muskox movement patterns, giving everyone a closer look at how these animals are moving from the tundra into the boreal forest.

As the presentations wrapped up, the room was filled with thoughtful questions, engaging conversations, and a palpable sense of excitement for the future of northern research.

Mark your calendars: Thursday, May 8, 2025 from 6 p.m. to  7:30 p.m. at Makerspace YK.

• Changes to Permafrost in the Taiga Shield by Alana Muenchrath, PhD Student at University of Saskatchewan
• Carbon Movement and its Implications on Climate Change across the Canadian Shield by Aram Jalali Bouraban, PhD Candidate at University of Saskatchewan

Thank you to everyone who came out and helped make the first session such a success — we’re excited for what’s ahead in the series!