Nora Casson ’09, Ph.D., Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Kingston, ON

Nora Casson is on a mission to protect the quality of a precious commodity: our freshwater. She believes Trent was the perfect place to blend her love of the great outdoors and scientific curiosity. “One big advantage of the EnLS graduate program at Trent is that it's small but focused,” said Nora. “There are many ecosystem scientists studying different aspects of forests, water and nutrients. Trent is also ideally situated with many potential study sites in close proximity which are great for field work.”  

Nora describes her Ph.D. supervisors, Dr. Catherine Eimers and Dr. Shaun Watmough, as incredible researchers and mentors who foster a collaborative learning culture in their labs. “Throughout my time at Trent, they gave me the guidance and opportunities to allow me to develop as a scientist,” she said. “I hope to live up to their examples as I move forward in my career.”

Nora is currently working as a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Center for Limnology, which conducts studies on fresh water. In July she will continue to share her knowledge and passion for the natural world as she joins the University of Winnipeg as an assistant professor in the Department of Geography.  

Awards and Scholarships received at Trent University:

• Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology 2012-2013 
• Dean’s Scholarship 2010-2012
• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Canada Graduate Scholarship 2009-2012