Joshua Laughton

Name: Joshua Laughton

Profile photo Joshua

What is your program?
M.Sc. in Geology (2nd year)

What was your international learning experience?
In May 2018 I took the Planetary Surface Processes Field School as part of the course requirement for my graduate program. The course was a 12-day field excursion across Utah and Arizona taught by professor Dr. Gordan Osinski. My classmates and I got to visit numerous geological features from the Grand Canyon to Meteor Crater. This part of the world allowed us to observe a wide variety of geological landscapes in a relatively small area. As part of the course, we were able to compare how surficial process here on Earth are also occurring on other planetary objects.

How did that experience impact you?
Being able to observe the stunning geological landscapes of Utah and Arizona was an amazing experience. I was able to see so much geology that I would normally not be able to in Southern Ontario. It was my first time being able to explore the geology of a country outside of Canada. I feel my experience from the course has made me better as a geologist. I was able to take aspects of what I learned during the course and apply them directly to my own M.Sc. project. As has been said - the best geologist is the one who has seen the most rocks.

Why should students embrace international learning experiences?
In a geologist’s case, I think international experience is crucial to have since the more field experience you have, the better you become. Canada offers more than enough to keep any geologist occupied, but the spectacular erosional landscape of the Grand Canyon or the pristine impact structure of Meteor Crater is something worth seeing.

What is a fun fact about you?
From the warm deserts of Utah and Arizona, I have now moved to working on the Arctic desert of northern Nunavut where I study the Precambrian geology of Devon Island as part of my M.Sc. thesis project.