Lindsay Worden, MSc Student

I am an MSc Student with the GCR Lab investigating deglacial dynamics during the last glacial maximum on northern Vancouver Island. This includes the ways in which and timing of ice retreat throughout the area. I use high resolution LiDAR DEMs to do glacial geomorphic mapping of the landscape and terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide surface exposure dating to determine the timing of ice-free conditions of the region. I began as an Undergraduate Honours student in the GCR Lab in 2023 and am continuing my honours research into my Masters work. My work is made possible by the collaboration of the Hakai Institute (Northern Vancouver Island Archaeology and Paleoecology Project), NSERC USRA, GCR Lab, and the University of Victoria Geography Department. I am grateful to have grown up on the traditional territories of the Attiwonderonk, and the Haudenosaunee Peoples, held as the treaty lands and territory with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. My current research takes place on the traditional territories of the Kwakwaka’wakw, of which would not be possible without the collaboration of the Quatsino First Nation.

Rachel Higgins, MSc Student

I am an MSc student in the GCR lab, supervised by Dr. Sophie Norris. My research uses proglacial lakes to understand deglacial dynamics in the interior plateau of BC during the last glacial maximum, ~20,000 to ~10,000 years ago. I utilize a deglaciation reconstruction model and glacial geomorphic evidence to predict and compare the occurrence of lake extents during deglaciation. I joined the GCR lab in May 2024 as part of my undergraduate degree, and filled the role of Lab Assistant from May to August 2025. I completed my BSc honours thesis under the supervision of Dr. Sophie Norris and in collaboration with Dr. Benjamin Stoker (Columbia University), and continued this work through September to December 2025 as a NSERC USRA awardee. My honours thesis work formed the foundation of my MSc research.

Academically, my interests lie in physical geography, remote sensing, geographic information science, and glacial systems, with a focus on the use of remote sensing technologies to uncover glacial geomorphic processes during the Quaternary. I was born and live as a guest on the traditional, unceded territories of the Lekwungen peoples and the Songhees, Esquimalt, and WSANEC First Nations (Victoria BC) whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day, but my family’s roots trace back to Higginsville, Nova Scotia—the unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people, part of Mi’kma’ki and the wider Wabanaki Confederacy. 

Kerwin Wang, Undergraduate Research Assistant

I am a fourth-year Geography undergraduate student at UVic who joined the GCR Lab in September 2025 as the 3D printing lab assistant, working with Sophie Norris and Chris Hebda. In this role, I prepare 3D printing files and physical models for courses, public events, and workshops, including 3D terrain maps and other lab equipment. My interests lie in cartography and 3D terrain visualization, and I enjoy exploring how clear, beautiful maps and models can help people understand geomorphic processes and environmental change. Through my work in the GCR Lab, I aim to strengthen my skills in 3D modelling, map design, and spatial analysis while supporting the lab’s research and outreach needs. I grew up in Beijing, China, and as an international student, I have felt enormous support from the GCR community, which has played a big role in my academic journey at UVic.