Geomatics Graduate Group

On Monday, October 5^th we were proud to announce that a new Geomatics Graduate Group (G^3) council was elected for the 2020-21 academic term. As everyone is accustomed to hearing by now, this past year and the year to come have been, and will be, very different than we have experienced before, and the operation of G^3 is no exception. Graduate students are notorious for being excessively introverted, even when in-person social interaction is possible. With a lack of in-person academic support from supervisors and peers, grad students are at risk of experiencing depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues from the lack of socialization. This year, it will not be possible for G^3 to host the same in-person recreational and entertainment events that we have enjoyed in previous years. Our first focus is on observing the limitations required to keep ourselves and our communities safe,  however, we will not let this dull our efforts to promote a positive environment in which our graduate students can thrive academically and maintain good mental health. If anything, this year we must be more inspired and imaginative to buoy the spirits of our members.

This year, geomatics graduate students have elected a G^3 council which is prepared to accept this unprecedented challenge. Now, more than ever, we encourage you to stay involved in your communities – even at a distance – and we look forward to representing and working with our student body. You can get to know the 2020-21 members of G^3 through our bios below. Stay tuned to hear what we have planned for 2020-21!

Your G^3 President,

Paul Gratton

G^3 Council:

President: Paul Gratton

Paul is in his second year in the MSc program in the Positioning, Location and Navigation (PLAN) Group, researching GNSS zenith tropospheric delay estimation in mountainous regions. He served as the secretary for G^3 in 2019-2020, and as the Vice President of Delegates on the organizing committee of the 2019 National Geomatic Competition.

Vice President: Zahra Bagheriashena

Zahra is a third-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Geomatics with research focusing on developing Artificial Intelligence techniques to explore hydrocarbon reservoirs. Zahra received her B.Sc. in Nuclear Physics and M.Sc. in Geophysics from the University of Tehran. She also has five years of experience as a professional geophysicist.

During the last two years at the University of Calgary, Zahra has been a member of the Iranian Graduate Student Association (IGSA) and Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) subcommittees aimed at enriching students' experience and quality of life on campus.

Treasurer: Sina Kiaei

Sina Kiaei is a first-year Ph.D. student at the Department of Geomatics Engineering. His journey at the University of Calgary was launched in January of 2016 when he began his master’s degree. Sina started his Ph.D. in January of 2020 at GeoSensorWeb Lab.

GRC Representatives: Bahareh Yekkehkhany and Luis Rodriguez

Bahareh is a Ph.D. student in Geomatics Engineering. As a remote sensing engineer, she has worked with various images for different applications such as earth observation, hazard assessment, object detection, and maritime surveillance.

Luis Rodriguez Mendoza is a Master’s student in the Geomatics Engineering program at the University of Calgary. His research focuses on position, navigation and wireless location with an application on wearable technology. Luis has extensive experience in the oil and gas industry and construction, and has held several roles as a field supervisor and project manager for land surveying projects across Western Canada.

Secretary: Kelly Harke

Kelly is a first-year MSc student in the Positioning, Location and Navigation (PLAN) Group. She graduated with a BSc in Geomatics Engineering at the University of Calgary. In her spare time, Kelly is an avid white-water kayaker.