Dominique Weis
Wall Associate
Dr. Dominique Weis researches the geochemical evolution of our planet and its environment through the use of isotopic geochemistry (the “fingerprinting” tool of the geochemist). Working from the Pacific Centre for Isotopic and Geochemical Research at the University of British Columbia, Dr. Weis incorporates field and lab experiments in geochemistry to count and explain the transfer of elements within and between the different major geological reservoirs of the Earth, including rivers and oceans.
In October 2021, Dr. Weis will be a Visiting Professor at the Collège de France in Paris as part of an international partnership agreement with the Peter Wall Institute. She will deliver 4 public lectures, and participate in a symposium on the Global Scale Seismic Imaging and Dynamics of the Earth’s Mantle, hosted by Dr. Barbara Romanowicz, Chair, Physics of the Earth’s Interior, Collège de France.
Primary Recipient Awards
Dominique Weis will participate in an International Exchange as a Conférencier Invité at the Collège de France in September – October 2021, hosted by Prof. Barbara Romanowicz. Prof. Weis will present four public lectures during her stay.
October 4, 2021: What makes Hawai‘i a unique mantle plume and what does it tell us about the Earth’s deep mantle? Link
October 5, 2021: Magmatism in the Cascades, subduction zone in the Pacific Northwest: geochemical variations along a North South transect Link
October 11, 2021: How clean is our city? A question for bees and salmon Link
October 12, 2021: Identifying Long-Distance Transport of Obsidian Across the North American Landscape in Antiquity Based on Indigenous-led Research Initiatives Link
Honey Bees as Bioindicators of Environmental Pollution
Principal Investigator: Dr. Dominique Weis, Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences, UBC
Partner Organization: Sarah Common, Hives for Humanity, Vancouver
Urban farming, including community gardens and hobby beekeeping, is quickly gaining popularity as cities densify and demand grows for fresh, local and sustainable food. However, along with this urbanization comes increasing pollution from cars, tankers, and construction. This study will determine the levels of potentially harmful metals (e.g. lead, arsenic) in honey from beehives throughout the Lower Mainland and through time. In addition to establishing the health safety of the honey, this project will investigate the power of the honey bee as a key bioindicator species to trace the sources and impacts of environmental pollution. Because bees forage in a relatively small area (a three-kilometer radius), each hive represents a sample of its local environment. This study will develop a new and innovative geochemical tool and will constitute a case study that can be expanded to other cities worldwide, promoting the use of hives, bees and honey to monitor urban environmental conditions.
Co-Principal Investigator Awards
