Alec Aitken

University of Saskatchewan

I have served as a faculty member in the department of Geography and Planning, University of Saskatchewan, for 31 years and hold the rank of Professor. I am honoured to be a recipient of the U of S Master Teacher Award and recognized as an Indigenous ally. I completed degrees in Biology (B.Sc.), Geography (M.Sc.), and Geology (Ph.D.). Before my university appointment, I worked as a soil surveyor with Environment Canada and as a fisheries biologist with Fisheries and Ocean Canada. My research is focused on northern environments and includes projects in Quaternary geology, marine geology, and marine biology. I have also contributed to research projects in geoarchaeology in the Province of Saskatchewan with colleagues in the department of Archaeology and Anthropology. My teaching is focused at the undergraduate level and includes courses in introductory earth sciences, field techniques, geoarchaeology, geohazards, geomorphology, and northern studies. I am actively engaged in land-based learning and am a champion of undergraduate research. I enjoy working with undergraduate student research assistants on projects that explore the natural environment of the Canadian Arctic.

Outside of my work as a faculty member, I am engaged with my wife in the stewardship of 40 acres of woodlands and horse pastures near the City of Saskatoon in central Saskatchewan. We enjoy our time with the animals we share this space with; our 2 horses, 2 large dogs, and 2 cats, as well as the wildlife that includes whitetail deer, song birds, grouse, coyotes, and the occasional red fox and moose.

Workshop Participant, Website Contributor, Reviewer

Website Content Contributions

Activities (2)

Aeolian Processes part of Sedimentary Geology:Sedimentology, Geomorphology, and Paleontology 2014:Activities
This activity explores the environmental variables that influence wind erosion. Key words: aeolian, fluid threshold, impact threshold,sedeiment entrainment and transport, particle size analysis

Stream Morphometry, Stream Flow, Stream Competence part of Sedimentary Geology:Sedimentology, Geomorphology, and Paleontology 2014:Activities
This exercise combines field activities (i.e., topographic survey of a point bar; sediment sampling with a soil auger), laboratory analysis (i.e., particle size analysis of fluvial sediments), topographic map ...

Conference Presentations (2)

The Challenge of Incorporating Authentic Assessment into a Hybrid Field Methods Course in Physical Geography part of Earth Educators Rendezvous:Previous Rendezvous:Rendezvous 2022:Program:Oral Sessions:Thursday Oral Session B
We examine the challenge of supporting students' learning experience through authentic assessment in a second-year physical geography field course. The course, titled "Field Methods and Laboratory ...

Undergraduate Research in Environmental Science: Using FYRE to Ignite Student Curiosity and Discovery part of Earth Educators Rendezvous:Previous Rendezvous:Rendezvous 2019:Program:Oral Sessions:Thursday A
Undergraduate student engagement in scholarly and applied research is foundational to the student experience; it unleashes curiosity and through discovery students develop skills such as critical thinking and ...

Other Contributions (3)

Process Geomorphology part of Sedimentary Geology:Sedimentology, Geomorphology, and Paleontology 2014:Courses
The description and objective classification of landforms and the principles and processes involved in their origin and distribution. The role of weathering, mass movement, fluvial, glacial, aeolian and coastal ...

Thursday B: Teaching Online part of Earth Educators Rendezvous:Previous Rendezvous:Rendezvous 2022:Program:Oral Sessions:Thursday Oral Session B
Skip to Main ContentSkip to Navigation Login Earth Educators' RendezvousTwin Cities, MN, July 11-15, 2022 View the Program | Search the Program ...

Thursday A: Supporting Student Learning part of Earth Educators Rendezvous:Previous Rendezvous:Rendezvous 2019:Program:Oral Sessions:Thursday A
Skip to Main ContentSkip to Navigation Login Earth Educators' RendezvousNashville, TN, July 15-19, 2019 View the Program | Search the Program ...

Communities

Workshop Participant (24 workshops)