Movers & Shakers
LATITUDE
CSPG on various other committees, and he enjoys helping out at conferences and on field trips. Mr. Sneddon has more than 30 years’ experience in environmental science and geology, oil and gas prospect development, and minerals exploration and development. He joined APEGA in 2008 as the Manager of Geoscience Affairs, and recently took on the role of Director of Geoscience in APEGA’s Regulatory Group. He has a bachelor’s degree in geography from University of Calgary and a M.Sc. in water resources (Department of Civil Engineering) from the University of Alberta.
RESEARCHER REDUCES WASTE, ONE MINE AT A TIME
Diamond mining has provided a boost to the economies of the Northwest Territories and indigenous communities, but the resulting mine waste can affect fish and aquatic life for hundreds of years after a mine has closed. David Sego, P.Eng. , was part of a team that undertook a decade-long research project to protect the environment from diamond mine waste. Its work has earned the team the Synergy Award for Innovation from the Natural Sciences, Engineering and Research Council. Dr. Sego is a professor in civil and environmental engineering at the University of Alberta, and an internationally recognized expert on mine waste remediation. The Diavik Waste Rock Research Project was a 10-year, multidisciplinary collaboration of three Canadian universities and engineers at the Diavik Diamond Mine. The research team looked at ways of protecting groundwater from toxic mining waste, reports the U of A. The long-term benefits of diamond mining depend on the minimization and prevention of acid rock drainage. Mine wastes containing sulfide minerals can, when exposed to air and water, form acidic water that is harmful to fish and other aquatic life. Once the research team determined the cause of the waste, they worked to find ways of predicting its effects on the environment. New analytical techniques, such as synchrotron X-rays, helped enhance the biological and geochemical processes used to control the formation of acid rock drainage in waste rock piles.
TOM SNEDDON, P.GEO. . . . . .connecting Aboriginal students with science
Results from their work convinced regulators to reduce the amount of Diavik’s security deposit — something companies must provide so that resources to close a mine will be available in the future. Dr. Sego has previously been a volunteer on the APEGA Board of Examiners and is currently a member of the U of A's Vice-President’s Committee on Northern Research.
WHO’S MOVING WHERE
Leah Lawrence, P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon.) , has been appointed President and CEO of Sustainable Development Technology Canada. Ms. Lawrence, a former APEGA president, has held a range of senior leadership positions in corporate and non-profit sectors. Vincent Cheung, P.Eng. , has been appointed to the Board of Directors of Vital Energy Corporation. Mr. Cheung has 37 years of experience in the oil and gas industry in both technical and management positions. Syncrude Canada Ltd. has announced the appointment of Chris Wolfe, P.Eng. , to Vice-President of Technical Operations Support. With 30 years of experience, Mr. Wolfe was most recently Engineering Manager for Imperial Oil’s downstream division in Calgary. Steven Dew, P.Eng. , has been named the University of Alberta’s new Provost and Vice-President (Academic), effective July 1. Dr. Dew is an award-winning professor and researcher, and has been Associate Dean in the Faculty of Engineering and a professor in electrical and computer engineering at the U of A.
30 | PEG SUMMER 2015
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