On the Shoulders of Giants: A Geoscientist’s Journey from Antarctica to the Arctic
A multi-media presentation by Susan R. Eaton,
P. Geol., P. Geoph., M.Sc. DIC, B.Sc. Hon., B.J. (Journalism) Hon., FRCGS

A geoscientist, journalist and explorer, Susan R. Eaton studies the interplay of plate tectonics, oceans, glaciers, climate and life in polar regions.

In the past decade, Susan R. Eaton’s explorations have taken her from Antarctica to the Arctic—and many places in between.

A Fellow International of the Explorers Club and Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Susan explores the world’s oceans in the snorkel zone, a unique land-sea-ice-air interface where charismatic animals and snorkelers comingle.

A geologist and geophysicist with 35 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, Susan has modelled her career “On the Shoulders of Giants,” working with many pioneering men and women including Dr. Roy Lindseth, an industry giant who the CSEG will celebrate in March 2019.

Leveraging the technical, logistical and business skills developed during her petroleum career, she’s joined seven science-based expeditions to polar regions to study the interplay between plate tectonics, geology, glaciers, oceans, climate and life.

One hundred years ago, polar expeditions included geologists and geophysicists who mapped unknown lands, glaciers and floating ice sheets. In search of metals and minerals—including coal for their steam-powered vessels—geologists collected mineralogical and paleontological specimens in frozen lands. During Sir Ernest Shackleton’s expeditions to Antarctica, geoscientists planted the British flag on the geomagnetic South Pole, undertook celestial readings and bathymetric recordings, and made scientific observations of the ice pack.

One hundred years later, geoscientists still play a major role in the investigation of polar regions—today, they’re investigating the intersection of plate tectonics, volcanos, glaciers, ocean acidification, ocean change and climate change. And, they’re using sophisticated remote sensing technologies to discover what lies beneath ice sheets that measure several kilometres thick.

From Antarctica to the Arctic, Susan has explored “On the Shoulders of Giants,” following in the footsteps of Sir Ernest Shackleton and Roald Amundsen, the first explorer to sail through the Northwest Passage and the first man to reach the geographical South Pole.