Dr. Christopher Omelon

Assistant Professor

Cross Appointed with Department of Geography and Planning

I received my B.A. and M.Sc. from McGill University in Montréal, Québec and my Ph.D. from The University of Toronto. My M.Sc. focused on the geochemical dynamics of saline spring discharge, whereas my Ph.D. examined microenvironmental conditions and microbe-mineral interactions in cryptoendolithic habitats. Both projects involved fieldwork in the Canadian high Arctic, specifically Axel Heiberg Island and Ellesmere Island. 

I was also fortunate to complete a NASA Planetary Biology Internship between graduate studies, and postdoctoral positions at Western University, McGill University, The University of Texas at Austin, and The University of Kansas.

Research Description

The goal of my research is to understand geomicrobiological and biogeochemical dynamics in aquatic and terrestrial habitats, chemical activity and interactions at the microbe-mineral interface, and resulting impacts on the natural environment through examination of both microorganisms and associated biomaterials and biomarkers. 

This work includes both fieldwork and laboratory experiments that cover disciplines in geomicrobiology, low-temperature geochemistry, molecular biology, and hydrogeology. I am currently developing research projects focusing on the impact of climate warming on the terrestrial landscape of the Arctic.

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