Graduate Spotlight: Sara Pieczonka

Sara Pieczonka, graduate student spotlight Queen's University Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering

"We are really lucky in Queen’s GeoSci and GeoEng to receive an education that is near top-ranked in our field, and still benefit from a smaller department size. It’s rare to receive such excellent education and feel like you are in a tight-knit community all at once. It’s definitely made all the difference in my post-secondary studies. I have met the most wonderful people in this field and at Queen’s!"

Hometown: Kingston, ON

Graduate Research Focus: Muon Tomography to monitor depletion in SAGD (steam-assisted gravity drainage) reservoirs.

Why I chose to do graduate studies:

I discovered geophysics in undergrad and wanted an opportunity to pursue it as a career!

Why Queen’s?:

I am lucky that Queen’s is one of the best schools in Canada in our field and I grew up in Kingston, so it’s the best of both worlds to study here.

What do you like to do in your spare time?:

I like to spend time with family, travel, and watch Survivor- multiple re-runs of all 39 seasons.

What’s next for you?:

I am working on my research with CRM Geotomography Technologies in Vancouver. I am really enjoying muon research in geology and hope to continue this type of work after I graduate. If I could do that and be a contestant on Survivor I would be ecstatic.