Feature -- by Mark Sproxton

Staring out the semi-open flap of a tent, the scientist hopes the cold ocean winds and thick fog outside soon lift. Working in the High Arctic Islands the outdoor field season is short enough without any weather-related delays. The stratigrapher for the Geological Survey of Canada (Calgary) knows the routine, however, he's been coming here for years collecting geological data to be used by federal policy-makers and industry scientists.

Ashton Embry examines data from an Arctic work trip.

"Basically, we supply objective data and interpretation to allow the best policy decisions to be made... in terms of environment and resource development and things like that," explains Dr. Ashton Embry, who specializes in the symmetry of rock from the Mesozoic age in the Canadian Arctic Islands. "Oil and gas and mineral companies are major users of our data. That's the economic side. We'll provide a bunch of basic data and industrial geologists say, 'That sounds interesting, we should go in there, there's potential there for mining.'"

Embry said he enjoys his time in the field but that only takes up about two months of the year. The other 10 months he compiles data from the summer's field work, prepares maps and talks for industry. "What you do is really interpret all the data you collected and prepare reports," he said. "In the spring you're preparing for the field parties, getting all the equipment, planning where to go, hiring staff."

This ebb and flow throughout the year has long-been a part of the research scientist's life. After completing his bachelor degree in Manitoba, Embry did his master's degree and PhD work at the University of Calgary, making sure he did field-based studies that would be similar to the type of work done at the GSC. Embry joined the organization in 1977 knowing his interests and goals were similar to the GSC's. "This seemed like a job I could do a lot of geology in the service of my country. I'd much rather work for the people of Canada than a specific company."

Twenty-six years later Embry knows he made a good decision. "I can't say I've had a bad day here," he said from his office near the university. "I just love the scientific challenge... trying to solve the problems. That's probably the biggest enjoyment. And I enjoy being out in the field collecting data which helps resolve these problems." Being in the field for a few months every year does have its drawbacks, though. "When you're in the field you do miss your family."

Regardless of where a geo-scientist is working, Embry said there are several key skills required to do the job well. "As a scientist you have to have good observational powers. You have to have a good imagination because you're trying to reconstruct the past and you're only left with fragments of that from which you have to build the whole picture of what happened. It's that passion for understanding the world."

Perhaps most importantly, Embry said scientists have to be prepared to be wrong, especially when dealing with problems created thousands of years ago. "Do your best to solve it with the data you have. In five more years you have more data, you realize your solution wasn't the best one. All science is like that. As a geological scientist you have to be OK with uncertainty because you never know for sure because you are reconstructing past events."

Out in the field, scientists typically work outdoors as much as the weather allows and then work in tents if the weather turns sour. This essentially means seven-days-a-week. In the office, hours are Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Embry said that varies as some people will work evenings and/or weekends as well. "It's up to the individual. You could be doing it for 24 hours per day there's that much to be done."

While the GSC doesn't hire many new people from year to year, newcomers to the organization will begin earning around $45,000 a year. Anyone considering becoming a research scientist for the government should be prepared to earn a PhD, Embry said. "You have to be interested in geology to begin with. Take geology in university and try to get a summer job with the GSC to see if you enjoy the field work because it's not for everybody."