Zoë Vestrum: Geophysicist, Geothermal Specialist, & DEI Advocate

The Smoko Podcast

Take a break, we're on Smoko. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Zoë Vestrum, a geophysicist specializing in Magnetotellurics (MT) and Geothermal energy. Zoe shares her journey into geosciences, from her initial inspiration from her father, a geophysicist, to her work experience and academic research; she explains her drive and passion for becoming a geophysicist. She explains the fundamentals of MT, and how she measures the magnetic and electric fields to determine the resistivity structure underground. Zoe discusses the future of geothermal energy in Canada, particularly in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin and remote Northern communities. She highlights the importance of field work and surveys and explains their role in data collection and analysis within geophysical research.
Zoë speaks to her work in Resolute Bay, Nunavut in which she hopes to aid the community in their search for accessible and stable energy. Based on geophysical field work, she and her team hopes to investigate the use of geothermal power in remote Northern communities.
Zoë also speaks to her involvement in the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) committee at the University of Alberta's physics department. She speaks to the importance of performing climate surveys and the use of this data set in terms of increasing diversity and changing culture within academia.
Want to read about Zoe's research up North?
Geothermal in Resolute Bay: https://www.theweathernetwork.com/en/news/climate/solutions/exploring-the-possibility-of-geothermal-energy-in-nunavut
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