During her recent Mitacs Globalink internship at the Max-Planck Institute for Iron Research in Düsseldorf, Germany, Renelle had the opportunity to collaborate with material scientists and was trained in the use of world-class microscopy instruments to probe the atomic structure of the mineral pyrite. For the first time, Renelle was able to document nanoscale fluid inclusions linked to particular crystalline defects. This breakthrough was published in an international peer-reviewed journal and the innovative methodology can be applied to interrogate nanoscale processes in rocks and better understand their effects on macro- to tectonic scale mass transfer processes in the Earth’s crust. Renelle earned the inaugural Mitacs Alejandro Adem Legacy Award for Outstanding Innovation - Indigenous in recognition of her successful internship in Germany and impressive work on pyrite.
The Mitacs Globalink program allowed Renelle to gain research experience and develop an international network of collaborators. She worked closely with Dr. Baptiste Gault and fellow PhD student Kevin Schweinar, who provided valuable guidance throughout her internship. She is thankful to her thesis supervisor, Prof. David Schneider, and to her collaborator at the University of Vienna, Dr. Anna Rogowitz, for their continued support.
Currently, Renelle is continuing her doctoral studies while finishing additional journal manuscripts with the data she collected during her stay in Germany. She is designing laboratory experiments that could deform pyrite under different conditions. This work could provide important insight on the plastic behaviour of natural metals and different materials under various physiochemical conditions.
Despite her busy schedule, Renelle made time to help with the online conversion of lab-based geology courses for the fall semester of 2020, as she is also interested in pedagogy. She is involved in organizing weekly seminars for students in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, which allows students to share their research progress and receive constructive feedback. Renelle also led a “Let’s Talk Science” workshop that focused on teaching microscopy techniques to high school students.
Moving forward, Renelle plans to devote her time to research on nanoscale characterization of defect structures in geomaterials, conducting experiments on rock melts, and publishing the results in the near future. Her academic career goal is to bridge the disciplines of geoscience and material sciences in order to exchange analytical approaches and interpretations. She plans to achieve this by keeping an open mind and pushing herself to work off the beaten track.
Read more:
- A 2D and 3D nanostructural study of naturally deformed pyrite: assessing the links between trace element mobility and defect structures
- Pyrite deformation and connections to gold mobility: Insight from micro-structural analysis and trace element mapping
- The gold rush: uOttawa PhD student earns prestigious Mitacs Award
