Spotlight: Tim Taylor
How did you become a scientist and what drew you to your field?
I wanted to become an engineer, largely because that's what my Dad did. He believed in building safe quality products long before it was a popular slogan. So for me, it has been an easy transition into environmental science. Quality projects should minimize the environmental risk and wastes. Prevention through quality is very cool.
What have you been doing in your job most recently?
My recent work takes me to the Northwest Territories for both spill prevention and response and historical waste issues. Climate change may play a greater disruptor in the ecological balance of the North than elsewhere in Canada. This will leave historical drilling sumps that have been frozen into the permafrost in an uncertain state. The other change we may see in the Arctic is more ship borne traffic on the Northwest Passage. There will be a greater need for response equipment and trained responders as even cruise ships can become grounded in the sometimes poorly charted waters. We have been holding and promoting spill training in the North for many years and will again hold one this summer.
What advice would you give to someone thinking about a career in Environmental Science?
I am an outright fan of the work we do. Yes its science, but it is cool science! So of course I would encourage anyone to enter our field. What other profession allows you to save the world and make money too?