外流影片

ALLways Learning - How Geomatics can Mitigate Climate Impacts with Tim Webster

January 23, 2026 (2:00 pm - 3:00 pm)

Location: K.C. Irving Environmental Centre Auditorium


This talk is part of the , which invites ALL members and members of our local community to join us for a free, casual lecture each Friday during the academic year (formerly Lunchtime Learning Series).

Abstract: Nova Scotia has seen its share of climate impacts lately. From hurricanes setting records for the most damage and highest intensity recorded to flash floods where residents鈥 lives have been lost to raging wildfires that cost people their homes and burned large swaths of forest. Although Geomatics, the science of mapping and surveying, cannot stop these events, advanced technologies can be used to improve preparedness, adaptation and mitigation of such events in the future. This presentation will highlight how this technology was used to both predict the impacts of Hurricane Fiona and measure the actual damage caused. As well it will show how important surveys are after significant climate events such as the July flooding near Windsor. Lastly, it will show how a local indigenous company is working with AGRG-NSCC to improve their software to predict how wildfires will behave.

Biography: Dr. Tim Webster is a research scientist with the Applied Geomatics Research Group, part of Applied Research at Nova Scotia Community College in Nova Scotia, Canada. His research focus is mapping and modeling earth鈥檚 surface processes and uses a topo-bathymetric lidar and other geomatics data to support his research. He obtained his PhD from Dalhousie University in 2006, MSc from 外流影片 in 1996, an Advanced Diploma in Remote Sensing in 1988, and a BSc (Geology-Physics) in 1987. In 2002 he was co-awarded the Government of Canada 鈥淪cience Awards to Leaders in Sustainable Development鈥 for coastal flood risk and climate change in Prince Edward Island. In 2010 he received the Gulf of 鈥淢aine Council Visionary Award鈥. In 2017 he was presented with the Geomatics Association of Nova Scotia 鈥淎ward of Distinction鈥. In 2022 he was awarded the Discovery Centre 鈥淧ublic Impact Award鈥. He has also consulted for the Government Dominica on their lidar and orthophoto acquisition. He has consulted for Natural Resources Canada on their Flood Mapping Guidelines, writing the Topo-bathymetric lidar appendix and the Detecting Coastal Change (erosion) guideline. He has conducted several major projects and authored papers on coastal and fluvial flood risk mapping utilizing lidar and other geomatics tools. He has been with the college for over 30 years, with over 20 as a research scientist and as a consultant for over 20 years and published over 30 peer reviewed papers.