S-IMEW
Where are they Now?

Meeting and learning from industry leading professionals, acquiring hands-on experience, working with enthusiastic student peers, observe diamond cutting, as well as going nearly 3 km underground in the LaRonde mine, one of the deepest in the Western Hemisphere. It was a life-changing experience.

My fondest memory of S-IMEW was going underground at the McCeedy West Mine. It was my first time underground, and it left a lasting impression. It was amazing to see the massive sulphide veins.

Every day at S-IMEW offered something new and exciting, but the most impactful part was the networking opportunities. I've made many friends and contacts during S-IMEW which have helped to turn into exciting job opportunities. 

Coast to coast to coast, every job has had exciting thrills, from daily boat, ATV, or helicopter rides, prospecting through the bush, to opening up a core box and finding gold scattered throughout! I could not envision a more exciting career in the geosciences!

More recently, I've begun my next chapter in my career by pursuing a masters in hydrogeology. 

S-IMEW is an amazing opportunity that presents the roles of a geologist and their impact in a way not seen in traditional geology classes. It gave me the opportunity to visit an underground mine, showing me with certainty that I could thrive in that environment, which lead me to continue my Master’s in an underground gold mine. 

Above all else, my greatest take-away was the opportunity to connect with a diverse group of peers who share the same drive for geology and a curiosity to explore. No matter where you are across the country, you have a friend and an instant network. 

I think meeting so many other students that were as passionate about entering industry as me was the biggest thing. The alumni and the volunteers were also a huge part of confirming that this is what I wanted to do and that I was making the right choice and that all of my effort was being put into the right place. 

S-IMEW allowed for the mingling of geoscience students from various institutions while visiting sites in various forms of development - from greenfields, to production, and reclamation. We found that although specific interests varied we all had one common interest. Rocks! Some liked to lick them, others to blow them up. My interests are on the latter.
Mill tours and trips to underground operations were among fondest memories on the S-IMEW trip, and helped guide me to a fulltime career in underground mine engineering.
Friendships were made on this trip that will last long into the future. Having a nationwide network of friends in the geoscience community is not something to take for granted in our line of work. You never know who you might be sharing a helicopter with on your next project.