Boundary Layer Airflow & Sediment Transport (BLAST) Research Unit Activities

The BLAST unit consists of a research laboratory and state-of-the-art equipment for the study of aeolian (windblown) processes in coastal and semi-arid sedimentary environments across Canada. The purpose of the BLAST program is to examine the contemporary morphological and sedimentary dynamics of beach-dune systems and prairie dunefields with the aim of developing a better understanding of how these systems respond to broader scale climate changes, sea-level rise and land use change. As such, the BLAST program addresses an understudied area of Canadian environmental research and provides research expertise on coastal and semi-arid sediment transport, erosion and landscape response.

Research collaborations

The BLAST program is interdisciplinary and involves collaborative research with colleagues from: University of Guelph, UBC-Okanagan, University of Lethbridge, Oxford University, Mt. Allison University – Coastal Wetlands Institute, Louisiana State University, Parks Canada, BC Parks, and the Geological Survey of Canada (Natural Resources Canada).

Research opportunities

The BLAST program provides training opportunities in geomorphology and Earth Systems science for students from the undergrad to graduate level. Students gain skills and experience relevant for Earth science research, environmental consulting, climate change impacts assessment, erosion assessment & control, and natural resources management and policy development. Research collaborations provide key links for networking, training and potential employment

Funding and Support:

The BLAST Research Unit was developed from financial support from a Canada Foundation For Innovation (CFI) New Opportunities Research Grant (project 4632) and the British Columbia Knowledge Development Fund (BCKDF). Research activities are supported by funding from from the Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council (NSERC), Parks Canada's Ecosystem Science Fund, and the Government of Canada's Climate Change Impacts & Adaptations Program (CCIAP).