Emma Bennett found herself in a completely different world the first time she headed into the backcountry as an undergraduate student researcher. 

She was in the Northwest Territories with professor Janok Bhattacharya and his research group. “There was no internet, no deadlines, no buildings – just us and the wilderness,” said Bennett. And there was a whole lot of whitewater rapids to navigate in a canoe. 

Bennett joined McMaster University in 2021 at the height of the pandemic. Going to McMaster had been her dream – Bennett immediately fell in love with the campus while on a tour with her father, a McMaster alumnus. 

Enrolled in the earth science program, Bennett needed to complete a thesis before graduating. She asked Bhattacharya, a professor in the School of Earth, Environment & Society and the Susan Cunningham Research Chair in Geology, if he’d be her supervisor. “I’d taken several of Dr. Bhattacharya’s courses and really enjoyed his relaxed and conversational approach to teaching,” Bennett said. 

For her thesis, Bennett travelled to the Northwest Territories and Utah to take outcrop images and measurements. Her first adventure included a five-day canoe trip on the Petitot River from British Columbia to Northwest Territories. 

“One of the hardest parts of being in the Northwest Territories was never really having a moment to fully appreciate just how challenging the experience was,” she said. Canoeing for 10 hours a day, setting up and tearing down camp, and lugging supplies back and forth pushed her to her limits. 

Bennett had always thrived in difficult situations and loved to challenge herself back at Mac – whether it was preparing a showcase for Mac Dance, pushing herself in a rock climbing competition at the University Bouldering Series or navigating her first year at university during the COVID lockdown. So she treated five exhausting days of canoeing through white water rapids as just another challenge to meet. 

A week after her expedition through Northern Canada, Bennett was off to Utah to explore whether oil or gas can contaminate groundwater. In peak desert conditions over two weeks, she ventured out to a rock outcrop every day to take detailed measurements. 

Bennett enjoyed identifying rocks and studying the geology of the area, and using that information to build a story of what happened to the land over time. After a summer filled with adventure, her final year at McMaster presented a different kind of challenge doing computational work and writing her thesis. That involved learning different software programs and managing technical issues while continuing her coursework.

Bennett’s thesis proposal and academic record earned her the Keith and Traci MacDonald Undergraduate Student Research Experience Award, given to two students annually in the School of Earth, Environment and Society. Bennett said she was overjoyed to receive the award – it validated her decision to become a geologist and the countless hours of hard work she’d put into her thesis and courses. 

One of her proudest moments at Mac happened in April while presenting her thesis in front of the whole department. What felt like an impossible task in September was achieved in April. “I never could have predicted how naturally academic writing would come to me, or how proud I would be of my final thesis. Finishing it felt like emerging from the fog – more capable, confident, and sure of my place in science.” 

Bennett’s one piece of advice for future students? When facing academic or external pressures, prioritize self-care and don’t treat it as a reward for working hard. Maintain a sleep schedule, prepare proper meals, exercise and make time for socializing. “All of this is necessary not only for good mental health but for also doing well in your studies.” 

Bennett graduated from McMaster in June with a major in Earth and Environmental Science and a certificate in Geographical Informational Systems (GIS). She wants to pursue a master’s degree in geology and hopes to work as either a conservationist or geomorphologist. Currently, she’s working as a research assistant in Bhattacharya’s lab and will be returning to the Northwest Territories to collect more data and once again brave the rapids.