July 2020

Guillaume Nielsen, Ph.D

NSERC Industrial Research Chair for Colleges in Northern Mine Remediation

– Ph.D with specialization in mine water treatment in northern climates

– 10 years of design, conducting and reporting field work related to research projects and contaminated sites work

– Familiarity with Indigenous cultures and communities gained from various projects conducted in the Yukon

– Experience training and supervising with First Nation students, College and University students
– Resident of the Yukon for the last 8 years

– Spoken and written languages: French, English (Bilingual)

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Northern Mine Remediation.

Yukon University, Research Centre. March 2018- currently.

Research Associate, Mine Life Cycles

Yukon Research Centre, Yukon College. April 2017- March 2018

Environmental scientist, Consultant.

CH2M Hill. June – April 2017

Ph.D Candidate.

Yukon Research Centre, Whitehorse YT | Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Eau Terre et Environnement, Québec QC | Alexco Resource Corp, Whitehorse YT. Jan 2014 – Sept 2017

Environmental Consultant

Core Geoscience Services Inc. Jan 2017 – April 2017

Resarch Technician

Yukon Research Centre, Whitehorse YT. Nov 2013 – Jan 2014

Research Assistant

Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Eau Terre et Environnement, Québec QC. Arcelor Mittal Corp. March 2013 – Aug 2013

Research assistant

Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Eau Terre et Environnement, Québec QC. TECOSOL Inc. Apr 2012 – Oct 2012

EDUCATION

Ph.D in Soil Science. Sept 2018.

Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Eau Terre et Environnement, Québec QC, Yukon Research Centre, YT.

Thesis: Semi-Passive treatment of mine impacted waters in cold climate: enhancement of metal removal from cold waters by biological-chemical processes in anaerobic bioreactors

Master of Soil Science with Honours | Water and soil treatment processes. Jan 2014.

Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Eau Terre et Environnement, Québec QC

Thesis: “Physical treatment of contaminated soil by hydrocarbons and retreatment of concentrate for soil enhancing”, supervised by Guy Mercier, Pr.


Bachelor | Environmental protection. 2008-2009.

UCO, Université Catholique de l’Ouest, Angers, France

Thesis: “Decontamination of contaminated soil by flotation and leaching of lead and hydrocarbons”

BTS Advanced technician’s certificate | Landscape Architect. 2006-2008.

École du Breuil, Paris, France

Dissertation: “Landscape and phytoremediation”

COMMUNICATION & OUTREACH

Nacho Nyäk Dun First Nation communication

  • Presentation to NND summer students and staff: Mine Revegetation. February 2020
  • NND General Assembly. June 2016, July 2017, July 2018, July 2019.
  • Presentation to NND summer students and staff: Sulfate Reducing Passive Bioreactor to treat mine water from Keno. Mayo, YT. Aug 2015.
  • Trained NND students for water sampling.July 2015
  • Ice fishing & bioremediation discussions at the bonfire with elders. Keno, YT
  • Collected samples from the fish caught in the McQuesten river. April 2014

Local Workshops

  • Mining workshop for communities. Ross River, Watson Lake, Carcross, Carmacks. Summer 2019.
  • Women in Mining, Gold Show. May 2017.
    • Conducted fun chemical experiments for over a week for First Nation youth from Pelly Crossing, Faro and Dawson city. Hosted a booth for Yukon College
  • Lecture series, McBride Museum. Whitehorse, YT. Sept 2016.
    • Presented: Treating mine water contamination with Microbes
  • Yukon passive water treatment workshop. Whitehorse, YT. June 2016.
    • Networking with local industries, academics and First Nations
  • Yukon passive water treatment workshop. Whitehorse, YT. June 2014
    • Networking with local industries, academics and First Nations

International Conferences

  • NSERC FONCER TEDGIEER. Sept 2018 & 2019
    • Water treatment in the North, Quebec, Qc.
  • Geoscience Forum. Whitehorse, YT. Nov 2017.
    • Organized and led panel discussion titled: Integrated Mine Closure: The Role of Innovation from Planning Through Closure (and Beyond)
    • Presented: Keno sulfate reducing bioreactors and Yukon-native bacteria to remove metals from mine drainage in cold-climate
  • Canadian Association on Water Quality (CAWQ). Quebec, QC. May 2017
    • Presented a poster titled: Bioréacteurs passifs sulfato-réducteurs utilisés à l’échelle pilote pour le traitement de drainage neutre contaminé en climat nordique
  • GAC-MAC. Whitehorse, YT. June 2016.
    • Presented: Yukon-native bacteria and their capacity to remove metals from mine drainage in cold-climates
  • CIM convention. Vancouver, BC. May 2016
  • Quebec mines. Quebec, QC. Nov 2016

COMMITTEE

Arctic Net. Research Management Committee (February 2019 – currently)

Yukon U. University Management Team. (2019 – currently)

Yukon U. Science Building Committee. (2018 – currently)

Yukon U, Research Centre. Strategy Council. (2018 – currently)

PUBLICATIONS

  • Nielsen, G., Janin, A., Coudert L., Blais, J.F., Mercier, G. Performances of sulfate-reducing passive bioreactors for the treatment of mine drainage contaminated by Cd and Zn in cold climate. Mine Water and the Environment. May 2017
  • Nielsen, G., Coudert L., Janin, A., Blais, J.F., Mercier, G. Influence of organic carbon sources on the reduction of sulfates from mine impacted water using sulfate-reducing bacteria bioreactors in cold climates. Mine Water and the Environment. Submitted in December 2017
  • Nielsen, G., Hatam, I., Abuan, K., Janin, A., Coudert L., Blais, J.F., Mercier, G. Baldwin, S. Semi-passive in-situ pilot scale bioreactor successfully removed sulfate and metals from mine impacted water under subarctic climatic conditions. WaterResearch. Submitted in November 2017

PERSONAL INTERESTS

  • Fly fishing
  • Outdoor activities (backcountry ski, hiking, ATV and skidoo)
  • Piano
    • Taught piano for 2 years in a music school for youth at risk (Jeunes musiciens du monde, Quebec, Qc)
  • Archery
  • Strong interest in different cultures from the world
    • Travels in Asia, North America, Africa, Europe.