Board of Directors
Dr. Stephen Edward Grasby, PhD, P.Geo.
President - Geothermal Canada
Senior Research Scientist - Geological Survey of Canada
Dr. Grasby received a PhD in Geochemistry from University of Calgary in 1997. He has worked on regional groundwater studies in the Canadian Prairies and in British Columbia, including climate change impacts of regional water supply. He has also conducted extensive studies on thermal and mineral springs in western and northern Canada. He is lead author of the 2011 GSC publication, " Geothermal Energy Resource Potential of Canada".
Steve currently works at the Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada. He does research in Geochemistry, Geology and Geomicrobiology. His current projects includes controls on Early Triassic paleoproductivity and geothermal energy potential of Canada.
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Dr. Catherine Jean Hickson, PhD, P.Geo., FGC
Past President - Geothermal Canada
President - Tuya Terra Geo Corp.
Chief Geologist - Terrapin Geothermics
C.E.O. - Alberta No. 1
Dr. Hickson is an experienced geothermal resource development expert. She received her PhD from the University of British Columbia in 1987 focusing on the subglacial volcanoes of Wells Gray Provincial Park, BC. However, her career in geothermal started as a summer student with the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) where in 1981 she joined the survey’s geothermal program doing downhole temperature measurements as well as field mapping. She spent the next 25 years of her career as a Research Scientist with the GSC. In 2008, she left government and joined Magma Energy Corp. (now Alterra Power Corp.) as VP Exploration and Chief Geoscientist. She led the company’s exploration and advanced resource assessments globally, spending significant time on projects in Chile, Iceland, Italy, Peru and USA. She continues to work actively in geothermal exploration and development to this day.
She has made significant contributions to the profession of geoscience through her career, volunteer service, and leadership. A pioneering volcanologist and a globally-recognized geoscience and geothermal expert with more than 30 years’ experience, she is the author of over 100 scientific papers as well as articles for the public, including two books. Dr. Hickson's early career focused on assessing past and future eruptions and hazard impacts of young volcanoes in Canada and globally. She went on to spend 25 years working with the federal government at the Geological Survey of Canada. She worked closely with the International Civil Aviation Organization creating pilot and airspace regulations for flight in regions impacted by volcanic ash. She also formulated and implemented Canada's volcanic eruption response. Combining her management and volcanological expertise as well as her global experience, an impactful career in the private sector followed, with a focus on geothermal energy and lithium brines.
In 2014, Dr. Hickson founded her own geological and management services company specializing in supporting geothermal development, lithium exploration, and public engagement in the Earth sciences. In 2018, she became Chief Geologist of the Alberta start-up Terrapin Geothermics. Under her leadership, Terrapin secured over $25 million in project development funds from Natural Resources Canada’s Emerging Renewable Power Program for its Alberta No. 1 project to harness the benefits of geothermal energy. She now serves as Alberta No. 1’s CEO. Dr. Hickson holds a Ph.D. (1987) in Geology and Volcanology, and a B.Sc. in Geology (1982) from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC.
Catherine is a registered professional geoscientist with Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia (EGBC) and the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA). She served as an EGBC Council member from 2017 to 2019 and has also been a member of EGBC’s Geoscience Committee (2018 to 2022), the Credentials Committee (2018 – 2021), the Professional Practice Advisory Group (2017-2018), and the Nominating Committee (2013- 2015). Catherine is currently a member of the Engineering Experience Assessment Panel.
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Emily Smejkal, P.Geol
Vice President - Geothermal Canada
Geologic Consultant - Alberta No. 1
Associate - Tuya Terra Geo Corp.
Emily Smejkal, P.Geol is a geologist by training (BSc 2007) with over 10 years of experience in the Oil and Gas sector. Her work has been primarily with the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin, where she spent the first portion of her career working on heavy oil deposits. She focused on fluvial and marine depositional environments, of which she created detailed 2D and 3D facies models. She also planned and executed drilling programs for both new and existing oil fields. While working on SAGD (steam assisted gravity drainage) heavy oil projects, Emily was a geologic specialist for both wellbore integrity and surface facility geochemistry projects. She is also experienced in GIS, subsurface mapping, 3D and 4D modelling, project management, facies modelling and sedimentary depositional environments. Currently Emily is transitioning her experience to geothermal exploration in sedimentary basins.
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Philip Harms, P.Geol
Treasurer - Geothermal Canada
President & Co-Founder - 4th Resource Corp.
Philip Harms completed his BSc from the University of Calgary in 2006 with a double major in Geology and Geophysics. He has over 15 years of international exploration, development, and gas storage experience. His roles have included project leadership, geological & geophysical interpretation, seismic data acquisition & processing, resource quantification & risk assessment, data analytics and GIS analysis. Phil has a keen interest in leveraging exploration technology and workflows from the oil and gas industry into the geothermal space and integrating emerging energy trends and technologies into environmentally balanced energy solutions both in Canadian and international markets.
Mr. Harms is a registered Professional Geoscientist with the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) and a member of the CSEG.
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Harmokale Project in Ethiopia:
Katherine Huang, P.Geo
Director at Large - Geothermal Canada
Geothermal Consultant
Katie Huang graduated from the University of British Columbia with an Honors BSc in Geological Sciences in 2015. She completed an MSc in Geothermal Science Specialization at the University of Iceland in 2019. Katie has worked on several geothermal projects across Canada and internationally, and now works as a geothermal consultant.
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Alberta No. 1 Project:
Gordon Brasnett, P.Geo.
Director at Large - Geothermal Canada
Geothermal Expert - Sproule
After completing undergraduate degrees in Geophysics and Physics at the University of Alberta, Gord began his career working in the geotechnical and environmental consulting industry as a near-surface geophysicist. In this role, he has completed geophysical project assignments across Western Canada in support of the environmental reclamation, pipeline, hydrogeology, geohazard, arctic engineering, and construction sectors.
In 2021, he began pursuing an MSc degree in Sustainable Energy Development (SEDV) at the University of Calgary with a capstone research project focused on mapping the economic potential of geothermal projects across Alberta. Gord is interested in the interdisciplinary aspects of geothermal energy and getting involved in work where society’s energy needs intersect with sectors that are fundamental to our standard of living (housing, agriculture, transportation, etc.). He has an interest in exploring the viability of geothermal energy in Canada and applying his near-surface geoscience background towards direct-use heating & cooling applications.
Gord is a registered Professional Geoscientist with the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) and a member of the Canadian Society of Exploration Geophysicists (CSEG).
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Daniel Alonso Torres
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Director for British Columbia - Geothermal Canada
Geothermal Exploration Specialist - Barkley Project Group
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Daniel's work is based in Nanaimo with the Barkley Project Group, on the traditional lands of the Snuneymuxw and Snaw-naw-as people. He obtained a M.Sc. in Geology & Geophysics at the University of Calgary. He also has over 12 years of research and exploration experience, including various types of Geothermal experience in Western Canada.
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Kirsten Marcia, P.Geo.
Director for Western Canada (AB & SK) - Geothermal Canada
C.E.O. - DEEP Earth Energy Production
Kirsten Marcia is the founder, President, and CEO of DEEP – a Saskatchewan geothermal power generation company. Kirsten is a Professional Geoscientist who earned a B.Sc. in geology from the University of Saskatchewan. Kirsten’s 25 year career in the exploration industry has included diamonds, gold, uranium and oil and gas, and now geothermal – spearheading a new renewable energy industry for Canada.
Kirsten is leading a team developing one of Canada’s first geothermal power facilities. Leveraging innovations from the oil and gas sector, DEEP will harvest heat from the Williston basin to create clean, renewable baseload power and sell into the Saskatchewan grid. Construction is expected to commence in 2024. DEEP was named the Exceptional Engineering/Geoscience Project Award Winner of 2022 by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan (APEGS).
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DEEP Project in Saskatchewan
Dr. Dipanjan Basu, PhD, P.Geo, P.Eng
Director for Central Canada (MT & ON) - Geothermal Canada
Engineering Professor - University of Waterloo
Professional Engineer in Ontario
Chartered Engineer and Professional Engineer in India
Dr. Dipanjan Basu is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Waterloo (UW). He is a Professional Engineer in the province of Ontario in Canada, and a Chartered Engineer and Professional Engineer in India. He has delivered several keynotes and invited lectures in the U.S.A., Canada, South Africa, Argentina, India, China, and Kazakhstan. He has won multiple awards in the U.S.A., U.K., and India. He hails from Kolkata, India, and has lived in India, U.S.A., and Canada.
Professor Basu is a geotechnical engineer with diverse interest in mechanics, mathematics, numerical methods, renewable energy, and sustainability. He teaches courses on Geotechnical Engineering and Numerical Analysis. Professor Basu’s current research focus is on Geothermal Energy, Soil Structure Interaction, Life Cycle Assessment, and Pile Foundations. “From fundamentals to applications” he likes developing theories based on the principles of physics and mechanics, and finally produces results that are useful in practice. He has over 150 publications with more than 60 refereed articles in reputed journals.
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Jasmin Raymond, PhD
Director for Eastern Canada (QC) - Geothermal Canada
Professor - INRS
Chairholder - INQ Northern Geothermal Potential Research Chair
Scientific Head - Geothermal Open Laboratory
Jasmin Raymond is a hydrogeologist and he teaches geothermal energy basics at Institut national de la recherche scientifique in Quebec City. He obtained his Ph.D. at Laval University and a B.Sc. at McGill University. During his young career, he received numerous prizes such as a Banting Scholarship for his postdoctoral research. He currently holds a research chair from l’Institut nordique du Québec to investigate the geothermal potential of northern communities and mines in addition to being the co-leader of an international research group on geothermal energy supported by UNESCO.
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Professor Grant Wach, D.Phil., FGS, P. Geo.
Director for Atlantic Canada (Maritimes) - Geothermal Canada
Professor of Petroleum Geoscience - Dalhousie University
Professor Grant Wach began his career advising worldwide for multinational companies in the energy sector and is now Professor of Geoscience at Dalhousie University. His research includes energy sustainability, geothermal energy, and carbon storage; his research goal is to understand the reservoir component of petroleum, CCUS and geothermal systems; part of the path to Carbon Neutrality, and the steps towards the Energy Transition/ Diversification the World is now undergoing.
Professor Wach is an expert advisor to the Energy Sustainability Committee of the UNECE and the team released their technology brief on CCUS. He has advised the Nova Scotia government on Carbon Storage and Sequestration. Professor Wach co-led the EAGE Workshop on Geothermal in Latin America, with follow-on courses to the EAGE worldwide on Geothermal and CCS in 2022.
Professor Wach studied at Western University (Hons. B.A. Geog.); University of South Carolina (M.Sc. Geology) and the University of Oxford (D.Phil. Geology). He was the first recipient of the AAPG Foundation Professor of the Year Award, awarded the prestigious Darcy McGee Beacon Fellowship, and was the recipient of the CSPG Stanley Slipper Gold Medal for outstanding contributions to exploration and development, teaching, and mentorship.
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Dr. Viktor Terlaky, PhD, P.Geo., P.Geol
Director for Northern Canada (YK, NWT, & Nunavut) - Geothermal Canada
Manager of Energy Geosciences at the Northwest Territories Geological Survey (NTGS), Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Government of Northwest Territories (GNWT)
Dr. Viktor Terlaky started his career at the NTGS in 2016 as Senior Energy Geologist and moved into the Manager of Energy Geoscience position in 2021. During his tenure at the NTGS, Dr. Terlaky has worked on various energy geoscience projects, including unconventional hydrocarbon reservoir characterization in the Central Makenzie Valley and geothermal reservoir characterization in the Liard Basin.
Dr. Terlaky is an Associate Editor for the journal Bulletin of Canadian Energy Geoscience published by the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists, member of the Management Board of the NWT Environmental Studies Research Fund, and member of the Steering Committee for the Atlas 2027 project (successor to the Geological Atlas of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin).
Dr. Terlaky has a doctorate in Geology from the University of Ottawa. His thesis work focused on the deep-marine turbidite systems of the Windermere Supergroup, BC, Canada. He also completed a MSc in Geology and BSc with Honours in Earth and Environmental Science at McMaster University. Dr. Terlaky’s scientific interests include siliciclastic and carbonate sedimentology and stratigraphy.
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Fiona Chapman
Student Engagement Director - Geothermal Canada
PhD Candidate - INRS
Fiona is a PhD candidate who holds a BSc in Environment with a minor in Geology from McGill University (2019) and completed her MSc in Earth Sciences at McMaster University. In 2021, she joined Jasmin Raymond’s Geothermal team at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique, centre Eau Terre Environment.
Currently, Fiona's primary research objective revolves around evaluating the geothermal potential around Lhu’aan Man (Kluane Lake) in southwestern Yukon. This project is in partnership with the Yukon Geological Survey and Kluane First Nation. Fiona is using a combination of fieldwork, laboratory analysis, and modelling to estimate the geothermal potential. This research will provide fundamental knowledge for Kluane First Nations to make informed decisions about further geothermal energy exploration and development on their traditional territory.