Speakers
Research Presentations
This session explores the deep microbial worlds beneath our feet and the importance of including Indigenous perspectives in how we study and care for them. Professor Josh Neufeld from the University of Waterloo investigates the bacteria and archaea that live in soils, aquifers, and deep subsurface environments using both traditional cultivation and modern molecular approaches. His research has uncovered microbes that survive in extreme, nutrient-limited conditions, helping us better understand processes like groundwater quality, ecosystem stability, and even the design of nuclear waste repositories.
The session will also reflect on how this work takes place in the context of Indigenous lands and knowledge. Josh will share thoughts on collaboration, access, and long-term responsibility, raising important questions about how we define good science in these spaces. This is a chance to consider what inclusive, thoughtful subsurface microbiome research can look like.
Professor Josh Neufeld is a Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Waterloo. He is an internationally recognized expert in microbial ecology, with over 20 years of experience characterizing microbial communities in engineered aquatic environments. An important focus of his lab since 2015 involves characterizing the microbiology of natural and engineered barrier components intended for a deep geological repository of used nuclear fuel. This surveillance research combines cultivation- and molecular-based approaches, complemented by analysis and interpretation with computational approaches.