I've always loved science that sought to understand the molecular interactions their impacts on the observed system. My undergraduate studies in chemistry and biochemistry allowed me to delve deeper into fascinating topics like protein folding and genetics. As I neared the end of my undergraduate, I became more interested in exploring the outdoors, and was spending most of my time hiking and birdwatching. The mountains, the wetlands... these were incredibly complex ecosystems. The only that seemed certain is that we are extremely uncertain in our knowledge of ecosystems, and their fate under modelled climate change scenarios. These impossible problems were fascinating to me. I took a couple of geography and environmental science courses. Through these, I became passionate about freshwater security in Canada, and whether the monitoring programs and policies in place are effective at protecting this vital resource. I am now a M.Sc. at Trent University, where I am working on developing a model of mercury in the Mackenzie River (N.W.T), as part of the international collaborative project ArcRISK. The purpose to the project is to identify which sources are most influential on mercury levels in the freshwater and fish of the Mackenzie River. The sources considered include atmospheric deposition, soil erosion, permafrost thaw, retrogressive permafrost thaw-slumps, wildfires, mining, and fossil fuel exploration.