Matthew Beedle was inspired by glaciers as a high school student in Alaska.

He has taken that interest in the natural world around us and used it to transform the classroom for his students in the University of Northern British Columbia and now Coast Mountain College campus in Smithers.

"I really try to meet students where they are with their passions and interests, and nurture those passions [through] collecting real data and being out in the field together tackling tricky environmental and geo-scientific questions from the ground up."

This year, Beedle was awarded the West Coast Excellence in Teaching award and feels that his Field Course Studies have helped to inspire students to get out in the world and research environments by being in them.

He begins teaching in Smithers January 2023 with the course GEO 150, an introductory atmosphere, weather and climate course. That class sets students up for Field Schools which will take place in May and August of 2023.

Listen to Pamela's full interview with Matthew Beedle in the link below.