Feiyue Wang uses a glove box in his lab, allowing him to work with samples sensitive to oxygen.
Photo by Kaitlin Vitt
Feiyue Wang, a professor at the University of Manitoba, has been named Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Arctic Environmental Chemistry, receiving $1.4 million over seven years to support his research.
Working with Søren Rysgaard, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Arctic Geomicrobiology and Climate Change, Wang studies Arctic sea ice at the university’s Centre for Earth Observation Science in the Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth and Resources.
In particular, Wang is looking at chemical processes happening in the cryosphere—the frozen parts of the Earth, like snow, sea ice and permafrost—and what their implications are.
Since Wang started working at the University of Manitoba in 2000, his research has focused on mercury contamination in the Arctic. He is now expanding his studies to include oil and other emerging contaminants associated with projected Arctic development.
Wang’s research on the interplay between chemical contamination and climate change will provide the knowledge and tools needed to improve policies and practices for sustainable development in the Arctic under a changing climate.
A version of this article was first published in UM Today, University of Manitoba’s online newspaper.