Dr. Christopher Omelon

Biography

Christopher Omelon is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering at Queen's University. He completed his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science at McGill University and obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Toronto. His M.Sc. research focused on geochemical dynamics of saline spring discharge, while his doctoral studies examined microenvironmental conditions affecting microbe-mineral interactions in cryptoendolithic habitats. Omelon's research includes extensive fieldwork in the Canadian high Arctic, particularly on Axel Heiberg and Ellesmere Islands, and he completed a NASA Planetary Biology Internship during his graduate studies. His postdoctoral work was conducted at Western University, McGill University, the University of Texas at Austin, and the University of Kansas. His current research aims to understand geomicrobiological and biogeochemical dynamics in aquatic and terrestrial habitats, investigating the chemical interactions between microbes and minerals and their ecological impacts. Omelon's work encompasses both field and laboratory experiments across disciplines such as geomicrobiology, low-temperature geochemistry, molecular biology, and hydrogeology, with a current focus on the effects of climate warming on Arctic terrestrial landscapes.

Research Interests