Overview

Charlie Roots was born in Ottawa and grew up in the Gatineau River Valley. From an early age and throughout his life, Charlie avidly pursued outdoor activities. He was curious about the natural sciences and, starting as a teenager, had summer jobs with the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) and the National Museum where he participated in field research programs in the Rockies, central British Columbia and Arctic field stations, as well as science projects in Ottawa. He carried out graduate studies at Carleton University in the Department of Earth Sciences where he completed an MSc in 1982 and a PhD in 1988. In 1992, with two other Carleton Earth Sciences alumni and GSC scientists (Lisel Currie, PhD/94, and Leo Nadeau, MSc/84, PhD/91), Charlie participated in the 19-person Canadian Geographic Society expedition to place a global positioning system instrument on the summit of Mount Logan, Canada’s highest peak, and determine its height. The mission addressed an important geophysical and geodetic problem, and coincided with the 150th anniversary of the founding of the GSC and the 125th anniversary of Canada.

Charlie worked as a Research Scientist at the GSC investigating the origin and evolution of the Yukon and the North American continent, mentoring students, engaging with the public about science, and participating in his community until 2011. During his later years living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Charlie gained great satisfaction from his intellectual involvement in geological investigations, and environmental and social issues. Charlie died in Whitehorse in 2016. When his physical strength dwindled, he continued to engage actively in planning, designing and analyzing projects, and interpreting the natural setting of Whitehorse. Charlie’s courage and determination, unquenchable good humour and unfailing willingness to help others are an inspiration to everyone, and Charlie is a great role model for early-career geologists and natural scientists.

The Background

Every year, our undergraduate students engage in exciting research projects for their honours theses. Gifts to this endowment will help fourth-year honours students gain advanced research experience. This includes field and/or laboratory work on such topics as: Arctic research; fossils and implications for evolution or paleogeography; resource geology; crystal growth, metamorphism and mountain building; igneous rocks as geochemical tracers of Earth’s history; early Earth and planetary geology; basin analysis; sea level changes; natural vs. human contamination; hydrogeology; and many other earth sciences and environmental topics. All funding goes to support the students’ research costs. This initiative is in honour of Dr. Charles Frederick Roots (1956-2016), a remarkable Carleton University alumnus (MSc/82 PhD/88) who was an avid geologist, outdoorsman and all-around scientist.

The Rollout

Thanks to generous donors, including Carleton alumni & students; colleagues, family and friends of Charlie Roots; present and former members of the Department of Earth Sciences; Carleton University; we have established the Charlie Roots Honours Project Fund in Earth Sciences.

Every year, in perpetuity, the annual interest from the Charlie Roots Fund will help fourth-year honours students gain advanced research experience by subsidising the direct costs of their research. For example, in the 2023-24 academic year, over $20,000 was awarded as grants in support of the field and laboratory costs of ERTH 4908 Honours students. Honours thesis topics span the breadth of Earth Sciences sub-disciplines including the study of fossils and implications for evolution or paleogeography; resource geology; crystal growth, metamorphism and mountain building; igneous rocks as geochemical tracers of Earth’s history; early Earth and planetary geology; basin analysis; sea level changes; natural vs. human contamination; hydrogeology; and many other earth sciences and environmental topics.

Now we are trying to grow the fund to accommodate increasing enrollment in our B.Sc.H. honours programs including an influx of students in our recent B.Sc.H. program in Earth Sciences with a concentration in Environmental Sciences.

The Impact

Thanks to the support received from generous donors, Charlie’s legacy of encouraging students to find and pursue their purpose can exist in perpetuity in the Department of Earth Sciences at Carleton University. Between 2020 and 2024, funding was provided to over 30 students and their honours research projects. Financial contributions provided by the Charlie Roots Fund enable student recipients to explore their ideas, passions, and academic goals. Research results are also having a positive impact on society more broadly by advancing knowledge related to the Earth and Environmental sciences.