Krista Chin (Health Science, 1995) works as an environmental scientist with the Government of the Northwest Territories, focusing on aquatic research and monitoring work.
Chin, originally from Montreal’s South Shore, always knew she was interested in science, especially when it came to nature and the great outdoors.
“I had a stronger affinity for being outdoors so biology seemed like a better fit,” she said.
Chin, who played soccer for the Cavaliers women’s team, recalled taking a canoe class as part of her physical education requirements at Champlain and said she still uses those skills today.
“I work in a really remote area so sometimes the float plane can’t get us to shore. So we inflate the pack raft and paddle ourselves to shore.”
After Cegep, Chin completed her Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Environmental Science at McGill University.
“I really enjoyed all of the ecology outdoor field programs,” she said.
After graduation, she started travelling and working for labs where she would assist researchers conducting field work.
After a few years, Chin went back to school to complete a Master’s in Biology from Acadia University in Nova Scotia.
In 2009, Chin took a job working in the Northwest Territories out of Yellowknife as an environmental management specialist.
In her work, Chin monitors the impacts of natural and man-made disturbances on the aquatic systems, including forest fires, thawing permafrost, mining and other development projects.
She said moving up north was a big transition but she was surprised to find a large community of soccer enthusiasts and other like-minded-individuals there who she connected with.
Chin’s advice for current students and recent grads: “Don’t stress if you don’t know what you want to do for the rest of your life. Take some time to explore and determine what interests you, keeping in mind that your career is only a part of your life. Friends and family play a big role in a well-balanced and happy life.”
