exploring sustainability, biogeochemistry, urban ecology, and organic waste management at Western University, Canada
The SRM lab uses qualitative and quantitative methods to answer questions about:
How resources flow across landscapes.
How socio-ecological context creates barriers and enablers to sustainable transformations.
How the management of one resource interacts with other sustainability priorities to help transform urban and agricultural landscapes towards sustainability.
The centre of our lab logo is the alchemy symbol for phosphorus, drawing on our openness to the magic of discovery in science.
The symbol is surrounded by a leaf, which also doubles as a water drop, indicative of our goal to use nutrients as a lens to look at food and water security.
Meet Dr. Geneviève Metson
Associate Professor, Department of Geography and Environment at Western University
She is passionate about the role of cities in biogeochemistry as well as art-science collaborations for sustainability. Her work draws on a wide suite of methods including substance flow analysis, spatial mapping, statistical analysis, multi-actor workshops, interviews, and participant observation. The long-term goal of her work is co-create knowledge with local actors for evidence-based decision-making in an increasingly uncertain world.
She is teaching the following courses:
GEO 2210B – Introduction to Statistics for Geographers
GEO 3354/9122 – Water and Cities
GEO 9099 – Research Design & Presentation
The SRM lab is located at Western University’s main campus, in vibrant London, Ontario, Canada.
You can find the ‘wet’ lab facilities in the Social Sciences Building - SSC Room 1310.
The lab is currently awaiting renovation and is projected to be ready by Fall 2026.
We are also building a ‘living lab’ and it is projected to be ready by Spring 2025.
Projects
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Embedding nutrients in urban climate thinking
“Over the next 5 years, my students and I will investigate how urban nutrient flows are affected by climate change and how such nutrient flows can be better managed to contribute to meeting climate and other connected sustainability priorities.”
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TOSustain
“In Canada, the potential to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) while increasing food production and access in dense and diverse population centers, strongly positions urban and peri-urban agriculture as pivotal in sustainable food systems now and into the future.“
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Planting Seeds for Urban Indigenous Food Sovereignty
“The Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre (SOAHAC) originated twenty-five years ago to offer a blend of biomedical care and traditional healing to Indigenous Peoples living in the city of London, Ontario.”
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Swedish Projects
Learn more about the various ongoing projects Dr. Metson worked on during her time in Sweden.
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Other Projects
Read about the various other projects Dr. Metson is working on.
From the biogeochemistry of phosphorus and nitrogen to urban ecology, see the opportunities available in the SRM lab.
