Dr. Alan Lock
Dr. Alan Lock has been the Manager of the Perdue Central Analytical Facility (PCAF) at Laurentian University since November, 2017. Prior to this, Dr. Lock spent 4 years as the manager for the Elliot Lake Research Field Station (ELRFS) laboratories, an ISO:17025 accredited research and analytical facility owned by Laurentian University providing services to academic and industrial clients.
From 2001 to 2010 Dr. Lock enhanced his research and management capacity in his project lead role with the Centre for Environmental Monitoring at MIRARCO, Laurentian University while concurrently doing a part-time Ph.D. thesis in the Environmental and Life Sciences program at Trent University.
For nearly 10 years at MIRARCO, Dr. Lock worked closely with undergraduate and graduate students, interns and post-doctoral fellows training and guiding them in methods and techniques for environmental monitoring, analysis and reclamation. As an integral team leader, he built partnerships and collaborations with academia, governments and industries. With strong interest in student development, Dr. Lock has served as a sessional professor teaching courses in physical chemistry, inorganic chemistry and environmental impact assessments at Laurentian University and Cambrian College.
Dr. Lock brings with him over 15 years of management, research and training experience as an environmental biogeochemist, with much of this experience focused on the analysis of soil/sediment, biological material, water, and air samples. He has completed more than 50 technical reports, conference manuscripts and peer-reviewed publications and is a proud graduate of Laurentian University with a B.Sc. in Environmental Earth Sciences and a M.Sc. in Geology.
Heather Cornthwaite
Heather Cornthwaite obtained a B.Sc. in Forensic Science/Analytical Chemistry and a M.Sc. in Chemical Sciences from Laurentian University. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Laurentian University. Prior to joining the Perdue Central Analytical Facility in April 2018, Heather was the most senior research assistant in the Laurentian University Forensic Toxicology Research Lab (FTRL) and led most of the analysis, equipment maintenance and student training in that facility. She has ample experience in student and colleague training as well as using chromatography and high resolution mass spectrometry to investigate organic molecules. Heather has also published peer-reviewed articles in analytical chemistry journals such as Journal of Analytical Toxicology, Analysis Methods, Drug Testing and Analysis and Journal of Chromatography B.
As the technologist for the Perdue Central Analytical Facility (PCAF), Heather is responsible for set-up and daily operations for qualitative and quantitative based research in the facility. She develops quality control programs and participates in method development and implementation for faculty and students. Heather will be responsible for repairing and maintaining facility equipment as well as training facility users on proper instrument protocols and health and safety