NWT Public Servant Honoured By Industry Association

News Type: 
Blog Entries

Doug Irwin is a 25-year veteran of Northern geoscience employed with the Northwest Territories Geological Survey (NTGS) — a division of the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

As the Manager of Geomatics and Information Technology, he facilitates the high quality GIS mapping and tracking of key information identified in field work.

Last week, during the 44th edition of the Yellowknife Geoscience Forum, he was officially named a Fellow of Geoscientists Canada — one of the highest honours awarded by one of Canada’s largest geoscience professional organizations.

The lifelong designation is provided to geoscientists who have demonstrated long-term excellence in the field.

It was a fitting time and place for the honour as this marked Irwin’s 26th Geoscience Forum, in which he has played various coordination and leadership roles since 1990, when he began — as so many in the North do — with a three month contract that has resulted in a life’s worth of achievement that have pushed Irwin to the cutting-edge of his field.     

Chief amongst these was the development of a digital field data collection system in the early 2000’s using Pocket PCs for geological mapping projects. This work was internationally recognized, with Irwin being invited to present the technology at a conference in Nottingham, England in 2002.

Irwin’s continuing excellence contributes to the world-class work done each day by the NTGS, which is charged with seeking and compiling the geoscience knowledge needed by governments, explorers, regulators, researchers, and the public.

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment thanks Doug for his service to the North and congratulates him on his award.