Graduate students from the Department of Earth Sciences embarked on a transformational and scholarly adventure through Peru this summer, thanks to the Henry C. Halls Graduate Field Trip Fund.
Professor Emeritus Henry Halls generously sold his rare stamp collection to endow the fund, which supports stimulating geological field trips for master’s and PhD students in Canada and beyond.
“This type of educational experience was tremendously valuable to me,” says Minoli Dias, a PhD candidate and one of 12 earth sciences students on this year’s trip to South America. “Without Professor Halls’s support, it’s not something I would normally have access to at this time in my life.”
PhD student Silvia Castilla Montagut led the organizing committee of earth sciences graduate students, who spent months carefully planning many educational and cultural stops packed into less than two weeks of travel. In August, the group boarded a flight bound for Lima.
Guided by faculty supervisor Tasca Santimano, assistant professor, teaching stream, the group travelled first to Huacachina, a small village in a desert oasis. Colleagues who study geomorphology discussed its formation, surrounded by towering sand dunes.
Next, the group toured Paracas National Park where a scientist with the Geological, Mining and Metallurgical Institute of Peru and local university students passed on knowledge of the area's tectonic history. Walking through the park, students observed marine fossils and fault systems while learning about extensional faulting and ancient sedimentation patterns.
In Arequipa, they visited the Instituto Geofisico del Peru where volcanologists and seismologists taught them about the country's geological hazards, including earthquakes and active volcanoes. The group toured lookout points for several volcanoes including Misti and Sabancaya, and learned about hazard mapping, risk management and how scientists communicate danger to local communities.
“Everyone we met was so lovely and welcoming,” says PhD student Shannon Murtonen. “We learned a lot about how the people in that area lived with volcanoes. We looked at art they had made from ignimbrite — one of the primary volcanic deposits they also used as building stones.”
Throughout their travels, the group interacted with residents and Indigenous peoples who provided highly valuable social context to complement Peru's natural wonders and remarkable archaeological sites like Machu Picchu.
“Visiting Machu Picchu was something I had dreamed about since I was a young girl,” says Dias. “Being able to see the feats of construction at that site was amazing — we learned the Incas had in-depth knowledge of earthquake-resistant architecture and engineering that is still not completely understood today.”
The group was also inspired by a trip to Rainbow Mountain, named for its exposed mineral deposits that radiate brilliant bands of turquoise, lavender, gold and maroon. Formed over millions of years, the colours were mostly a local secret, shrouded in ice and snow, until a massive melt in 2015 accelerated by climate change.
The sight resonated with Dias, whose PhD research focuses on using Arctic algae from Nunavut and Labrador to create thousand-year climate records.
Reaching the summit of Rainbow Mountain more than 5,000 metres above sea level was a challenging hike. Supported by local guides, the students still grappled with the lingering threat of altitude sickness.
“Seeing people help each other through that process was incredible,” says Dias. “My lab mate stayed with me the whole time, even though she was a much faster hiker.”
The journey provided an opportunity to bond with classmates and build a sense of community within the department — something Halls was determined to provide when he started the fund.
“Being PhD students, we can't just up and go on international trips for weeks — there are both time and budget constraints,” says Murtonen. “I'm grateful for the opportunity.”
Interested in establishing your own scholarship? Contact Richard DeLisle, Senior Development Officer, at r.delisle@utoronto.ca or 416-978-2720.