Data & Computational Modeling
Python and R for statistical analysis, regression and time-series modeling, and mathematical models built from real measurements.
- Python (NumPy, SciPy, pandas)
- R & ggplot2
- Regression & time-series
- Mathematical modeling
Toronto, ON · Open to environmental, field & lab roles
Ethan Savage
Environmental Scientist
I work where quantitative analysis meets hands-on fieldwork, building the models and collecting the samples that turn environmental questions into answers that hold up.
- Hon. B.Sc. · U of T
- HAZWOPER · WHMIS
- PGO Student Member
- Dual CA / US citizen
About
Quantitative analysis, meet the field.
I graduated from the University of Toronto with an honours B.Sc., a double major in Environmental Science and Physics, a minor in Geoscience, and a certificate in Sustainability.
Most of my work sits between two places: the screen and the field. One week I'm fitting a decay curve in Python or building a GIS layer out of NOAA and Census data, the next I'm in a stream counting macroinvertebrates or calibrating a pyranometer against the campus observatory. I like problems that need both, where the measurement only means something once you've done the statistics, and the statistics only matter because you went and collected the data yourself.
I hold 40-hour HAZWOPER and WHMIS certifications, so I can work safely on contaminated and industrial sites, and I'm a student member of Professional Geoscientists Ontario. Being a dual Canadian and U.S. citizen, I can take field and lab roles on either side of the border.
Right now I'm looking for environmental monitoring, GIS and remote sensing, field, or lab roles where I can keep doing the part of science I care about most: turning careful measurement into decisions people can trust.
- Education
- Honours Bachelor of Science, University of Toronto
- Focus
- Environmental Science · Physics · Geoscience
- Based in
- Toronto, ON
- Eligibility
- Canada & United States (dual citizen)
- Languages
- English (native), French (basic)
What I do
Three ways I turn measurement into meaning
From streambank to lab bench to screen, the work moves across all three and the analysis is stronger for it.
Field & Laboratory Research
Sampling, instrumentation, and analysis from streambank to lab bench, run under proper safety and quality protocols.
- Water & sediment sampling
- OSAP stream assessment
- LC-MS & microscopy
- Sensor calibration
GIS & Remote Sensing
Spatial and temporal analysis across ArcGIS, QGIS, and satellite imagery, including synthetic aperture radar.
- ArcGIS Pro & StoryMaps
- QGIS & Google Earth Engine
- Satellite imagery & SAR
- Temporal change detection
Selected work
Research, field studies, and spatial analysis
Academic and field projects from the University of Toronto, each one a real question answered with data. Open any study for the methods, figures, and full report.
Field Ecology Assessing Aquatic Health in the Frenchman's Bay Watershed
Field ecology assessment of an urbanized Pickering watershed using benthic invertebrates and water chemistry.
- Benthic macroinvertebrate ID
- Biotic & diversity indices
- Hypothesis testing in R
Remote Sensing & GIS Global Warming and Cyclonic Activity
Multi-source GIS StoryMap linking ocean warming to stronger hurricanes and at-risk low-income coasts.
- Geospatial analysis
- Multi-source data integration
- Temporal change mapping
Analytical Chemistry Chemical Additives in Toothbrush Bristles
LC-MS screening of Colgate and Oral-B bristles found four compounds and one suspected carcinogen.
- LC-MS operation
- Solvent extraction & sample prep
- Extracted-ion chromatogram interpretation
Remote Sensing & GIS Remote Sensing of Lake Shrinkage Under Drought
Before-and-after satellite imagery tracing how drought and warming drained major lakes.
- Remote sensing
- Temporal change detection
- Satellite imagery interpretation
Experimental Physics Measuring Solar Irradiance Over the Winter-Spring Transition
Six-week field study tying rising solar irradiance to a shrinking zenith angle.
- Field measurement & calibration
- Pyranometer & multimeter operation
- Linear & polynomial regression
Experimental Physics Modeling Barium-137m Radioactive Decay
Measured Ba-137m decay on a Geiger counter and proved the exponential model beat the linear one.
- Non-linear & linear regression
- Reduced chi-squared validation
- Residual analysis
Skills & methods
A working toolkit across the environmental sciences
Data & Programming
- Python (NumPy, SciPy, pandas, scikit-learn, Matplotlib)
- R (ggplot2)
- SQL
- MATLAB
- Jupyter
- Git & GitHub
- Statistical analysis
- Regression & time-series modeling
- Mathematical modeling (ODEs)
GIS & Remote Sensing
- ArcGIS Pro
- ArcGIS Online & StoryMaps
- QGIS
- Google Earth Engine
- Satellite imagery
- Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)
- Spatial analysis
- Temporal change detection
- Georeferencing
- Raster & vector analysis
- Digital elevation models
Field & Environmental
- Environmental monitoring
- Water & sediment sampling
- Ontario Stream Assessment Protocol (OSAP)
- Benthic macroinvertebrate ID
- Biodiversity indices (Shannon-Wiener, Hilsenhoff, Jaccard, Bray-Curtis)
- Watershed & water-quality analysis
- Wetland & stream assessment
- Invasive species identification
Laboratory & Instrumentation
- LC-MS & chromatography
- Mass spectrometry
- Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM)
- Geiger counters & oscilloscopes
- Pyranometer deployment & calibration
- Sample prep & chain of custody
- QA / QC
Geoscience & Earth Science
- Geomorphology
- Hydrogeology
- Sedimentology & soil analysis
- Glaciology & sea-ice analysis
- Climate science
- Meteorology
Communication
- Technical & scientific writing
- ArcGIS StoryMaps
- Data visualization
- Public speaking & presentations
- Community outreach
- Science communication
Field, lab & safety
Field-ready, and certified to prove it
Sampling and monitoring across Toronto-area watersheds, backed by the safety training that lets me work on real sites.
Certifications & training
- Student Member, Professional Geoscientists Ontario (PGO) Membership
- 40-Hour HAZWOPER Hazardous Waste Operations & Emergency Response
- WHMIS 2015 Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System
- Canadian Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Training Remote Sensing
- Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM) Training Laboratory
- CPR / AED Certified Safety
- Standard First Aid Safety
- Pleasure Craft Operator Card & ROC-M Maritime
- Eco Canada Placement Funding (Pre-Approved) Funding
- Ontario Class G Driver’s License License
Experience
Where I've worked
-
Environmental Science Intern
Sep 2025 – Jan 2026EcoSpark · Toronto, ON
- Conducted independent field research for the Snow Knowledge Collective monitoring project, collecting and analyzing climate data across multiple field sites.
- Designed and published an ArcGIS StoryMap on local bird populations and human-environment connections, shared on EcoSpark's website for community outreach.
- Led soil-monitoring sessions with high-school classes and mentored students in environmental data collection.
- Presented applied-science findings on ecosystem health and human wellbeing to community stakeholders.
-
Imaging Science Research Intern
Jun 2021 – Aug 2021RIT Carlson Center for Imaging Science · Rochester, NY
- Worked with Dr. Jeff Pelz on NASA-funded research developing methods to repair cosmic-radiation damage in space-based satellite imagery.
- Applied computational analysis to process and restore degraded image datasets for scientific use.
-
401(k) Customer Service Representative
Summers 2023 & 2024Paychex · Rochester, NY
- Assisted clients with IRS Form 5500 filings and resolved high-volume inquiries across two consecutive summer terms.
- Maintained accuracy and clear written and verbal communication in a corporate environment.