He has a Masters degree in Cartography from Queen's University (Kingston, ON) and a Ph.D in remote sensing from St. Andrews University, Scotland. His teaching and research integrate the use of Cartography, GIS and remote sensing. This has focused since 2000 on glacier mapping and updating from satellite imagery and DEMs, as well as the mapping of alpine environments. These interests coincide with those of the Mountain Cartography commission of the International Cartographic Association, and he is hosting their April 2014 workshop in Banff, AB. He is a past-president of the Canadian Cartographic Association, and currently co-editor of the journal Cartographica.