Ian Church

Associate Professor

PhD; P.Eng.

Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering

Head Hall E28

Fredericton

ian.church@unb.ca
1 506 447 8116



Dr. Ian Church specializes in ocean mapping using acoustics. His current primary research interests are in integrating hydrodynamic numerical modelling with ocean mapping, marine habitat mapping, acoustic water column interpretation, and evaluating autonomous mapping platforms. The principal goals of his research are to better understand the marine environment using acoustics and to minimize uncertainty in ocean mapping products.

Dr. Church received his B.Sc.Eng, M.Sc.Eng and Ph.D. from UNB while working with the Ocean Mapping Group. Between 2005 and 2013 he was involved with operating and managing the multibeam sonar system onboard the coast guard ship Amundsen, travelling throughout the Canadian Arctic.

After spending eight summers in the Arctic and finishing his PhD, he moved to the University of Southern Mississippi, along the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico. There he was part of the Hydrographic Science Research Center in the Department of Marine Science.

In 2016, he moved back to UNB to take an appointment as Assistant Professor in the Department of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering and a leadership role of the Ocean Mapping Group.