Mika McKinnon

Last updated
Mika McKinnon
Mika McKinnon.jpg
Alma mater University of California, Santa Barbara
The University of British Columbia
Known forDisaster research, Stargate
Scientific career
Fields Geophysics, Disaster Research, Science Communication
Institutions SETI Institute
FEMA
Gizmodo
Natural Resources Canada
Thesis Landslide runout: statistical analysis of physical characteristics and model parameters  (2010)
Academic advisors Oldrich Hungr [1]
Website Website

Mika McKinnon is a Canadian field geophysicist, disaster researcher, and science communicator. She is a co-investigator of the Southwest Research Institute's Project ESPRESSO and was a science adviser to the science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis and Stargate Universe . [2] [3]

Contents

Education and early career

In 2000, she was a student in the astronomy program of the Summer Science Program and later served on its board and as a guest lecturer. [4] [5] [6]

McKinnon received her Bachelor of Science in Physics from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2005, attending the College of Creative Studies. There, she re-launched the Society of Physics Students chapter and led a student colloquia on science in fiction. [7]

She received her Master of Science in geophysics from the University of British Columbia in 2010. [1] Her graduate work was about assessing and managing risk of landslides using statistical models to map their physical characteristics to better predict landslide runout and reduce the number of casualties and the extent of the damage. [8] [9]

While looking for work after graduation, during a hiring freeze by the Canadian government, she discovered women in her field were being hired because they could be paid less than men – which contributed to her vocal support for women and minorities in science. [2]

Research career

McKinnon's research interests are in disaster management, preparedness, and communication, working at the intersection of scientific research, advocacy and policy. In policy, she uses expertise in both science and communication to teach science to disaster managers, revising Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) science curriculum for emergency managers as a contractor and working on several projects with Natural Resources Canada. [7] [10]

McKinnon is a co-investigator of Project ESPRESSO, lending her expertise in terrestrial landslides and hazard mapping towards the project's goal of characterizing extraterrestrial target surfaces (asteroids, comets, and moons) and reducing other operational risks for robots and humans in space exploration. [11] The project, which represents a consortium of seven partner institutions, was proposed in response to NASA's 2016 call for Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute nodes, and is one of four selected projects resulting from that call. [3] She holds a joint appointment at the SETI Institute, one of ESPRESSO's partner institutions.

Science communication

McKinnon earned the 2022 E. R. Ward Neale Medal, for sustained outstanding efforts in sharing earth science with Canadians, from the Geological Association of Canada. [12]

McKinnon began her science communication efforts as a Master's student at UBC, after answering a call from the producers of the television show Stargate: Atlantis for a physicist who could help with accurate scientific justifications for the show's science fiction plots. [10] After graduation, she pursued a career in science communication that included popular science writing and continuing her consulting role on the television shows Stargate: Atlantis and Stargate: Universe . [13] [10] More recently, McKinnon has consulted on Doomsday: 10 Ways the World Will End, No Tomorrow, Madam Secretary, and Star Trek: Discovery . [14] In a profile with her alma mater, UCSB, she says that her interest in communication stemmed from the media's misrepresentation of a major landslide in the Pacific Northwest. [7]

She was a contributing editor for Gawker Media, providing coverage on popular science topics for io9 and later became a science writer for Gizmodo. [15] Her bylines cover topics including space exploration, dinosaur discovery, the convergence of science and art, and disaster preparedness. Her writing is in publications including Wired UK , Smithsonian magazine, Ars Technica , and Astronomy. [16] [17] [18] [19]

She volunteers for the National Academy of Sciences Science & Entertainment Exchange, providing subject matter expertise to the entertainment industry for more accurate depictions of science in the media. [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Landslide</span> Natural disaster involving ground movement

Landslides, also known as landslips, are several forms of mass wasting that may include a wide range of ground movements, such as rockfalls, shallow or deep-seated slope failures, mudflows, and debris flows. Landslides occur in a variety of environments, characterized by either steep or gentle slope gradients, from mountain ranges to coastal cliffs or even underwater, in which case they are called submarine landslides.

Stargate Atlantis is an adventure and military science fiction television series and part of MGM's Stargate franchise. The show was created by Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper as a spin-off series of Stargate SG-1, which was created by Wright and Jonathan Glassner and was itself based on the feature film Stargate (1994). All five seasons of Stargate Atlantis were broadcast by the Sci-Fi Channel in the United States and The Movie Network in Canada. The show premiered on July 16, 2004; its final episode aired on January 9, 2009. The series was filmed in and around Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amanda Tapping</span> English-Canadian actress and director (born 1965)

Amanda Tapping is a British-Canadian actress and director. She is best known for portraying Samantha Carter in the Canadian–American military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1,Stargate Atlantis, and Stargate Universe. She also starred as Helen Magnus in the science fiction-fantasy television series Sanctuary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samantha Carter</span> Fictional character in the Stargate universe

Dr. Samantha "Sam" Carter, USAF is a fictional character in the Canadian–American military science fiction Stargate franchise. Played by Amanda Tapping, she appears in all three shows in the franchise: Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, and Stargate Universe. She was a main character in all ten seasons of Stargate SG-1 (1997–2007). Following a recurring role in Stargate Atlantis for three seasons (2004–07), Carter became a main character in Season 4 of Atlantis (2007–08), and also appeared in the 2008 direct-to-DVD SG-1 films Stargate: The Ark of Truth and Stargate: Continuum. Amanda Tapping accepted a starring role in Sanctuary and appears in only the first and last episodes in Season 5 of Atlantis (2008–09). Carter also appears in two episodes of Season 1 of Stargate Universe.

Stargate is a military science fiction media franchise based on the film directed by Roland Emmerich, which he co-wrote with producer Dean Devlin. The franchise is based on the idea of an alien Einstein–Rosen bridge device that enables nearly instantaneous travel across the cosmos. The franchise began with the film Stargate, released on October 28, 1994, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Carolco, which grossed US$197 million worldwide. In 1997, Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner created a television series titled Stargate SG-1 as a sequel to the film. This show was joined by Stargate Atlantis in 2004, Stargate Universe in 2009, and a prequel web series, Stargate Origins, in 2018. Also consistent with the same story are a variety of books, video games and comic books, as well as the direct-to-DVD movies Stargate: Children of the Gods, Stargate: The Ark of Truth, and Stargate: Continuum, which concluded the first television show after 10 seasons.

Rising (<i>Stargate Atlantis</i>) 1st and 2nd episodes of the 1st season of Stargate Atlantis

"Rising" is the pilot episode for season one of the military science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, a Canadian-American spin off series of Stargate SG-1. The episode was written by executive producers Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper, and directed by Martin Wood. The episode was the strongest episode of the whole series on Nielsen household ratings. The episode got strong reviews from major media publishers worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rodney McKay</span> Fictional character

Meredith Rodney McKay, Ph.D, is a fictional character in the 2004 Canadian-American Sci-Fi Channel television series Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, two military science fiction television shows about military teams exploring two galaxies via a network of alien transportation devices.

John Sheppard (<i>Stargate</i>) Fictional character in Stargate

Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard, USAF is a fictional character in the 2004 Canadian-American military science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, which chronicles a civilian operation exploring the Pegasus Galaxy via a network of alien transportation devices. Portrayed by Joe Flanigan, Sheppard holds the military rank of lieutenant colonel in the series and is the second-in-command of the Atlantis Expedition following the death of Marshall Sumner in "Rising".

Elizabeth Weir (<i>Stargate</i>) Character from the television series Stargate Atlantis

Dr. Elizabeth Weir is a fictional character in the Canadian-American Sci-Fi Channel television series Stargate Atlantis, a military science fiction show about a military team exploring another galaxy via a network of alien transportation devices. Elizabeth Weir is introduced as a recurring character in the Stargate SG-1 season seven two-parter, Lost City. She does not hold any military rank since she is a civilian. Weir is the leader of the Atlantis expedition in Stargate Atlantis until the last episode of season three, titled "First Strike".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carson Beckett</span> Fictional character in the television series Stargate Atlantis

Dr. Carson Beckett is a fictional Scottish character in the 2004 Canadian-American science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, a spin-off series of Stargate SG-1. He is portrayed by Scottish-born Canadian actor Paul McGillion, who previously played Dr. Ernest Littlefield in the first season of SG-1. The character's Scottish nationality was only decided after McGillion's audition.

Dr. Radek Zelenka is a fictional character of a scientist in the 2004 television series Stargate Atlantis, portrayed by David Nykl. He is a member of the original expedition from Earth to the Ancient city of Atlantis in the Pegasus galaxy, which he joined after turning down a job at Masaryk University in his home country Czech Republic. His expertise on Ancient technology is only surpassed by Dr. Rodney McKay, with whom he shares a friendly rivalry. Zelenka's planned one-time appearance in the season 1 episode "Thirty-Eight Minutes" was followed by a recurring role for expository scenes with McKay and the leader of the expedition. Zelenka has since appeared in approximately half of each season's episodes and also appeared in the crossover episode "The Pegasus Project" of Stargate SG-1. The series finale of Atlantis, "Enemy at the Gate", marks his last appearance. For his portrayal of Radek Zelenka, David Nykl was nominated for a 2005 Leo Award in the category "Dramatic Series: Best Supporting Performance by a Male".

The mythology of the Stargate franchise is the historical backstory of the Stargate premise, which centers around xeno-mythology as experienced by humans during episodic contact. In the fictional universe of the franchise, the people of Earth have encountered numerous extraterrestrial races on their travels through the Stargate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mudflow</span> Form of mass wasting

A mudflow, also known as mudslide or mud flow, is a form of mass wasting involving fast-moving flow of debris and dirt that has become liquified by the addition of water. Such flows can move at speeds ranging from 3 meters/minute to 5 meters/second. Mudflows contain a significant proportion of clay, which makes them more fluid than debris flows, allowing them to travel farther and across lower slope angles. Both types of flow are generally mixtures of particles with a wide range of sizes, which typically become sorted by size upon deposition.

<i>Stargate Universe</i> A science fiction TV series

Stargate Universe is a military science fiction drama television series and part of MGM's Stargate franchise. It follows the adventures of a present-day, multinational exploration team traveling on the Ancient spaceship Destiny several billion light years distant from the Milky Way Galaxy. They are now trying to figure out a way to return to Earth, while simultaneously trying to explore and to survive in their unknown area of the universe. The series, created by Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper, premiered in the United States on Syfy on October 2, 2009. The series featured an ensemble cast and was primarily filmed in and around Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. A second season of 20 episodes was announced by Syfy in December 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catherine Hickson</span> Canadian volcanologist

Catherine Hickson is a Canadian volcanologist, formerly with the Geological Survey of Canada, part of Natural Resources Canada. Since 2014, she has been the chief operating officer for Dajin Resources Corp. and president, Tuya Terra Geo Corp. Hickson studied at the University of British Columbia and received her PhD in geology and volcanology in 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jennifer Keller</span> Fictional character

Dr. Jennifer Keller is a fictional character from the Canadian-American military science fiction series Stargate Atlantis, a spin-off series to Stargate SG-1. She is played by Canadian actress Jewel Staite, who previously played the Wraith Ellia in season two episode "Instinct". She was created by the producers, who wanted someone to fill in for Carson Beckett after Paul McGillion's departure from regular status in the series. Keller had a recurring role in the fourth season, and was later promoted to a regular in Season 5.

<i>Stargate Atlantis</i> (season 1) Season of television series

The first season of the television series Stargate Atlantis commenced airing on the Sci Fi Channel in the United States on July 16, 2004, concluded on The Movie Network in Canada on January 31, 2005, and contained 20 episodes. The show was a spin off of sister show, Stargate SG-1. Stargate Atlantis re-introduced supporting characters from the SG-1 universe, such as Elizabeth Weir and Rodney McKay among others. The show also included new characters such as Teyla Emmagan and John Sheppard. The first season is about a military-science expedition team discovering Atlantis and exploring the Pegasus Galaxy. However, there is no way to return home, and they inadvertently wake a hostile alien race known as the Wraith, whose primary goal is to gather a fleet to invade Atlantis and find their new "feeding ground", Earth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emily Lakdawalla</span> Planetary geologist and writer

Emily Stewart Lakdawalla is an American planetary geologist and former Senior Editor of The Planetary Society, contributing as both a science writer and a blogger. She has also worked as a teacher and as an environmental consultant. She has performed research work in geology, Mars topography, and science communication and education. Lakdawalla is a science advocate on various social media platforms, interacting with space professionals and enthusiasts on Facebook, Google+ and Twitter. She has appeared on such media outlets as NPR, BBC and BBC America.

References

  1. 1 2 McKinnon, Mika (2010). Landslide runout: statistical analysis of physical characteristics and model parameters (Thesis). University of British Columbia.
  2. 1 2 Wagner, Sarah (2017-04-18). "Young Professional Profile: Mika McKinnon, UBC M.S. '10". Yale Scientific Magazine. Retrieved 2018-07-27.
  3. 1 2 "NASA Selects New Research Teams to Further Solar System Exploration". Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute. Retrieved 2020-02-06.
  4. ↑ "Universal Times" (PDF). Summer Science Program. October 2009. Retrieved 2019-12-19.
  5. ↑ "Universal Times" (PDF). Summer Science Program. October 2011. Retrieved 2019-12-19.
  6. ↑ "Board of Trustees". Summer Science Program. Archived from the original on 2016-03-15. Retrieved 2019-12-19.
  7. 1 2 3 Proctor, Will; Shapiro, Emma (2018-05-25). "Disasters and Space Exploration". UC Santa Barbara College of Creative Studies. Retrieved 2018-07-27.
  8. ↑ McDougall, Scott; McKinnon, Mika; Hungr, Oldrich (2012-08-23). "Developments in landslide runout prediction". Landslides: Types, Mechanisms and Modeling. Cambridge University Press. pp. 187–195. ISBN   9781139560399.
  9. ↑ McKinnon, Mika; Hungr, Oldrich; McDougall, Scott (2008). "Dynamic Analyses of Canadian Landslides" (PDF). Proceedings of the 4th Canadian Conference on Geohazards: From Causes to Management.
  10. 1 2 3 Levine, Alaina G. (June 2017). "Profiles In Versatility: Mika McKinnon". American Physical Society. Retrieved 2018-07-27.
  11. ↑ "Team". ESPRESSO. Retrieved 2018-07-26.
  12. ↑ "E.R.Ward Neale Medal". GAC. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  13. ↑ Ronson, Jacqueline (2016-07-22). "This Physicist Makes Sure 'Stargate' Is Scientifically Accurate". Inverse. Retrieved 2018-07-26.
  14. ↑ "Mika McKinnon". IMDb. Retrieved 2018-11-29.
  15. ↑ "Mika McKinnon". Kinja.com. Retrieved 2018-07-27.
  16. ↑ "Mika McKinnon". Wired. Retrieved 2018-07-27.
  17. ↑ "Articles by Mika McKinnon". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2018-07-27.
  18. ↑ McKinnon, Mika (2016-05-09). "As fires rage, emergency responders rely on familiar apps to save lives". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2018-07-27.
  19. ↑ "Mika McKinnon". Astronomy.com. Retrieved 2018-07-27.
  20. ↑ "Scientist Spotlight: Mika McKinnon". Science and Entertainment Exchange. Retrieved 2018-07-27.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.