Alumni Association of Lakehead University

Adventurous Spirit Takes Grad Around the World

By Maureen Arges Nadin

Andre Dunford has seen and accomplished more things in his 30 years than many of us will in a lifetime. From the Old World elegance of Vienna to the Libyan desert to the mountains of Siberia, this LU Grad (BSc Earth Science ‘01, HBSc Geology ‘03) has followed his adventurous spirit to distant lands and exotic locales to fuel his need for challenge and growth.

When Dunford first enrolled in the General Science program at Lakehead University, he wasn’t sure in which direction he would ultimately be beckoned. That question was quickly settled once he took the introductory Geology course “Planet Earth” and saw an opportunity for field work that would take him all over the world. And finally, an opportunity to live a lifestyle that would emulate his childhood hero, Indiana Jones. Although Dunford’s quest would involve the search for ancient rocks more than artifacts, the expertise and knowledge that he gained from the LU Geology program, provided him with invitations to participate in research projects and field missions that would have made Indy proud.   

Born in Dryden in 1976, Dunford lived in various Northern Ontario locations with his mother, stepfather and brother before settling in Sioux Narrows where he grew up known as Andre Gill. He started high school in Kenora but completed his Secondary schooling in Thunder Bay after his family relocated again in 1992. Moving to a larger centre provided Dunford with an opportunity to participate in the martial arts, a discipline that appealed to his competitive nature and provided some structure to his earlier years that he describes as “a bit chaotic”. He would later take away titles in Tae Kwan Do in Manitoba and compete at the Can Am games in Winnipeg before moving on to other challenges.

In 1997, Dunford began the first of what would be many travel adventures to distant lands when he traveled through Australia and New Zealand, and later to Costa Rica and Hawaii. The yearning for far away places and new experiences remained with him after graduating from LU in 2001. He toured Western Europe before spending 2 months on a geological expedition in Siberia that he says “fortified his interest in exploring the Earth” and then proceeded to settle in Vienna for the next year while studying German at the University of Vienna. In 2002, Dunford was back on the shores of Lake Superior, returning to LU to complete an HBSC in Geology in 2003. He would work for the next year as an Exploration Geologist for Falconbridge/Noranda in Quebec and then returned to Vienna where he currently resides and is pursuing his Master’s Degree in Geology.

These pursuits were just the beginning for this young adventurer and soon Dunford’s travails and quests would extend beyond the borders of our humble planet. He is currently using his skills and education to investigate meteorite impact sites which he discovered in North Africa using satellite data. He recently returned from Libya where he was investigating similar structures in the Sahara Desert, activities which caught the attention of the Royal Astronomical Society in London which awarded him the F. A. Paneth award in 2006 for his academic pursuits.

In the same year, Dunford would expand his horizons further yet when, at the invitation of a former colleague who is now the president of the Mars Society, he proposed a research project using satellite data to map out the geology around the Mars Desert Research Station in Southern Utah. The proposal was accepted and Dunford served as the Mission Geologist for the Society’s second training mission. And if all that wasn’t enough, he utilized this unique and exciting opportunity to launch another of his passions. “Unconformity Independent Productions”, a small film production company created by Dunford, produced its inaugural film in August 2006, “Crew 44:  the Spirit of Exploration”, based on the Expedition Beta training mission that Dunford worked on for the Mars Society. The film is available online at Space Channel. TV and provides a creative forum and showcase for his considerable knowledge and talents.

Dunford has fond memories of his alma mater and recognizes that the feeling of familiarity that he obtained during his undergrad years at Lakehead University was a distinct advantage. The class of 15 to 20 remained constant during this time and mutually supportive relationships were formed.

“This small group dynamic provided individual support to anyone who needed it and a positive, competitive environment to learn and excel in” he reflects.

Future education plans will keep Dunford in Vienna for the time being at least. Although still single and with no immediate plans for marriage, he is currently dating a young lady from his adopted homeland and city. 

When asked for a quote that reflects his personal philosophy, Dunford responds slightly wistfully that his quote is more a statement of his personal dilemma; “Achieving your goals is easy. Finding goals that are meaningful, that’s the hard part. “ With an interest in both the science that helps us understand the world  around us and the art of film and communications  that help us reflect our inner world, Dunford has a universe of goals to choose from. His future includes a geological excursion to the Arabian Peninsula, a PhD in Earth and Planetary Sciences in the fall of 2007 and possibly further films. We will be keeping our eye on this young adventurer.