I Am A Chemist: Sean Mercer

PChem Profile – Sean Mercer 

Background: 

From Halifax, Nova Scotia. I attended St. Francis Xavier University for my BSc. I then went to Queen’s University for my PhD, working under Prof. Philip Jessop. 

Why Chemistry: 

Both my parents were pharmacists, so I was exposed to the value of chemistry very early on. I had an excellent pair of high school chemistry teachers which really solidified that chemistry was where I wanted to focus during my secondary studies. 

Work Background: 

Coming out of my PhD I briefly worked in a Business Development/Academic Support role with Mitacs which was a nice way to slowly transition from academia towards industry.  

I then joined Imperial Oil Limited (Esso) in Sarnia, Ontario and led their Environmental Sciences research group. I had the opportunity to work on environmental issues across the oil and gas value chain, across North America, and learn from some incredibly talented people. After 5 years I felt it was time to leave the bench, so to speak, so I accepted a transfer to Imperial’s headquarters in Calgary, AB to take on a climate policy and advocacy role. Over 4 years my interests in that world continued to grow, which ultimately led me to move on to my current role. 

Work Today: 

Today I work as a Senior Advisor – Government Relations with Pembina Pipeline Corporation. I manage Pembina’s relationships with various levels of government and, when time allows, help inform our decarbonization efforts and our climate policy positions. 

Key Lessons: 

Your training gives a technical basis but what’s perhaps more important are the other skills you acquire along the way while training to be a chemist. Skills like: asking the right questions, being observant, practicing ethical behavior, prioritizing work, and demonstrating perseverance. 

Advice: 

Be flexible and open-minded as you embark on your career. Your interests may evolve over time but your training as a chemist has given you a great foundation to build upon. Embrace opportunities that may seem a bit outside your comfort zone. 

How has ACPA membership influenced my career: 

Before I moved to Alberta, I long felt that our profession required some professional credential. Coming from oil and gas, I spend a lot of time with engineers so by becoming a PChem I found that it did create some greater understanding between myself and the engineers. It became a recognition of shared experiences and helped me advance my career in this sector. 

What the PChem designation means to me: 

The PChem designation represents a commitment to professionalism, ethics, and doing things the right way. It shows that you’re committed to being a leading example of how a chemist should conduct themselves in industry 

The value of professional membership: 

I’ve enjoyed the networking opportunities that the PChem affords, especially those ice breaker moments where you randomly meet another chemist and inquire about the PChem designation.  

Membership also encourages you to stay connected to the broader chemistry community and the latest and greatest. It’s so much easier in school to read papers, attend seminars, etc. The ACPA creates opportunities to continue to do that in a much busier world. 

Why join: 

Growing our community only strengthens the practice and the external credibility of the ACPA. I run into numerous P.Eng, P.Biol., P.Ag., etc. and I’m beginning to see more PChem. As we become more recognizable, the effort to become and maintain your PChem will become better rewarded in the workforce, especially in non-traditional roles like mine.