William Shotyk studied Soil Science and Chemistry at the University of Guelph and took his PhD at the University of Western Ontario (Geochemistry) in 1986. After postdoctoral research at the University of California, Riverside (1987) and at the University of Western Ontario (1988-1989), he joined the Geological Institute at the University of Berne, Switzerland, as Oberassistent. In October of 2000, he joined the University of Heidelberg as Professor, becoming Director of the Institute of Environmental Geochemistry. Since October 2011, he holds the position of Bocock Chair in Agriculture and Environment at the University of Alberta, Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences, in the Department of Renewable Resources. He is also a participant in the Land Reclamation International Graduate School (LRIGS) program sponsored by NSERC CREATE.