Professor Slaymaker's research has four foci: mountain hydrogeomorphology, land use impacts, sustainable development and global environmental change. From 1994-2002 he was a Governor of the International Development Research Centre in Ottawa.

Professor Kelly's research focuses on the use of measurements from remote sensing ground, aircraft and satellite instruments coupled with environmental models to better understand the cryosphere, especially snow and ice environments. He is also interested in the development of new technologies for improved direct in situ and remote sensing measurements of the cryosphere.