Dr. Gibson's research focuses on development of stable isotope techniques for analysis of local- to regional-scale hydrologic processes and variability, and application of isotope hydrology, in combination with other methods, to investigate water-related issues such as the impact of oil sands extraction, acid deposition, forestry, mining, and past climate changes on aquatic ecosystems. Ancillary research includes the study of surface water/groundwater contamination from mining and mine-waste repositories. Funding for recent projects in British Columbia, Alberta, and across Canada was obtained through research grants from Alberta Innovates Technology Futures (AITF), NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada), Environment Canada, CEMA (Cumulative Environmental Management Association), Canadian Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA) , US National Science Foundation, and the International Atomic Energy Agency. 

Dr. Gibson's international experience has included coordination of water and climate research activities of the Isotope Hydrology Section, IAEA during 2001-2002, including research projects and working groups on: Isotope tracing of hydrological processes in large river basins, isotopes in water cycle models, groundwater sustainability, and integrated climate systems. During 2005-06 he assisted the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization to develop and implement a national strategy for incorporating isotope tracers in hydrometric monitoring networks, helped to refine the Science Implementation Plan for the Murray-Darling Basin GEWEX study in cooperation with the Australian Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO, and assisted with recruitment and long-term planning within ANSTOs Environmental Research Division. 

Recent work has included field-based assessment of surface/groundwater interaction in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region, continental scale assessments of lake water budgets across Canada and the continental United States, isotope tracing of hydrological processes in large river basins across Canada, and critical loadings assessment for Canada-wide aquatic surveys.