Lakehead Opens 8th Annual Research and Innovation Week
By Scott A. Sumner
Lakehead’s Research and Innovation Week opening ceremonies in the Agora celebrate the amazing projects conducted by faculty and students. “Research and Innovation at Lakehead nurtures scholarship, contributes to the prosperity of our community, and makes a difference in people’s lives,” said Dr. Rui Wang, Vice President of Research, Economic Development and Innovation. “This week is an invitation to the residents of Thunder Bay and Simcoe County to see the high calibre research conducted at Lakehead, meet the researchers who make it happen and discover the benefits this research has for everyone,” Dr. Wang said. Lakehead President Dr. Brian Stevenson said Research and Innovation Week is an opportunity to thank and honour the important work of the researchers who contribute to the overall knowledge of various topics. “It’s also important to recognize the role played by both the Federal and the Provincial Governments, and funding councils such as the Canada Foundation for Innovation,” Dr. Stevenson said. “Without public support, many of these projects wouldn’t be possible.”
Dr. Gilles G. Patry, Canada Foundation for Innovation President and CEO, said: “The work being done at Lakehead University is an excellent example of the positive role that university-based research can have on Canadian communities. Sustained government investments in research are enabling clusters of growth and innovation across the country.”
Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP Bill Mauro said Research and Innovation Week is a perfect opportunity to display the important work being done at Lakehead University. “Lakehead is a vital part of our region's growing knowledge-based economy. This week highlights some of the exceptional, world-class research that's being done there. Their ingenuity and hard work is helping transform our region into an important hub for research and innovation,” said MPP Mauro.
The Minister of Natural Resources, Thunder Bay-Superior MPP Michael Gravelle, said he’s amazed by the research happening at Lakehead University.
“I enjoy seeing the many stories of success each year during this week. It is so rewarding to see Lakehead University showcase these ground-breaking projects that are flourishing here in Northwestern Ontario. Research and innovation translates not only into improvements to our quality of life, but is an economic driver of the North, and is positively shaping our community,” Minister Gravelle said.
Also on Friday, Dr. Connie Nelson, Professor of Social Work and Director, Food Security Research Network, and Dr. Azim Mallik, Biology Professor, talked about their exemplary research.
Dr. Han Chen, Lakehead Professor in Natural Resources Management, and his co-applicants have received a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada strategic project grant worth $620,761 over three years.
Working with Lakehead researchers, Dr. Jian Wang and Dr. Chander Shahi, Dr. Chen will examine ways to minimize the environmental impact of biomass harvesting and maximize economic opportunities.
“Without funding it’s nearly impossible to do research such as this,” Dr. Chen said. For the next three years, Dr. Chen will work with his research partners and at least a dozen students in the boreal forest north of Thunder Bay.
“This research funding could not come at a better time – with Lakehead University actively engaged in sustainable bioenergy and biorefining research,” said Dr. Rui Wang, Vice-President, Research, Economic Development & Innovation.
Lakehead’s research team will work with the University of Toronto’s Dr. Sean Thomas and Dr. Nathan Basiliko, Resolute Forest Products, the Ministry of Natural Resources, and Natural Resources Canada.
Biomass harvesting uses the tops and limbs of trees, as well as small diameter trees, felled by regular tree harvesting to produce bioenergy and biochemical products.
Dr. Azim Mallik, Professor of Biology at Lakehead University “Plants are most important to our world. Without the plants everything will perish. They are the only resource that can capture light energies and covert into chemical energy. We all relie on plants for energy.” “Northwestern Ontario is a wonderful area to study plants in their natural home. We have forestry, we have lakes, all kinds of plants and the largest boreal forest in the world. It has to be managed in such a way that it is sustainable. We need to ensure that the eco system is sustainable so we get a constant flow of resources from there. We can’t exceed the threshold.” “ We have a bad habit of cutting and running from our forests. Plants have a natural ability to come back and we need to enhance that ability by managing in a way that we empower the plants to come back. We work on how to make this better. Plants are extremely smart. They are smarter than people because we can run away but they are stuck there. They sometimes wait for natural disaster like forest fires to be able to renew in their way.”
Dr Brian Stevenson, President of Lakehead University “We have to have research because we can do innovative work, focus and concentrate on amazing and new discoveries because we have an impact on the community, it’s economy and it’s future. A university like Lakehead can punch way above it’s weight because of the talent of the faculty, researchers and the staff that we have to make us achieve beyond what our resources are.” “ This week is a celebration and also a showcase of what we can do. It is an outreach program. People know the value of the research we do.”
