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Laurentian University To Lead Unique $12m Research Project

May 14, 2013 - An innovative geo-science research project involving universities and mining industry sponsors from across Canada is being supported by the largest research grant ever awarded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) through its Collaborative Research and Development program.

The $5.1M NSERC grant was formally announced today by the Minister of State (Science and Technology), the Honourable Gary Goodyear. The NSERC funding is augmented by close to $7M in supportive funding from Canadian mining and related companies, acting through the Canada Mining Innovation Council (CMIC). The multi-year project will involve more than 40 researchers in geosciences from universities across Canada. The research is being co-led by Dr. Michael Lesher, Research Chair in Mineral Exploration and Professor of Economic Geology at Laurentian University and by Dr. Mark Hannington, Goldcorp Chair in Economic Geology and Professor of Earth Sciences at the University of Ottawa.

Known as "Footprints," the ambitious research project is expected to enhance the ability of geologists to assess the range, depth and composition of ore-bodies and mineral deposits, even those lying hundreds of metres underground.

"Essentially, the work we're pursuing will allow us to better detect the subtle signals or 'footprints' of mineral deposits far below the surface," said Dr. Lesher, official grant-holder for the research project. "It will help us devise better tools for remotely sensing deeply buried ore bodies and ultimately, we believe it can improve the way we approach mineral exploration and resource development in Canada and around the world."

"Canada's economic competitiveness depends on supporting business-related research and development that drives innovation," said Minister of State Goodyear. "Our government remains committed to supporting partnerships that will create jobs and strengthen Canada's long-term prosperity."

"We have worked toward this kind of collaboration for many years, and we are proud to be leading this extensive program of scientific investigation, with our academic colleagues and with the support of our mining industry partners," said Dr. Patrice Sawyer, Vice-President, Research and Francophone Affairs, Laurentian University. "This project will demand the skills and talents of the best research minds in the field today, working through Dr. Lesher and Dr. Hannington. It is an exciting opportunity for the research community."

The initial grant application to NSERC included 17 Canadian universities and 24 industry partners. Since the project won official approval, the number of participating universities has grown to 24, while the number of industry partners has grown to 27.

Industry sponsors through CMIC will be contributing more than $2.8M in cash and $3.9M in-kind for the research project.

"This project results from an unprecedented level collaboration among the exploration industry, service providers, government institutions, researchers and universities," said Dr. François Robert, VP and Chief Geologist, Global Exploration at Barrick Gold Corporation and one of the chief architects of the "Footprints" project. "Such a level of collaboration sets a new standard for our Industry," he added.

The collaborative nature of the "Footprints" project represents a 10-year strategic vision, shared by the Canadian university research community and the members of CMIC. "Footprints" is expected to be a flagship project, forming the basis for a Networked Centre of Excellence (NCE). There are only 15 of these networks presently funded by the Canadian government, and "Footprints" is the first focusing research on the science of mineral exploration.

"The scope and scale of this project is a testament to Laurentian University's leadership in mining related research," said CMIC Executive Director Carl Weatherell. "This is a significant step toward maintaining Canada's role as a world leader in mineral exploration."

Laurentian Appoints New Dean of Faculty of Management

April 19, 2013 - The Laurentian University Board of Governors today approved the appointment of Dr. Stephen J. Havlovic as the new Dean of the Faculty of Management. The appointment will be effective July 1st, 2013.

Dr. Havlovic is currently Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs at Alfred State College of the State University of New York (SUNY). In this role, he has responsibility for a 250-member professional staff, including 150 faculty delivering programs to 3,500 students. He is responsible for a $15 M annual budget and also oversees the institution's three schools: Arts and Sciences, Management and Engineering Technology, and Applied Technology.

"We are extremely pleased to have found a candidate of Dr. Havlovic's stature to fill this key role in the Laurentian organization," said Laurentian University President and Vice-Chancellor Dominic Giroux. "His range of experience will be an enormous asset as we steer the Faculty of Management toward accreditation from the AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) in the years ahead."

Dr. Havlovic is a lifelong educator with a strong background in human resources, who has worked extensively in the United States and Canada. Prior to his appointment at Alfred State College, he served for seven years as Dean of the School of Business at SUNY Institute of Technology (Utica/Rome) where he was also a Professor of human resource management. He led the successful AACSB International accreditation initiative at SUNY Institute of Technology.

Havlovic has also served in administrative and teaching capacities at the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater; Simon Fraser University (Burnaby, British Columbia); and the University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh. He has held international visiting academic appointments at the Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille (France) and DePaul University (Poland & Czechoslovakia).

Havlovic holds a PhD from Ohio State University with a major in labor and human resources and a minor in industrial and organizational psychology; an MLHR from Ohio State University in industrial relations and personnel management; and a BA from Ohio State University in economics.

Dr. Havlovic will succeed Dr. Peter Luk, whose term as dean ends on June 30th. A Full Professor with the School of Commerce and Administration, Dr. Luk will serve for the next two years as Special Advisor to the Provost.

Faculty of Management Highlights

Fastest growing faculty at Laurentian University, now at over 1,250 students in Sudbury, Barrie, Kingston and on-line
Only Canadian university to offer a commerce degree in sports administration. Sports administration (SPAD) program is unique in that it is the only program of its type that results in the achievement of a commerce degree
Exclusive partnership with CGA Canada and CGA China for commerce programs for CGA professionals
Laurentian University's Faculty of Management, comprised of the School of Commerce and the School of Sports Administration, is working toward attaining Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation-known, worldwide, as the longest standing, most recognized form of specialized/professional accreditation an institution and its business programs can earn.
A team of Sports Administration students placed second at the 2013 MIT Sloan Sport Analytic Case Competition held in Boston, Massachusetts -an event that's been called "the Super Bowl of Sport Analytics."
Jean-Charles Cachon received Best Paper Award in the Indigenous Entrepreneurship Track at the International Council for Small Business World Conference hosted by Massey University in Wellington, New Zealand, June 10-13, 2012, «Paleo Aboriginal Entrepreneurship: Evidence from Turtle Island».
Laurentian's Faculty of Management received the Institutional Best Overall Performance Award for research at the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada conference (2009)

Canada’s Aquatic Ecosystems Research Gets Support from NSERC

February 19, 2013 - Laurentian University and 10 other Canadian Universities have received $4.4 M in funding to create the NSERC Canadian Network for Aquatic Ecosystem Services (CNAES). The network will play a key role in ensuring knowledgeable and well-informed stewardship of Canada’s wetlands, lakes and rivers.

The funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), in conjunction with $4.3 million dollars in support funding from partner organizations, was announced as part of the government’s Strategic Network Grants program which encourages large-scale, multidisciplinary, collaborative research projects aimed at improving Canada’s economy, society and environment within the next decade. The CNAES is a consortium of 27 researchers from 11 universities, Canadian government scientists, industrial partners and environmental and technology associations that conducts research and training in aquatic ecosystems.

“Our network addresses research concerns related to large northern wetlands, connections between healthy forests and healthy rivers, and lake ecosystems in Canada,” said Dr. Don Jackson, an aquatic ecologist in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto and Director of CNAES. “Canada is subject to significant global environmental stressors, as well as pressures to develop its natural resources. The CNAES will help to develop the tools and knowledge needed to advise government, industry and other stakeholders in decisions regarding development and environmental protection.”

“This is a tremendous move forward for those of us working in freshwater ecology and related fields,” said Dr. John Gunn, Canada Research Chair for Stressed Aquatic Systems and Director of the Vale Living With Lakes Centre at Laurentian University. “The CNAES represents our foremost researchers nationwide, working in the academic, governmental and industrial sectors to improve the long-term health of our waterways and wilderness areas. We are gratified by the SNG funding, and by the support of our partners in government and industry, to help us continue our fieldwork and our partnerships with First Nations in the Attawapiskat watershed and other regions of Northern Ontario,” he added.

Dr. Gunn is one of six CNAES principal investigators based at Laurentian University; also named as principal investigators with CNAES are Dr. Daniel Campbell, Dr. Tom Johnston, Prof. Bill Keller, Dr. John Bailey and Dr. David Pearson.

The first full meeting of the CNAES will be held at Laurentian on April 29^th and 30^th at the Vale Living With Lakes Centre.

Participants in the CNAES include: University of British Columbia, University of Guelph, Laurentian University, McGill University, University of New Brunswick, Nipissing University, Université du Québec à Montréal, University of Toronto, Trent University, University of Waterloo and Western University.

Research partner organizations include: Alberta Innovates Technology Futures, DeBeers Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Kongsberg Maritime, Le Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune du Québec, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Ontario Ministry of the Environment, NRCan – Canadian Forest Services and Parks Canada.

NSERC

Dr. Patrice Sawyer Re-Appointed as Laurentian’s Vice-President, Research and Francophone Affairs

February 15, 2013 - Laurentian University’s Board of Governors today unanimously approved the re-appointment of Dr. Patrice Sawyer as Vice-President, Research and Francophone Affairs, for a second five-year term beginning on July 1, 2014 and ending on June 30, 2019.

The re-appointment was recommended by an evaluation committee of ten people, including members of the Board of Governors, administration, faculty and students, and was endorsed by the University’s Senate.

“Dr. Sawyer is very highly-regarded within the university community. We received positive feedback about his leadership throughout the renewal process,” said Michael Atkins, Vice Chair of the Board of Governors. “He has also earned the respect of his peers, as shown by his recent election as Vice-Chair of the Ontario Council on University Research (OCUR),” said Atkins.

“Dr. Sawyer brought a 2012-2017 Strategic Research Plan to Senate last year, and won unanimous support for this vision of our research objectives,” said Dominic Giroux, President and Vice-Chancellor. “With his re-appointment, the university will continue to build on the momentum we’ve created in setting out our strategic plans for the next 5-years.”

“I am grateful for the vote of confidence from the Board of Governors, the Senate, and the review committee. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues, students and external partners as we direct our collective efforts toward the ambitious targets set by the University community for research and francophone programs,” said Dr. Sawyer.

During the course of Dr. Sawyer’s first term in the post, Laurentian’s position relative to other Canadian universities has improved in several measures. Since 2008, Laurentian has recorded significant increases in total sponsored research income, research income per full-time faculty member, number of publications, number of publications per full-time faculty member and impact of publications. The University’s proportion and value of funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research has increased since 2008, and the University has been particularly successful with recent research funding applications in mining and occupational health and safety. Dr. Sawyer also championed the creation of the Board’s Research Ethics Board Liaison Committee and led Senate’s revision of the Policy for Responsible Conduct of Research. He has been an active member of the boards of directors of Health Sciences North and of the Advanced Medical Research Institute of Canada. In 2012, Laurentian submitted a request to seek a partial designation under Ontario’s French-Language Services Act.

About Dr. Sawyer

Dr. Sawyer completed his B.Sc. at Université Laval and his Ph.D. at McGill University. He was a faculty member at the University of Prince Edward Island and at the University of Ottawa prior to joining Laurentian’s Department of Mathematics and Computer Science in 1994. He served as representative of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada at Laurentian from 2000 to 2008, and also contributed as a member of several research-intensive boards of directors, including the SNOLAB Institute, the Mining Innovation, Rehabilitation and Applied Research Corporation (MIRARCO) and the Shared Hierarchical Academic Research Computing Network (SHARCNET). He is currently the Chair of the Institute Council and of the governance committee of the SNOLAB Institute. Over the past 19 years, he has been active on several university committees, including on the board of the Laurentian University Faculty Association. A Full Professor, he served as Chair of his department and became Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering in 2006, Acting Vice-President, Academic (Francophone Affairs) in 2008 and Vice-President, Research and Graduate Studies in 2009. Francophone Affairs were added to his portfolio in 2010.

United Steelworkers Donate $50,000 for Laurentian Research Chair in Occupational Health and Safety

February 7, 2013 - The United Steelworkers (USW) today announced a donation of $50,000 toward the establishment of a Research Chair in Occupational Health and Safety at Laurentian University.

The new Research Chair in the Centre for Research in Occupational Safety and Health (CROSH) will lead research relevant to a broad range of workplaces. The Research Chair will work to make the Centre a national and international leader in occupational health and safety research, development, education, training, and global best practices. The CROSH Research Chair will be supported by a team of researchers, graduate students, and other personnel.

“Occupational health and safety is critical for the well-being of all workers and the overall economic health and productivity of our communities,” said Leo W. Gerard President, USW International. “The United Steelworkers is extremely pleased to be able to make this donation to help fund a Research Chair in Occupational Health and Safety at Laurentian University.”

“We are thrilled to have the support of the United Steelworkers as we begin our search for a Research Chair in Occupational Safety and Health. This donation will allow CROSH to continue improving the quality of life and health of workers in Sudbury,” said Associate Director of CROSH, Dr. Michel Larivière.

For over a decade, Laurentian University has been building on its expertise in the area of occupational health and safety, beginning with mining and expanding to other workplace sectors. Officially approved by Laurentian University’s Senate in 2008, CROSH is a multidisciplinary group of researchers, guided by an advisory board comprised of representatives from labour, industry and local health and safety organizations. CROSH leads and engages in innovative studies aimed at identifying health and safety concerns and eliminating hazards, occupational injury and disease from workplaces around the North.

The USW is the largest private sector union in both Canada and North America with more than 225,000 members in Canada and more than 800,000 members continent-wide. The USW is Canada's most diverse union, representing men and women working in every sector of the economy.

Laurentian’s Joint Health and Safety Committee Earns Honour Roll Recognition in Occupational Safety

February 6, 2013 - A Certificate of Accomplishment was presented to Laurentian University and its Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) by the Advisory Council at Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW). Laurentian University is this year’s honour roll recipient as a result of the JHSC’s accomplishments and the working partnership with OHCOW.

Local advisory committee member and former Chair of OHCOW, David Chezzi presented the recognition award to Laurentian saying, "Laurentian University has shown a solid commitment to occupational health and safety. It has been our great pleasure to work with Laurentian over the past ten years. Their workplace culture supports the continued recognition of potential hazards, and the prevention of occupational disease and injury.”

"On behalf of the University I would like to thank OHCOW for this acknowledgement and for their ongoing support the last ten years,” Bernard Beaulieu Co-Chair of Laurentian’s JHSC “We have had very positive results in occupational health and safety at Laurentian thanks to our collaboration with OHCOW and to the work of our Joint Health and Safety Committee both current and past.”

Throughout the partnership of the past decade, staff from OHCOW and Laurentian have worked on issues that include indoor air quality, office ergonomics, and laboratory design.

OHCOW is a provincial health and safety association with six offices in Ontario, one of which is in Sudbury, and provides workplace parties with consulting services related to ergonomics, industrial hygiene, and more.

White Pines Wins Laurentian University Flash Mob Contest

February 6, 2013 - Winning top marks for “enthusiasm and confidence,” a student-produced “flash mob” video from White Pines Collegiate and Vocational School in Sault Ste. Marie has won Laurentian University’s $10,000 Flash Mob competition.

As the winning school, White Pines C & VS receives a cheque for $10,000 toward graduation celebrations for the class of 2012-13.

The province-wide competition drew more than 40 entries from all parts of the province. Students planned, choreographed, shot and edited their videos, which included pre-recorded or live music and dance scenes. All of the videos have been posted on www.youtube.com.

“This is the greatest news. It was a lot of fun to put our flash mob together, and we got as many students involved as possible, so it was a really big project,” said Mikayla Farkas, Grade 12 student at White Pines and one of the flash mob organizers. “And now we’re going to be planning a totally awesome Grad for June!” she said.

“We couldn’t be more pleased with both the number of schools choosing to participate, and the quality of video that they developed,” said Laurentian’s Director of Recruitment, Justin Lemieux. “It was much harder to choose a winner than we’d ever imagined.”

The Laurentian flash mob competition was conceived by Ryan Demers, a Liaison officer working with secondary schools last year. “I’m really impressed with all of the talent and energy that’s out there,” said Demers. “And I can tell you, we’ve heard a lot of Gangnam Style dance scenes in the past few months! But the White Pines entry really brought all the elements together, with dancing, costumes and even the school marching band. They rocked it!”

The winning video can be seen at http://youtu.be/Ljb0_HAvye4.

Laurentian Names Executive Director, Goodman School of Mines

January 16, 2013 - Franco-Nevada President and CEO David Harquail today announced a donation of $500,000 to fund the Franco-Nevada Executive Director’s position of Laurentian University’s Goodman School of Mines. At the same time, University President and Vice-Chancellor Dominic Giroux announced the appointment of Dr. Bruce C. Jago as the School’s Founding Executive Director.

Dr. Jago is a Professional Geologist and experienced mining executive who has worked with such companies as Wallbridge Mining (Vice-President, Exploration), Inco Limited (Applied Mineralogist, Exploration Manager), Temex Resources (Project Manager, Diamonds) and Harry Winston Inc (Project Geologist). Most recently, Jago has been President, CEO and Director of Miocene Minerals Ltd. of Vancouver. His appointment follows an extensive global search.

“We couldn’t be more pleased that Bruce Jago will be bringing his vision to the Goodman School,” said President Giroux. “His experience in the field, in Canada and abroad, his work with First Nations, his deep roots in mining and his belief in the industry all make him an ideal choice for this important founding position.”

“We believe that mining education is the pivotal factor in the future success of our industry,” said David Harquail of Franco-Nevada. “We are confident that Sudbury, Laurentian University and the Goodman School of Mines, under the direction of Bruce Jago, will provide a world-class training ground for the coming generations of mining professionals.”

“The world’s mineral resources must be developed efficiently, sustainably and equitably, so that all stakeholders receive maximum benefit,” said Dr. Jago. “There is no better place in the world for this multi-disciplinary approach to mining education, and I am thrilled with the opportunity to lead this exciting venture.”

Reporting directly to the Vice-President, Academic and Provost, the Franco-Nevada Executive Director will work with the Goodman School’s Global Advisory Council, industry and academic departments at Laurentian to:

Expand interdisciplinary majors and minors, thereby enhancing the skills of future professionals in mineral exploration and mining, in areas such as occupational health and safety, Indigenous relations, mining management and finance;
Drive the creation of executive programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, in modular, short-course or distance education formats, and other delivery mechanisms as opportunities may arise;
Formalize new provincial, national and international alliances with other post-secondary institutions, including an International Network of Schools of Mines with Laurentian serving as a major hub;
Double enrolment in mining related programs by 2020;

Franco-Nevada Corporation is an $8 billion gold royalty and stream company trading under the symbol FNV on both the Toronto and New York stock exchanges. In Sudbury, Franco-Nevada has an interest in the precious metals produced from the Levack (Morrison), Podolsky and McCreedy mines.

Today’s announcement is Franco-Nevada’s investment in the next generation of mining leaders and the Sudbury district.

Laurentian Creates First Research Chair in Open-Pit Mining

January 14, 2013 - The Bharti School of Engineering at Laurentian University in Sudbury will establish Canada’s first Research Chair in Open-Pit Mining, with the support of a significant investment from Canadian mining firm, IAMGOLD Corporation.

The company’s investment of $1.25M, dedicated to the creation of a Research Chair, was announced by IAMGOLD’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Letwin at a celebration at Laurentian University this afternoon.

“This investment represents a critically-important enhancement of our research capacity at the Bharti School. This new Research Chair will attract more cutting-edge knowledge to our mining engineering programs, and will certainly augment our international reputation in mining,” said Dr. Ramesh Subramanian, Director of the Bharti School of Engineering.

“The future of the mining industry depends on our ability to step up the pace of innovation and this has to start with educational programs and research opportunities specializing in advanced mining techniques,” said Steve Letwin, IAMGOLD’s President and CEO. “Creating Canada’s first Research Chair in the highly specialized field of open-pit mining, positions Laurentian University as a leader in mining research. We are honoured to support this unique and valuable program, and given Laurentian’s reputation expect it to attract the best and the brightest. With the development of our Côté Gold project in northern Ontario as an open-pit mine, it’s gratifying to know that we will be both helping to address the serious shortage of skilled mining professionals in this country and creating job opportunities for our future mining engineers.”

IAMGOLD is a leading mid-tier gold mining company producing approximately one million ounces annually from five gold mines (including current joint ventures) on three continents. The company’s Côté Gold project, which is being developed to become an open-pit gold mine, is located south of Gogama, about 180 kilometers north of Sudbury.

“This is fantastic news for Laurentian and for the Bharti School of Engineering,” said Laurentian University President and Vice-Chancellor, Dominic Giroux. “This position will be the first Research Chair at Laurentian that is fully funded by a private sector investor. We are especially proud to be associated with a company like IAMGOLD, whose corporate philosophy enshrines the highest standards in human health, environmental impacts, social responsibility and co-operation with host communities,” added President Giroux.

The search for the Research Chair in Open-Pit Mining is expected to begin soon and it is hoped that the successful candidate will be in place by July, 2013. The Chair will provide leadership for national and international collaborative research into open-pit mining involving the Bharti School of Engineering and the Department of Earth Sciences. The ideal candidate will bring both academic experience and expert knowledge in aspects of the field, including open-pit design and slope stability, resource estimation, optimization of drilling and blasting, and practical application of grade simulation.

Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation Invests in Laurentian Research Chair in Occupational Health and Safety

December 19, 2012 - The Honourable Rick Bartolucci, Minister of Northern Development and Mines and Chair of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC), today announced funding for the establishment of a Research Chair in Occupational Health and Safety at Laurentian University.

The new Research Chair in the existing Centre for Research in Occupational Safety and Health (CROSH) will lead research relevant to a broad range of workplaces. The Research Chair will work to make the Centre a national and international leader in occupational health and safety research, development, education, training, and global best practices. The CROSH Research Chair will be supported by a team of research assistants and other personnel.

“Our government continues to partner with universities to support important research initiatives,” said Minister Bartolucci. “I am very pleased that the NOHFC could invest in this Research Chair that will further help establish Laurentian University and Northern Ontario as a leading centre in occupational health and safety.”

“We thank the government and NOHFC board members for their support of this project, which will help Laurentian University build on a strong foundation of occupational health and safety research, and contribute to many industries in our local community," said Dominic Giroux, President, Laurentian University.

Dr. Tammy Eger, associate professor at the School of Human Kinetics and CROSH director said, “This investment will help us realize our goal of becoming a world-class, benchmark centre of excellence in OHS. We hope, and we believe, that workers and workplaces will ultimately become safer as a result of CROSH research.”

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