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Laurentian tops Canadian undergraduate research schools outpacing national average

Laurentian tops Canadian undergraduate research schools outpacing national average

Laurentian University tops the list of research income among universities in its category in rankings of Canada’s top 50 research universities compiled by Research Infosource Inc.

The rankings show Laurentian raised $23.4-million in research funds in the 2015-2016 year placing the University at the top of the country’s undergraduate research universities. Overall, Laurentian University ranks #30 out of the top 50 undergraduate, comprehensive, and doctoral/graduate institutions across the country. That is up from the #33 on the list last year.

“The quality and extent of our research are what make Laurentian University one of the premier schools for students and faculty not only in Northern Ontario, but across the country,” said Dr. Rui Wang, Vice-President, Research at Laurentian University. “Our researchers are simply the best. From mining and the environment, to Indigenous issues and medical research, Laurentian remains a great investment for the future.”

Laurentian University also out-performed many post-secondary institutions in research income growth for the year. While the national average for growth stood at 2.2%, Laurentian University saw its research income jump by 18.3%.

“Our growth should not come as a surprise to anyone aware of our focus on innovation and discovery,” said Dr. Rui Wang. “Governments, donors, and our wonderful corporate partners all know that investing in Laurentian research pays off in knowledge, discoveries, new techniques, and myriad other benefits for the economy, our communities, and our entire country.”

Laurentian University’s research success stretches across many fields of study, from award winning studies in mining, biochemistry, and environmental remediation, to ground-breaking projects including the new Maamwizing Indigenous Research Institute. Research income and impact are expected to continue to grow and prosper with the opening of the new $30-million Cliff Fielding Research Innovation and Engineering Building in 2018.

“These rankings are of course gratifying proof of the impact of all the work our faculty, researchers, and staff have put in over the years to transform Laurentian into a research powerhouse in Ontario,” said Dr. Pierre Zundel, Laurentian’s Interim President and Vice-Chancellor. “As we prepare to unveil our new five-year Strategic Plan, we will continue to build on this solid foundation to push our school to the head of the class. When it comes to the potential of our university and our people, the sky is the limit!”

Laurentian's McEwen School of Architecture wins major prize for integrating woodwork into modern Canadian design

Laurentian's McEwen School of Architecture wins major prize for integrating woodwork into modern Canadian design

McEwen’s Architectural team wins the Ontario Wood WORKS! 2017 award for innovative building in Sudbury

The designers of one of Canada’s most innovative educational buildings have received a prestigious award for their focus on woodwork in modern architectural teaching and design. LGA Architectural Partners, responsible for designing the McEwen School of Architecture building in downtown Sudbury, has been granted the Ontario Wood WORKS! 2017 prize in the “$10-million Institutional” category.  The prize was handed out by the Canadian Wood Council on November 1, 2017 at a special ceremony in Toronto.

“This award is well-deserved for the innovative Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) wing of the McEwen School of Architecture” said Dr. Terrance Galvin, Founding Director of the MSoA. “The LGA team did their research in wood early on in the design process of the School, successfully applying for a $350,000 Centre for Research & Innovation in the Bio-economy (CRIBE) grant early on in the design process. The design team’s work has paid off with this award.”

Woodwork and design have been at the heart of the McEwen project from the very beginning. Since classes began in 2013, students have focused on creative uses of traditional, sustainable resources as well as state-of-the-art designs in their work and have already won a number of prestigious awards, including the 2016 Bergen International Wood Festival in Norway.

That same philosophy guided the LGA Architectural Partners design for Phase 2 of the McEwen School’s building which opened at the beginning of 2017. From exposed beams and innovative integration of wood features with high-tech equipment, to the preserved wood features of the historic CP Telegraph train shed building which houses the Fabrication Labs, the blending of natural wood design and modern concepts is key to the facility’s beauty and functionality.

“The McEwen School of Architecture is a prime example of the ingenuity and bold thinking that make our university a Canadian leader in education and research,” said Pierre Zundel, Laurentian University’s Interim President and Vice-Chancellor. “I congratulate the LGA team for this award and their outstanding ability to place our region’s forestry resources and landscape at the heart of the project.  Those elements, along with our country’s Indigenous peoples and French and English cultures, combine to make the McEwen School of Architecture a unique place to study innovation in order to design buildings using renewable resources for the future.”

 

About Laurentian University

Laurentian University offers an outstanding university experience in English and French, with a comprehensive approach to Indigenous education.  Laurentian University, situated on the traditional territory of the Anishinabe peoples of Atikameksheng First Nation, prepares students as agents of change and empowers them to create innovative responses to local and global challenges. Laurentian’s students benefit from small class sizes and exceptional post-graduation employment rates.  With nine Canada Research Chairs and eighteen research centres, Laurentian is a recognized leader in its specialized areas of research strength, which include mining innovation and exploration, stressed watershed systems, particle astrophysics and rural and northern children’s health. Laurentian University has secured over $100 million in research income in the past five years. 

The Ontario Centre for Climate Impacts and Adaptation Resources at MIRARCO represented on new Climate Adaptation Expert Panel

The Ontario Centre for Climate Impacts and Adaptation Resources at MIRARCO represented on new Climate Adaptation Expert Panel

National panel will advise federal government on measuring progress on climate change adaptation.

Al Douglas, Director of the Ontario Centre for Climate Impact and Adaptation Resources (OCCIAR) at MIRARCO, a Laurentian University research centre, will hold a seat on Canada’s new Expert Panel on Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Results.

Climate change is already having negative impacts and posing significant risks to communities, the private sector, and the environment. Recognizing this reality, actions are already being taken by governments, businesses and individuals to adapt to climate impacts.

“It’s important for our governments to know if the actions they’re taking to build resiliency and adapt to climate change are effective,” explained Al Douglas. “We need to know if the things were are doing are the right things, if they’re working, and if they’re cost-effective.”

The new Expert Panel will report to Dr. Stephen Lucas, Deputy Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada, in the spring of 2018. The report is expected to outline indicators that will help Canada measure progress on adaptation and resiliency throughout Canada.

“First Nations, communities and many critical economic sectors in Ontario face significant climate change related challenges, and opportunities,” emphasized Al. “I believe the work of this Panel can play an important role in shaping how we, collectively, adapt to climate change.”
 

Quick Facts 

These examples highlight the impacts and adaptation already taking place within Ontario. With increasing investments being put into climate change adaptation, there is strong interest in monitoring progress and evaluating effectiveness of adaptation in order to gauge whether vulnerabilities and risks are being reduced. The Expert Panel will help to develop indicators to help Canada, and Ontario, measure progress on adaptation and resiliency.

 

  • Climate change is resulting in more extreme weather events with unparalleled damage. On July 13, 2013 the City of Toronto received 126mm of rain in only two hours, causing over $1B in damages. To date, this is the most expensive natural disaster in Ontario. In order to increase resilience, Toronto has undertaken vulnerability assessments and is working to update their stormwater infrastructure. 
  •  Since 1948, Ontario has experienced a 1.5°C rise in annual average temperature and is experiencing more days over 30°C. Extreme heat events can cause significant injury and illness, including heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and sometimes death. Many Ontario communities are taking action by developing Heat Alerts Response Systems (HARS) and opening cooling centres on extremely hot days to help protect against heat-related illnesses (e.g. Toronto, Windsor).
  • Forest fires are a significant danger to Ontario communities. In July of 2011, approximately 120 forest fires were reported in northern Ontario during a 17-day period. These fires caused the evacuation of 3,292 First Nations people from 8 communities due to smoke inhalation, food shortages and a lack of food storage capacity. Individuals are encouraged to download FireSmart, a manual that provides planning tools to mitigate the risk of fire. 
  • In Ontario, winter activities (e.g. ice-fishing, snowmobiling) have been affected by warming winter temperatures and more variable weather patterns. To account for this, Blue Mountain Ski Resort has diversified their business strategy to accommodate year-round activities and has invested in snow-making equipment to supplement natural snowfall.
  • The Government of Ontario will be releasing a plan for adapting to climate change and becoming more resilient in 2017. It will build on the last provincial adaptation strategy and plan, Climate Ready: Ontario’s Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan 2011-2014. 

 

About OCCIAR

The Ontario Centre for Climate Impacts and Adaptation Resources (OCCIAR) is a resource hub for climate change impacts and adaptation based at MIRARCO, a Laurentian University research centre, in Sudbury, Ontario. With over 16 years of experience in all sectors of society and the economy, we are leaders in the field of climate change adaptation. Our aim is to inform and facilitate the adaptation process, helping to ensure that decisions made today are informed by tomorrow’s climate challenges. We accomplish this by developing and implementing the resources and tools that communities, professionals and experts from all fields require in their decision-making processes. We communicate the latest research on climate change impacts and adaptation, and we foster the critical conversations within and across communities and sectors that help build resilience.

 

About the Expert Panel 

The Expert Panel will advise the Government of Canada on measuring progress on adaptation and climate resilience to better understand how federal, provincial, and territorial adaptation efforts are building Canada’s resilience to climate change, for instance, by providing up-to-date climate information, supporting climate-smart infrastructure, and updating building codes.

The panel will also support the federal government in better communicating to Canadians how we are preparing for and adapting to the current and future impacts of climate change. 
The Expert Panel will support the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, which is Canada’s plan to meet our greenhouse gas emissions reduction target, build resilience to the impacts of climate change, and create clean growth and jobs through investments in clean technology, innovation, and infrastructure. 

Dr. Blair Feltmate, Head of the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo, will chair the Expert Panel. The panel will also include academic, private sector, government, non-government, and Indigenous representation. The panel will engage with provinces and territories in its work. 

For more information, click here.

Laurentian’s Goodman School of Mines launches certificate program in project management

Laurentian’s Goodman School of Mines launches certificate program in project management

Laurentian University’s Goodman School of Mines has officially launched its new Project Management Certificate program. The certificate program will offer training in resources, techniques, and practices needed to successfully oversee all aspects of managing industrial projects in a wide variety of fields across Northern Ontario.

“This new certificate program is just the latest example of the Goodman School’s leadership in mining research and education,” said Dr. Bruce Jago, Founding Executive Director of the Goodman School of Mines. “But it goes much further than that. The project management skills offered through this program will benefit all industrial sectors across our region and beyond.”

The Goodman School of Mines Project Management Certificate covers the complete project lifecycle from initiation, through project planning and execution, to project close-out. It is divided into two sets of courses, beginning with a three-day mandatory Project Management Essentials (PME) course. The PME involves one day of self-paced online study followed by two days in-class and is designed to give new project managers and team members an overview of the various tools/techniques of project management and the key elements needed to deliver successful projects.

Following the PME, participants are asked to choose seven days of additional instruction from the following options;

  • 1-day introduction to the “Agile” technique,
  • 1-day project stakeholder management course,
  • 1-day project close-out best practices,
  • 1-day project procurement and contract management,
  • 2-day business analysis for project managers,
  • 2-day risk management practices,
  • 3-day preparation for those writing the PMI’s Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPR) exam,
  • 5-day PMP exam preparation.

 

The new Goodman School of Mines Project Management Certificate comes on the heels of a set of highly successful project management courses offered in the Spring of 2017. Those courses attracted more than 20 participants from a full range of sectors that will benefit from this professional training. They included members of four Northern Ontario Indigenous communities, the mining sector, local municipalities, and the Laurentian University Community.

“Most of the people who took part in our initial project management courses expressed great satisfaction with the new tools and techniques they acquired as well as the team atmosphere that is a key component to our educational style,” said Dr.Jago. “Our new Certificate program will build on that foundation and continue to offer professional, affordable, and effective skills that will continue to benefit our communities and industries for many years to come.”  

Ming Cai wins prestigious John A. Franklin Award for his work in rock mechanics and Rock Engineering

Ming Cai wins prestigious John A. Franklin Award for his work in rock mechanics and Rock Engineering

Dr. Cai recognized for his work finding innovative solutions that improve mine safety and efficiency

Laurentian University congratulates its own Dr. Ming Cai, Geomechanics Research Chair, for receiving the prestigious John A. Franklin Award from the Canadian Geotechnical Society (CGS). The award recognizes Dr. Cai’s work in rock mechanics and rock engineering aimed at improving safety and efficiency in the mining industry in Canada and around the world.

“I want to the thank the CGS for this award which has left me both humbled and proud,” said Dr. Ming Cai, full professor and Geomechanics Research Chair at Laurentian University. “Being honoured by my peers in the engineering community is a deeply humbling experience of course. But I am also proud of the work we are doing here at Laurentian to continually improve mining technologies and practices to the benefit of the industry and its workers.”

The Canadian Geotechnical Society, which represents civil and mining engineers, created the John A. Franklin Award to recognize individuals for their outstanding contributions to rock mechanics and rock engineering. The 2017 prize was awarded to Dr. Cai for his work related to rock support in difficult ground conditions, interpretation of acoustic emission and microseismic monitoring data, and proposed quantitative approaches to estimate peak and residual rock mass strengths.

“I want to congratulate Dr. Cai for this prestigious award. It could not have gone to a more deserving person,” said Vic Pakalnis, CEO of the Mining Innovation and Rehabilitation, and Applied Research Corporation (MIRARCO) at Laurentian University. “Ming truly represents the best that MIRARCO and our university have to offer when it comes to developing ground-breaking tools for the mining industry.”

Among Dr. Cai’s accomplishments recognized by the John A. Franklin Award is the development of ground-support products to prevent a potentially life-threatening effect of deep mining known as rockburst. They include the MCB33 dynamic rockbolt which has been used by some deep mines in Canada, and another prototype rockbolt which has superb dynamic support capacity giving it the potential for being used in deep underground mines for enhanced safety and productivity.

“Thanks to researchers like Dr. Cai, Laurentian has a well-earned reputation as a leader in developing efficient, cost-effective tools and techniques being used by the mining industry right now, and for years to come,” said Dr. Pierre Zundel, Interim President and Vice-Chancellor of Laurentian University. “I congratulate Ming on this award and look forward to his continuing work not only in the lab, but also in the classroom where he is helping shape the next generation of creative, innovative researchers.”

 

ABOUT LAURENTIAN UNIVERSITY

Laurentian University offers an outstanding university experience in English and French, with a comprehensive approach to Indigenous education.  Laurentian University, situated on the traditional territory of the Anishinabe peoples of Atikameksheng First Nation, prepares students as agents of change and empowers them to create innovative responses to local and global challenges. Laurentian’s students benefit from small class sizes and exceptional post-graduation employment rates.  With nine Canada Research Chairs and nineteen research centres, Laurentian is a recognized leader in its specialized areas of research strength, which include mining innovation and exploration, stressed watershed systems, particle astrophysics, rural and northern children’s health, and occupational health and safety. 

Laurentian University and the Laurentian University Faculty Association Ratify Three-Year Collective Agreement

Laurentian University and the Laurentian University Faculty Association Ratify Three-Year Collective Agreement

Laurentian’s Board of Governors unanimously ratified the agreement today.

October 10, 2017

The Laurentian University Faculty Association (LUFA) and Laurentian University have formally ratified a new collective agreement. On Friday, LUFA members voted 98% in favour of the 3-year extension to the collective agreement which expired on June 30.  Laurentian’s Board of Governors unanimously ratified the agreement today.

“This agreement is good news for our employees and the entire Laurentian community. I want to thank both the Laurentian University and the LUFA bargaining teams for their hard work and cooperation,” said Dr. Pierre Zundel, Laurentian University Interim President and Vice Chancellor. “This agreement will provide our faculty with the stability and supports to continue providing our students with a world-class education, and will provide organizational stability as we finalize the University’s 2018-2023 Strategic Plan.”

The 3-year contract extension will remain in effect until June 30, 2020. Under the terms of the agreement, LUFA members will receive a normative annual salary increase, and both sides agreed to begin discussions with regard to pension and workload equity.

“I want to thank both negotiation teams for their hard work in seeing this very tough round of negotiations through,” said Dr. Jim Ketchen, LUFA President. “We believe that both the Laurentian Board and the University Administration have heard the concerns of faculty and that in responding to those concerns, this agreement positions Laurentian University in a quite positive way to move forward in providing quality education and the production of very important research.”

Laurentian University and LUFA want to thank members of the bargaining teams led by Dr. Denis Hurtubise for LUFA and Geoff Tierney for Laurentian University, for their commitment and dedication to achieving a mutually beneficial agreement.

Classes will resume on Wednesday October 11th for students who do not have a scheduled reading week.  All other students will resume on October 16th.

LUFA represents 373 full-time and 304 part-time Faculty members at Laurentian University in Sudbury and Barrie.
 

About Laurentian University

Laurentian University offers an outstanding university experience in English and French, with a comprehensive approach to Indigenous education.  Laurentian University, situated on the traditional territory of the Anishinabe peoples of Atikameksheng First Nation, prepares students as agents of change and empowers them to create innovative responses to local and global challenges. Laurentian’s students benefit from small class sizes and exceptional post-graduation employment rates.  With nine Canada Research Chairs and nineteen research centres, Laurentian is a recognized leader in its specialized areas of research strength, which include mining innovation and exploration, stressed watershed systems, particle astrophysics, rural and northern children’s health, and occupational health and safety.

Laurentian University and faculty association reach tentative agreement

Laurentian University and faculty association reach tentative agreement

October 10, 2017

Although it was previously mentioned that classes would resume on Tuesday October 10th, at this point in time, pending a final ratification vote, classes will only start on Wednesday the 11th of October - for those who had a regularly scheduled class time that day (Faculty of Education and Barrie, for example). The reading week continues as scheduled for those who had one. A confirmation email will be sent to firm up the October 11th date after the ratification vote takes place.  Placements can also resume as of that date, as long as the department gives its approval.

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October 7, 2017

The Laurentian University Faculty Association (LUFA) and Laurentian University are pleased to announce they have reached a tentative agreement that will end the faculty strike.

“I am pleased that both bargaining teams have reached an agreement that fulfills the needs of our faculty and the university,” said Interim Laurentian President and Vice-Chancellor, Pierre Zundel. "Now we can all get back to providing a world-class education to our students."

“I am proud of our team and what we have all accomplished,” added Dr. Jim Ketchen, President of LUFA. “It hasn’t been easy but both sides should be congratulated for reaching this agreement.”

The tentative agreement is subject to ratification by LUFA members and the University’s Board of Governors.

Both parties will work to ensure ratification votes happen as quickly as possible so that faculty and students can return to the classroom.

LUFA and Laurentian University are committed to moving forward together to make sure that the return to class is smooth.

Classes will resume on October 16th for those students with a reading week. Courses in Barrie and online will resume Tuesday pending ratification.  More details will be available at laurentian.ca.

The terms of the tentative agreement will not be disclosed at this time.

The linkage between the "rotten-egg" gas and appetite revealed

The linkage between the "rotten-egg" gas and appetite revealed

Laurentian University researcher Dr. Jeffrey Gagnon made an interesting discovery on the linkage between the “rotten-egg” gas, H2S, and appetite in experimental mice.  This discovery was just published in the October issue of  Endocrinology 158(10): 3416-3425, 2017. The paper, titled Hydrogen sulfide and sulfate prebiotic stimulates the secretion of GLP-1 and improves glycemia in male mice, comes out of research funded by Dr. Gagnon’s NSERC Discovery Program grant.

Dr. Gagnon’s study examined the impact of the microbial gas, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), on GLP-1 regulation in both cells and animals. GLP-1 is a gastrointestinal derived hormone that suppresses appetite and maintains steady blood glucose levels. Dr. Gagnon’s study showed that H2S donors (sodium hydrosulfide and GYY4137) increased the amount of GLP-1 secretion in vitro in mouse GLP-1 cells. He also determined that this occurs through the P38 MAPK intracellular pathway. This is interesting news, as the mechanisms by which H2S enters and acts on cells are not yet fully understood; more investigation into the interaction between H2S and P38 MAPK could provide vital clues.

The study also examined the link between the levels of H2S produced in the colons of mice, and secretion of GLP-1. Dr. Gagnon’s team found that mice fed a diet supplemented with the prebiotic chondroitin sulfate had elevated levels of bacteria called Desulfovibrio piger—a sulfate-reducing bacterium—in their feces, as well as elevated production of H2S. These mice also produced more GLP-1, which led to a greater insulin response, improved glucose tolerance, and after some time, a reduction in appetite. Future work in his lab will examine whether long term increases in colonic H2S production can reduce body weight and reverse impaired glucose metabolism.

These results open a number of possible directions for further investigation—rather exciting ones, given that therapies based on gastrointestinal hormones like GLP-1 have recently been approved for use treating obesity and type 2 diabetes.

A full copy of Dr. Gagnon’s paper can be found here: https://academic.oup.com/endo/article/doi/10.1210/en.2017-00391/4058080/Hydrogen-sulfide-and-sulfate-prebiotic-stimulates

Grand finale for largest modernization project in university's history

Grand finale for largest modernization project in university's history

Laurentian’s $63M Campus Modernization project concludes with opening of new Welcome Centre and unveiling of The Next 50 Campaign donor recognition display

Laurentian University celebrated the conclusion of its $63M campus modernization project with the official opening of a new Welcome Centre. Located at the centre of campus, the new point of welcome and orientation gives students and visitors a clear point of arrival, and an opportunity to access campus information and services.

Transformations to the Sudbury campus include; a new Indigenous Sharing and Learning Centre, a new Executive Learning Centre, a University Club, renovations to 60 classrooms and laboratories, a massive revamp to its Alphonse Raymond building and the addition of a spectacular welcome centre and atrium that rises up through three floors. The new atrium provides informal study and social spaces at each floor level, and the stepped seating area rising from the main floor will also support special campus events.

“Since the project began in October 2014, we have seen 250,000 square feet of construction to classroom, research, study, and public space,” said Pierre Zundel, Laurentian University’s Interim President and Vice-Chancellor.  “This was Laurentian’s biggest renovation and expansion program since its establishment in the 1960’s and it is inspiring to see our students now experiencing the benefits from this massive undertaking.”

The new Welcome Centre also features a large display to recognize the more than 200 donors who contributed over $10,000 to the University’s Next 50 Campaign. This fundraising initiative, which was launched to mark Laurentian’s 50th anniversary in 2010, had over 10,000 donors and raised more than $65-million that contributed to several important projects including; a state-of-the-art water ecology research centre, the creation of more than 200 new scholarships and bursaries, establishment of the Goodman School of Mines and created Canada’s first research Chair in open-pit mining.

“The story of The Next 50 Campaign is one that is filled with inspiring examples of donor generosity, student success and remarkable community support,” said Tracy MacLeod, Chief Advancement Officer at Laurentian University and Director of The Next 50 Campaign. “Seeing the names of the individuals who invested in our students is a daily reminder of the transformative effect The Next 50 Campaign had on philanthropy in Northern Ontario.”

“This new Welcome Centre has quickly become the heart of our beautiful campus, making it the perfect location to celebrate the conclusion of our University’s ambitious modernization project,  said Jennifer Witty, Chair of the Laurentian Board of Governors. “So many of the outcomes in our 2012-2018 Strategic Plan were tied to this project and I am incredibly proud of the entire Laurentian community for their flexibility, patience and guidance during this process.  Working together, we have set the foundation to building an institution that will serve our region for generations to come.”

 

About Laurentian University

Laurentian University offers an outstanding university experience in English and French, with a comprehensive approach to Indigenous education.  Laurentian University, situated on the traditional territory of the Anishinabe peoples of Atikameksheng First Nation, prepares students as agents of change and empowers them to create innovative responses to local and global challenges. Laurentian’s students benefit from small class sizes and exceptional post-graduation employment rates.  With nine Canada Research Chairs and nineteen research centres, Laurentian is a recognized leader in its specialized areas of research strength, which include mining innovation and exploration, stressed watershed systems, particle astrophysics, rural and northern children’s health, and occupational health and safety. 

Laurentian University launches Canada's first Master's degree in Science Communication

Laurentian University launches Canada's first Master's degree in Science Communication

Canada’s first and only comprehensive Master’s program in Science Communication was celebrated today at Laurentian University. The first cohort of students enrolled in this 12-month intense program began courses in early September.

The Master’s program in Science Communication delivers a multi-disciplinary experience that covers the theory underlying good communication, as well as the practical challenges of effectively communicating science and the issues involving science in society. Students currently enrolled in the 9-month Graduate Diploma in Science Communication program have been able to transition to the Master’s by completing an additional three months of study.

“This Master’s program is a natural extension of the graduate diploma that we have been offering in partnership with Science North since 2005,” said Dr. Chantal Barriault, Director of the Science Communication program at Laurentian University. “The Master’s in Science Communication will address the growing demand we have seen for our graduates. Science is woven into decisions at every level of our lives. People should be able to make informed choices without needing a science degree to do that.  That’s where our students come in.”

Barriault says trends in science research, industry, and public policy have prompted a need for trained people in this rapidly growing field. Laurentian’s graduates are specialists in communicating the work of leading researchers and scientists to diverse audiences, from young children to politicians. They are employed in a range of fields, including government and non-governmental organizations, industry, science centres, zoos, aquariums, popular science publications, and leading research institutions.

Guy Labine, CEO of Science North stated, “Science North’s core mission is to involve people in the relationship between science and everyday life by communicating science to people in a way they can understand and enjoy. When we launched the Science Communication Graduate Diploma Program 12 years ago, in partnership with Laurentian University, we saw it as a natural extension of what we do every day at our science centres. The evolution of the program to a Masters reflects the growing acknowledgement in the world of the importance of science communication. Graduates of this program can have a real impact on our understanding and comprehension of science today. All of this wouldn’t be possible without our close partnership with Laurentian University, Dr. Chantal Barriault and Dr. David Pearson, and my predecessor Jim Marchbank.”

“We are thrilled to be offering this exceptional Science Communication program at the Masters level and we look forward to building on its incredible success with our partners at Science North,” said Serge Demers, Vice-President Academic and Provost.

More information about the program can be found at https://laurentian.ca/program/science-communication.

 

About Science North

Science North is Northern Ontario’s most popular tourist attraction and an educational resource for children and adults across the province, operating the second- and eighth-largest science centres in Canada. Science North’s attractions include a science centre, IMAX® theatre, planetarium, butterfly gallery, special exhibits hall, and Dynamic Earth: Home of the Big Nickel, a separate science centre focused on mining and earth sciences. In addition to the two science centres in Sudbury, Science North also oversees an award-winning-Large Format Film production unit, as well as an International Sales unit, which develops custom and ready-made exhibits for sale or lease to science centres, museums, and other cultural institutions all over the world. Science North, in partnership with Laurentian University, offers North America’s first and only Science Communication program. As part of its mandate, Science North provides science experiences throughout Northern Ontario including outreach to schools and festivals, summer science camps and more, and has a permanent base in Thunder Bay providing outreach to the Northwest. Science North is an agency of the Government of Ontario. For more information please visit sciencenorth.ca.

 

About Laurentian University

Laurentian University offers an outstanding university experience in English and French, with a comprehensive approach to Indigenous education.  Laurentian University, situated on the traditional territory of the Anishinabe peoples of Atikameksheng First Nation, prepares students as agents of change and empowers them to create innovative responses to local and global challenges. Laurentian’s students benefit from small class sizes and exceptional post-graduation employment rates.  With nine Canada Research Chairs and nineteen research centres, Laurentian is a recognized leader in its specialized areas of research strength, which include mining innovation and exploration, stressed watershed systems, particle astrophysics, rural and northern children’s health, and occupational health and safety. 

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