RESEARCH ACTIVITY AND RESEARCH INTERNATIONALIZATION
Lakehead continues to make progress in its goal to rank among the top 25 research intensive universities in Canada in the next 5 to 10 years.
External research funding almost doubles over the last few years and there are more researchers involved in international research projects.
Dr. Aicheng Chen, a Professor of Chemistry and a Canada Research Chair in Material and Environmental Chemistry, receives the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Fellowship to conduct research in the field of photocatalysis at Hokkaido University in Japan. Dr. Carl Young, an Assistant Professor of History, is awarded a Junior Fellowship to conduct research in Korea at the Academy of Korean Studies.
Dr. Chris Southcott, a Professor of Sociology who is working with Yukon College as the lead institution, receives $1.75M from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) to fund his work as Principal Investigator with the Social Economy Research Network for Northern Canada. This Network will conduct research that is relevant and useful to communities currently facing substantial social and economic challenges.
Dr. Ellie Prepas, a Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Water Management and the Boreal Forest, receives a total of $4.33M from NSERC and government and industry partners to continue the FORWARD project, which will provide data, maps, and models to be integrated directly into management planning in boreal forest watersheds.
Dr. Connie Nelson, Professor of Social Work, and Dr. Doug West, Associate Professor of Political Science, are awarded $985,000 from The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation to establish the Food Security Research and Service Exchange Network. This new initiative to study the issues of food security, which include local food production, local buying, safety, and security of the food supply, will build on Lakehead’s past experience in community service learning and partnerships.
Two Lakehead historians, Dr. Ronald Harpelle and Dr. Bruce Muirhead, receive funding and special access to examine the historical role of the International Development Research Centre, Canada’s international development agency.
$100M DEBENTURE
With an A1 rating from Moody’s Investors Service, Lakehead University successfully issues a 40-year $100M debenture. This gives Lakehead the flexibility to proceed with a number of initiatives to further secure its future. Funds are used to refinance existing debt at a lower rate of interest, finance Phase II of the Energy Conservation Project, and create an internally restricted investment fund for Lakehead University.
WISE USE OF ENERGY
Lakehead completes Phase 1 of its Energy Conservation Project which contributes to a 25% reduction in natural gas consumption. Greenhouse gas emissions are reduced by approximately 4,600 tonnes annually.
NEW FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES
The new Faculty of Graduate Studies, established in October 2005, is developing criteria for membership, written and consistent regulations for both Master’s and PhD programs, and a strategic plan reflecting the University’s strategic goals.
HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTING CAPACITY
Lakehead joins the Shared Hierarchical Academic Research Computing Network (SHARCNET), a consortium of colleges and universities in a “cluster of clusters” of high-performance computers linked by advanced fibre optics. This collaboration further increases Lakehead’s and SHARCNET’s high-performance computing capability and gives University researchers access to resources and opportunities for faculty fellowships, student funding, peer mentors, research collaborations, rapid parallel computing opportunities, and collaborations with software developers.
CANADA’S NATIONAL HIGHSPEED RESEARCH NETWORK
CANARIE sets up a point of presence for CAnet 4 on campus, complementing the ORION research network and creating a new level of network stability for research and Internet data communications at Lakehead University.
CLINICAL PLACEMENT PROJECTS
Funding from the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing is received for two projects – one related to the costing of nursing clinical placements for Canadian nursing schools and another to develop an inventory of strategies to deliver nursing and interprofessional clinical placements for Canadian schools. Both projects involve collaborative research teams with representatives from Lakehead University, Confederation College, and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.
