University News

State-of-the-art Climate Change Lab Opens at Bishop's University

October 3, 2012

Thanks to almost $ 800 000 of research funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), the Ministère de l’Éducation, Loisirs et Sports du Québec (MELS) and other partners, Dr. Matthew Peros, Canada Research Chair for Climate and Environmental Change, has assembled a truly world class laboratory. He and his colleagues from the Multi-Scale Climate and Environmental Change (M.U.S.C.L.E.) research cluster will use these facilities to conduct crucial research on the impact of climate and environmental changes on microorganisms, ecosystems, vegetation, melt waters, coastlines, and more.

“Over the last three years we have committed to developing research areas of national and international reputation. The creation of Matthew Peros’ lab is an important milestone towards that goal”, says Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon, Associate Vice-Principal of Research at Bishop’s. He adds: “The facilities will also provide a range of hands-on opportunities for many Bishop’s Science students, which is very much in line with the University’s mission to provide the best undergraduate education in the country.”

The new Bishop’s laboratory is equipped with cutting-edge technology such as high-magnification microscopes, a laser particle size analyzer, tree-ring analysis instruments, and a range of field equipment to facilitate data collection from a wide variety of wetlands and other environments. Soon, a spectrophotometer will be added. The type of work being done here includes some highly innovative research focused on developing automated microfossil identification systems, a project being led by Dr. Elizabeth Levac. Other researchers are already analyzing samples that have been collected from sites in Quebec, Prince Edward Island, and Cuba, and expeditions to Mexico and Grenada are in the planning stage. A second world class laboratory, dedicated to research on Psychological Health and Well-being, is currently under construction at Bishop’s.

More about Research at Bishop’s University
In 2009 Bishop’s committed to developing four areas of research excellence: Multi-scale Climate and Environmental Change; Psychological Health and Well-being; Crossing Borders (Social and Cultural Identity); and Stellar Astrophysics and Relativity. Largely as a result of this initiative, Bishop’s was recently awarded over $2M in funding for three Canada Research Chairs and 4 CFI funded, state-of-the art laboratories. Bishop’s is proving very successful at recruiting a new generation of professors that successfully ally international research programs with true dedication to undergraduate education.

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