UNews - Government of Alberta

Neuroscience research capacity boosted by addition of Mohajerani

trevor.kenney — Mon, 12 May 2014 20:16:47 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has added to its internationally recognized research capacity in neuroscience by appointing Dr. Majid H. Mohajerani as the new CAIP Chair in Brain Health and Dementia.

Dr. Majid Mohajerani comes to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ after serving as a research associate at the International School for Advanced Studies in Trieste, Italy.

Mohajerani is the third of four new research Chairs being added to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ as part of the Government of Alberta's Campus Alberta Innovation Program (CAIP) Chairs plan. Last year, aquatic health expert Dr. Greg Pyle and remote sensing researcher Dr. Chris Hopkinson were attracted to the U of L through the program.

The government is contributing $1 million for four Chairs, over the course of seven years, for a total investment of $7 million.

Vice-President (Research) Dr. Dan Weeks says this latest CAIP Chair is a tremendous addition for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ that will compliment the world class research currently undertaken at the U of L’s Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN).

“The work that Dr. Mohajerani has undertaken in brain mapping, and in stroke research, is groundbreaking and has been recognized nationally,” says Weeks. “This expertise, combined with the world-class talent that already resides at the U of L, will ensure that important discoveries continue to be made on our campus that will improve the quality of local, national and international communities.”

In 2010, Mohajerani received the New Investigator Award from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Additionally, he received the Henry J.M. Barnett Award –presented annually to the highest rated investigator working in the area of stroke research.

Mohajerani comes to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ after serving as a research associate at the International School for Advanced Studies in Trieste, Italy, where he received his PhD, and at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia.

“I had offers from several institutions within Canada, the United States and Europe and chose to work in the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge because the CCBN is a world class research facility including some of the top researchers in the system and behavioural neuroscience,” says Mohajerani.

Mohajerani’s lab employs in vivo microscopic imaging technologies such as two-photon microscopy and functional imaging to study neural activity on the subcellular, cellular, and circuit level in real-time. A central goal of Mohajerani's research program is to use these experimental approaches to study the neurophysiological mechanisms that allow the cerebral cortex to develop normally and change throughout life in response to new experiences (eg. learning) or diseases such as stroke.

The CAIP Chairs plan is part of the Government of Alberta's Campus Alberta collaborative initiative and will provide research Chairs to Alberta's four Comprehensive Academic and Research Intensive (CARI) institutions: the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Athabasca ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary.

“The Campus Alberta Innovation Program brings some of the world’s best research talent to Alberta to discover and create new knowledge in priority areas including human health,” says Dave Hancock, Premier of Alberta and Minister of Innovation and Advanced Education. “I welcome Dr. Mohajerani to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and to Alberta. His leadership and expertise will bring the original and innovative thinking that CAIP research chair recipients are renowned for. CAIP and Campus Alberta’s research facilities are making important discoveries right here in Alberta and those discoveries will have benefits that reach far beyond our borders.”

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors passes balanced 2014/2015 budget

trevor.kenney — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 20:36:50 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors has passed a balanced operating budget for the 2014/15 fiscal year.

“The $162-million operating budget is supportive of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s recently completed strategic plan and reflects the values of our university,” says the Chair of the U of L Board of Governors, Gord Jong. “The U of L has experienced a challenging financial landscape in the past couple of years, and we expect to face more challenging years in the future. This balanced budget is important in allowing the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to focus on the future.”

“I am very encouraged by the budget that was passed today,” says U of L President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Mike Mahon. “Funding was allocated to support quality academic programs, student experience, support for research and community connectedness. Receipt of new Government of Alberta funding to increase enrolment in targeted areas also provides the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ with some capacity to implement some strategic programs."

The approval of the budget by the U of L Board of Governors completes a lengthy process that included developing a framework of values to guide our budget decisions and the implementation of a new operating budget allocation model. All budget decisions were done with extensive consultation with the Strategic Planning Committee, budget advisory committees, senior administration, deans and executive directors. The General Faculties Council (GFC) also reviewed the budget model and the proposed budget at its April meeting.

Budget 2014/15 highlights

The 2013-14 budget saw a significant decrease (4.85%) in the Campus Alberta Operating grant received by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. Some budget controlling efforts put into place during 2013 were the offering of an Academic Staff Voluntary Retirement program and a hiring restriction on vacant positions. This year's balanced budget lifts the hiring restriction that has been in place since September 2013, which will allow the replacement of essential positions. Approximately half of the retirement academic positions will be replaced to allow some return to normal operations and the level of support for students that we have prided ourselves.

The operating grant provided by Innovation and Advanced Education will increase by 1.62%, comprised of 0% base operating grant increase plus $1.5 million in targeted enrolment funding.

Tuition fees, which are regulated by the Alberta government, will rise by one percent.

Destination Project to fundamentally change the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

trevor.kenney — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 23:02:09 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has seen a number of significant construction projects in recent years, but nothing can rival the scope and envisioned impact of the Destination Project – a three-phase development that will realize the creation of a new academic/science building, new central utility plant and a revitalization of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall.

Simply put, the project has the potential to become one of the largest construction undertakings in the history of the city of Lethbridge and will fundamentally shape the path of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge for the foreseeable future.

The Destination Project is a three-component development that will not only change the physical look of campus, but fundamentally shape the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's path for the foreseeable future.

“The Destination Project will be transformational, the most significant development of our Lethbridge campus since ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall was completed in 1972,” says ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Mike Mahon. “Beyond the massive physical changes that will take place, the project is a means through which our collective aspirations can be realized. The new facility will be more than a teaching and research space, but a place for community engagement and outreach.”

The Destination Project actually consists of three components. The first is the construction of an academic building that will house a significant part of the science teaching and research activity on campus, as well as a number of other potential groups that have yet to be defined.

Secondly, the project will incorporate an energy centre, a new central and heating plant that will not only replace the current plant but be sufficiently expanded to service the new infrastructure.

Finally, a comprehensive revitalization of the original ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall will take place as the academic groups moved into the new building will have their spaces backfilled.

To date, over $12 million in planning funds have been provided by the Government of Alberta to the project and a significant amount of pre-planning has taken place, including in-depth consultative work with some of the groups initially identified to be moving into the new academic building component of the project.

The next phase of planning involves the site selection process, of which the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community will have the opportunity to contribute to during a pair of presentations on Nov. 6 & 7.

“What we’ve done so far is to take four sites from the Campus Master Plan and conduct a series of geotechnical and massing studies to see which of the sites would best suit the project,” says Project Manager, Brian Sullivan.

In its current form, the Destination Project will rival ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall in size, meaning an additional 35,000 sq. metres added to the campus footprint.

“People don’t really appreciate how big this building is going to be. The reality is that this project will be four times the size of Markin Hall,” says Sullivan.

Once a site is selected, the rest of the planning funds will take the project through to the completion of schematic designs by December 2014. If all goes well, construction could begin 10 to 15 months later, eventually culminating with an opening date for the academic building sometime in Fall 2019.

“We have a long way to go to get to that point,” says Mahon. “We have been very imaginative and innovative in our thinking on this project but much more consultative work needs to be done and input from our faculty, staff, students and the broader community will be vital to the process.”

Mahon encourages the U of L community to attend the site selection presentations and to present feedback to the Destination Project website.

“The planning conducted today, the questions and concerns raised by our community and the careful consideration by the various planning bodies of those questions and concerns must serve the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ for the next 50 years,” says Mahon.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and Volunteer Lethbridge enhance partnership

trevor.kenney — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 18:07:41 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and Volunteer Lethbridge are creating greater opportunities for student community service and volunteerism activities by entering into a partnership that will see Volunteer Lethbridge relocate its offices to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Dr. Foster James Penny Building in mid-November.

“This partnership will prove to be of tremendous benefit to the citizens of Lethbridge by providing more opportunities for our students to serve in the community as volunteers,” says ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President and Vice-chancellor, Dr. Mike Mahon. “It will also be of great value to our students. As a university, we have identified our responsibility to instill a sense of citizenship in our students, and this begins by creating a climate of support and encouragement for community engagement. This partnership further establishes that climate.”

The Penny Building's reception area will now be staffed by Volunteer Lethbridge personnel.

The U of L will give access to approximately 160 sq. m of space for Volunteer Lethbridge, consisting of five offices on the building’s second level. Volunteer Lethbridge staff will also undertake reception duties in the Penny Building’s main lobby, thereby allowing community access to the building and its amenities throughout regular office hours.

Many U of L students already embrace the volunteer experience and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has worked with Volunteer Lethbridge on a number of initiatives, such as the annual Volunteer Fair and through participation in Project Paintbursh.

“This is such a good opportunity for us to further establish our relationship with Volunteer Lethbridge because it’s a partnership that allows both organizations to better serve the citizens of Lethbridge,” says Mahon. “When the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ opened the Penny Building, a key goal was to strengthen the connection we have with Lethbridge and the southern Alberta community, and this partnership continues that mission.”

Volunteer Lethbridge will have office space on the building's second floor, bringing community groups into the Penny on a regular basis.

Volunteer Lethbridge began as a three-year, federally-funded project through the YWCA in 1981, operating as the Lethbridge Volunteer Bureau. It was then transformed into an independent, not-for-profit agency and registered as a society in 1986. Later renamed the Community Volunteer Centre, it adopted its current name in 2000 and is currently associated with more than 100 member agencies.

Its move to the Penny Building will enhance partnership opportunities with the U of L as Volunteer Lethbridge looks to develop specific volunteer activities for students through various programs, such as the Serving Communities Internship Program (SCiP), offered through Volunteer Alberta and the Government of Alberta.

“Building a resilient community is what volunteerism is all about. What we have to offer together will strengthen the volunteer involvement capacity in our community,” says Diana Sim, executive director for Volunteer Lethbridge. “We welcome the general public and not-for-profit groups to come visit us at our new location to learn more about how volunteerism impacts the community.”

Once in the Penny Building, Volunteer Lethbridge staff will provide reception for visitors to the building, schedule bookings of the building’s community rooms as well as operate a U of L ticket kiosk and merchandise centre.

The Penny Building currently houses the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s alumni relations and annual giving programs, the U of L Call Centre and gallery space for Faculty of Fine Arts students.

“By bringing Volunteer Lethbridge into the building, many more people from Lethbridge and throughout southern Alberta will get a chance to utilize the space and participate in community-minded initiatives,” says Mahon.

Gairdner speaker event brings Dr. Samuel Weiss to campus

trevor.kenney — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 22:12:28 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge faculty and students, along with select southern Alberta high school students, will have the unique opportunity to experience a lecture by Gairdner International Award winner Dr. Samuel Weiss, Monday, Oct. 21.

The Gairdner Foundation Speaker Event will include a lecture for the area’s elite high school students, a lecture for U of L faculty and undergraduate students, as well as a host of interactive science activities designed to engage the visiting students as well as showcase the research activities taking place on campus.

Dr. Samuel Weiss won a 2008 Gairdner International Award.

“It is very exciting to be able to bring a Gairdner International Award winner to campus,” says ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Mike Mahon. “The fact that many people with our Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience also work closely with Dr. Weiss, makes it even more fitting.

“We’re also pleased to be able to allow high school students from throughout the area access to such a distinguished speaker, hopefully further inspiring their passion for science.”

Dr. Samuel Weiss is a Professor and Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions Scientist in the Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary Faculty of Medicine.

His lecture, The Stem Cells You Have in Your Brain: What Can They Do?, will be presented to high school students at 9:30 a.m., followed by a second lecture, Adult Neural Stem Cells: From Basic Science to Therapeutic Applications, at 11 a.m. for U of L faculty, undergraduate and graduate students. Both talks are in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre. High school students can sign up here.

Weiss is the inaugural Director of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, whose mission is to translate innovative research and education into advances in neurological and mental health.

“The Gairdner Foundation is very pleased that the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has become the 22nd institution to participate in our annual National Program of Lectures,” says Dr. John Dirks, President and Scientific Director of the Gairdner Foundation. “During a recent visit to the campus, we were very impressed with the quality of teaching and research, and particularly with the opportunities for undergraduate students. This year, Sam Weiss will speak to high school students about his life in science. We look forward to a long and rewarding relationship with the U of L.”

In 2008, Weiss was named recipient of a Gairdner International Award for “his seminal discovery of adult neural stem cells in the mammalian brain and its importance in nerve cell regeneration,” and in 2009 he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.

His current research focuses on human brain tumour stem cells and the development of new therapies for adult brain cancer.

Created in 1959 by James Arthur Gairdner, the Gairdner Foundation recognizes and rewards the achievements of medical researchers whose work contributes significantly to improving the quality of life. Over the past 53 years, a total of 313 Canada Gairdner International Awards have been presented to scientists from 15 countries, with 80 Canada Gairdner Laureates going on to win Nobel Prizes.

The Gairdner Foundation 2013 ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Lectures are sponsored by the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, BMO Bank of Montreal, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, London Drugs and the Globe and Mail.

To register for the high school portion of the event, follow this link.

Remember the people factor

trevor.kenney — Tue, 10 Sep 2013 21:42:31 +0000

A ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge geography researcher is suggesting that flood mitigation and future planning processes involve people in the communities most affected – to help cities and towns look ahead and reduce some of the challenges faced across the province by recent flooding.

Dr. Tom Johnston, who studies the human dimensions of natural hazards, says that as much as the recently-announced Government of Alberta flood mitigation plan and measures such as an expert panel on flood issues are important and timely steps forward, the processes by which people and the environment engage is what concerns him as flood reduction planning begins.

“With many thousands of people displaced over a short period of time, entire communities have been affected by flooding and the critical element to planning for the future is community engagement,” says Johnston.

Dr. Tom Johnston cautions against flood mitigation processes that don’t factor in how people engage with the environment.

He adds that structural responses – constructing flood-control dams or physically changing or dredging parts of a river to better manage water flow – need to be matched with non-structural or policy-based responses, such as incorporating the latest and best available flood hazard information into community and land-use planning, and even prohibiting development in high-risk places.

“It is extremely important that in addition to scientists and engineers that we have community involvement in any land-use planning process,” says Johnston. “This not only ensures that the challenge of flooding is minimized, but it also allows community members to be aware of, and fully involved in, the future of their community.”

Johnston adds that social scientists, such as human geographers and other behavioural scientists also need to be included in the discussion because their expertise would complement that of hydrologists and engineers.

The Government of Alberta recently rolled out a Flood Hazard Mitigation Plan, which Johnston says will be helpful in increasing public awareness about flood-affected areas of the province.

“A central feature of the plan is a web-based interactive map (environment.alberta.ca/01655.html) that highlights “Flood Hazard Areas” down to the local scale. The GIS-based system is operator friendly, and if you have used interactive mapping software on your smart phone or some other device, you can easily navigate this system,” Johnston says.

“First, the studies used to delineate flood hazard areas should be as current as possible. Second, local and regional authorities charged with the responsibility for land-use planning must be willing to use the system to guide their decision making, even though this could involve constraining the range of residential location choices available to citizens.”

Johnston says that as of June 2013, more than 50 flood hazard studies had been completed for the provincial government.

“The most recent studies in and around the communities experiencing severe flooding in June were completed after February 1996 (environment.alberta.ca/01656.html), or 17 years ago.”

Given the recent flood events, future hazard zone mapping should be more consistent, Johnston says.

“We are dealing with dynamic systems, many of which are under increasing pressure from a variety of human activities, so it is prudent to make sure they are done regularly.”

Mt. Blakiston House welcomes students

trevor.kenney — Tue, 10 Sep 2013 19:44:01 +0000

Mt. Blakiston House, the latest addition to the U of L’s campus residence park, is officially open to receive students.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors Chair Gordon Jong, U of L President Dr. Mike Mahon, Students' Union President Shuna Talbot, MLA Lethbridge West Greg Weadick and Lethbridge Mayor Rajko Dodic.

The $32-million, 11,589 sq.m. (124,743 sq.ft.) building adds 259 beds to the U of L’s residence inventory and increases the available on-campus living space by more than 60 per cent. Students, primarily in their second and third year, will fully occupy the building beginning Sept. 2.

“The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is a destination of choice for students across the province, the country and beyond. Mt. Blakiston House will allow more students to have an immersive and exciting experience at the U of L,” says President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Mike Mahon.

“With so many of our students coming to Lethbridge from rural Alberta, Calgary and beyond, being able to offer them accommodations on campus will help them succeed in their studies. Students who live in residence quickly find support networks on our campus and subsequently excel in their studies.”

Nearly 70 per cent of the U of L’s students are from outside of Lethbridge.

Gordon Jong, the U of L’s Board Chair, says the project was done with students in mind.

A look at one of the rooms inside Mt. Blakiston House residence.

“This is more than an investment in infrastructure – it is an investment in our students. This building will increase the vibrancy of our campus and make it even more desirable for prospective students,” says Jong. “Our Facilities, Housing Services and Conference Services teams have put a lot of thought into how we can make the campus environment better for our students, and the end result of their hard work clearly shows in Mt. Blakiston House.”

In addition to a contemporary design living space, amenities include large study lounges, a games room and multi-purpose study/activity space. Outdoor social activities will centre around a quad-style green space and patio area.

The 24-hour secured building is also near a large park and lake and directly across a lane from the indoor and outdoor amenities of the Gordon W. Paterson Centre, which includes access to beach volleyball, basketball and other recreational activities.

Lethbridge-West MLA Greg Weadick says Mt. Blakiston House will benefit both the U of L as well as Lethbridge residents looking for affordable housing options.

"The Government of Alberta has recognized the importance of increasing the Province's supply of affordable housing. This new residence building will not only allow the U of L to attract bright young minds to its campus, but will also open up increased rental opportunities in the City of Lethbridge," says Weadick.

An additional feature of the Mt. Blakiston House project is that it was designed to operate as a combination hotel/conference centre during the summer months, providing space for conferences up to 250 delegates, and a unique option for visitors to Lethbridge as the only hotel accommodation in West Lethbridge. The building will bring the overall campus accommodation capacity for hosting large summer events to approximately 900 beds.

"The City of Lethbridge is proud to support an investment of $3.5 million (provincial funds allocated by the city) to this very worthy project," says Mayor Rajko Dodic. "It is gratifying to see that so many students are choosing the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge to further their education. Affording them the opportunity to live on campus in comfortable accommodations will, no doubt, help them feel more at home in our community."

Factoring the ‘people equation’ into future flood hazard planning key to helping communities recover

trevor.kenney — Thu, 15 Aug 2013 21:25:05 +0000

- community input necessary to help with future flood reduction strategies
- flood hazard mapping needs to be updated as communities and river systems change
- majority of flood hazard studies are now up to two decades old

Dr. Tom Johnston, who studies human dimensions of natural hazards, said that as much as the recently-announced flood mitigation plan and other measures, such as an expert panel on flood issues, are important and timely steps forward, the processes by which people and the environment engage is what concerns him as flood reduction planning begins.

"With many thousands of people displaced over a short period of time, entire communities affected by flooding and the dramatic change that has brought to how people live, work and interact with each other, the critical element to planning for the future is community engagement."

Johnston says that structural responses – constructing flood-control dams, or physically changing or dredging parts of a river to better manage water flow -- need to be matched with non-structural or policy-based responses, such as incorporating the latest and best available flood hazard information into community and land-use planning, and even prohibiting development in high-risk places.

"It is extremely important that in addition to scientists and engineers that we have community involvement in any land-use planning process, not only to ensure that the challenge of flooding is minimized, but also to have the community members be aware of, and fully involved in, the future of their community."

Johnston adds that social scientists, such as human geographers and other behavioural scientists also need to be included in the discussion because their expertise would complement the expertise of hydrologists and engineers. "One would be foolish to consult a cardiologist about a hip replacement, so why would we rely on experts trained in disciplines that don't deal with understanding human behaviour for advice on human dimensions of hazard management?"

Johnston says that it's stating the obvious that no one wishes to go through another flood season like this. "Regardless of how affected a particular community is – from severe to moderate -- it would be prudent to get people more directly involved and looking ahead not only to next year, but 30 or more years in the future, so they could say they helped to solve a big problem for the next generation of residents. This year's flooding in the Bow River Basin was extreme. The chances of a flood of that magnitude occurring in any given year are very low — probably less than one per cent — but we need to remember that includes next year."

The Government of Alberta recently rolled out a Flood Hazard Mitigation Plan, which Johnston says will be helpful to increase public awareness about flood-affected areas of the province.

"A central feature of the plan is a web-based interactive map that highlights "Flood Hazard Areas" down to the local scale. The GIS-based system is operator friendly, and if you have used interactive mapping software on your smart phone or some other device, you can easily navigate this system," Johnston says. http://environment.alberta.ca/01655.html

The hazard maps will be useful for home buyers, and should be helpful in guiding flood-proofing efforts and for land-use planning, Johnston adds, but in order for the system to achieve anything close to its full potential, two conditions must be satisfied.

"First, the studies used to delineate flood hazard areas should be as current as possible. Second, local and regional authorities charged with the responsibility for land-use planning must be willing to use the system to guide their decision making, even though this could involve constraining the range of residential location choices available to citizens."

Johnston says that as of June, 2013, more than 50 flood hazard studies had been completed for the provincial government.

"The most recent studies in and around the communities experiencing severe flooding in June were completed after February, 1996, or 17 years ago." (http://environment.alberta.ca/01656.html )

"Many were completed under the Canada-Alberta Flood Damage Reduction Program, a program which began in 1989, but lapsed in 1999. The studies covered most of the province, including all of the heavily populated ones. A majority of the studies -- approximately 60 per cent -- are now up to two decades old. During that time, communities have changed, and the physical geography of entire regions have changed as residential and commercial developments increased."

Given the recent flood events, future hazard zone mapping should be more consistent, Johnston says.

"We are dealing with dynamic systems, many of which are under increasing pressure from a variety of human activities, so it is prudent to make sure they are done regularly."

When a panel chaired by George Groeneveld, then the Alberta MLA for the constituency of Highwood (encompassing High River and surrounding areas) submitted its report following the 2005 floods (website link below) Johnston says it included in its recommendations that Alberta Environment develop a maintenance program to ensure that the flood risk maps are updated when appropriate. "This is a recommendation that many in the flood mitigation and hazard response communities would like to see acted upon sooner rather than later."

As well, Johnston says that any future planning process should also include a review of legislation surrounding land development to require that the level of flood hazard must be taken into account in the course of land development decisions.

"The current regulations state that local authorities 'may' require developers to stipulate "…if the land subject to the application is located in a potential flood plain.' The province may wish to raise the bar in light of recent events." http://www.qp.alberta.ca/documents/Regs/2002_043.pdf

Additional Resources:

"Provincial Flood Mitigation Report: Consultation and Recommendations" http://www.aema.alberta.ca/images/News/Provincial_Flood_Mitigation_Report.pdf

The State of Flood Plain Mapping in Ontario (a report prepared for the Catastrophic Loss Reduction Institute of Canada): http://www.iclr.org/images/2007_June_ICLRPRESFloodMapping.pdf

Flood Plain Mapping (overview of BC program): http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wsd/data_searches/fpm/

FEMA Flood Plain Map Service Center: https://msc.fema.gov/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/FemaWelcomeView?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1

-- 30 --

Contact:

Dr. Tom Johnston, Department of Geography
(403) 329-2534 office
(403) 915-5805 cell
johnston@uleth.ca

Dr. Johnston will be away from the office on August 19, 20 and 21, but can be available via cellphone and e-mail

Connecting experts with stakeholders

trevor.kenney — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 17:50:55 +0000

"The U of L is an institution with a global reach," says Chris Horbachewski, Vice-President (Advancement), whose department sponsored the project. "The new database will serve many purposes by making expertise publicly accessible to communities near and far."

The U of L Experts Database allows users to find researchers through a number of search criteria including research expertise, name, faculty, department and spoken language. Further, it allows users to browse for experts by specific topics. The database provides contact information for the expert and in many cases provides a link to the researcher's website.

Vice-President (Research) Dr. Dan Weeks says the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, as a comprehensive research institution and leader in many research disciplines, is now better able to share its expertise. He says the database will be an important tool to connect researchers with industry, policy makers and community members.

"Ensuring that new knowledge and university expertise is available for public benefit is important for our society," says Weeks. "Our office has focused on ensuring that our community is aware of the research that is taking place at the U of L. This new database will make important connections between our researchers and many other stakeholders."

In addition to its mandate from the Government of Alberta to conduct pure and applied research in a wide range of disciplines, the U of L has a comprehensive teaching mandate that offers a full range of graduate programs.

Dr. Robert Wood, Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, says the new experts database will be a valuable tool for matching potential graduate students with faculty supervisors.

"Our graduate programs emphasize faculty mentorship, and for many of our programs it is necessary for prospective students to identify a supervisor at the time of application," says Wood. "This product will certainly help prospective graduate students to gain a better understanding of our faculty members' research and creative activity."

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Experts Database can be found at http://www.uleth.ca/experts-database.

U of L launches Experts Database

trevor.kenney — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:34:43 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge launched a new experts database today that will link the U of L's world-class expertise with journalists, academia, government, industry, students and members of the general public from around the world.

"The U of L is an institution with a global reach," says Chris Horbachewski, Vice-President (Advancement), whose department sponsored the project. "The new database will serve many purposes by making expertise publicly accessible to communities near and far."

The U of L Experts Database allows users to find researchers through a number of search criteria including research expertise, name, faculty, department and spoken language. Further, it allows users to browse for experts by specific topics. The database provides contact information for the expert and in many cases provides a link to the researcher's website.

Vice-President (Research) Dr. Dan Weeks says the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, as a comprehensive research institution and leader in many research disciplines, is now better able to share its expertise. He says the database will be an important tool to connect researchers with industry, policy makers and community members.

"Ensuring that new knowledge and university expertise is available for public benefit is important for our society," says Weeks. "Our office has focused on ensuring that our community is aware of the research that is taking place at the U of L. This new database will make important connections between our researchers and many other stakeholders."

In addition to its mandate from the Government of Alberta to conduct pure and applied research in a wide range of disciplines, the U of L has a comprehensive teaching mandate that offers a full range of graduate programs.

Dr. Robert Wood, Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, says the new experts database will be a valuable tool for matching potential graduate students with faculty supervisors.

"Our graduate programs emphasize faculty mentorship, and for many of our programs it is necessary for prospective students to identify a supervisor at the time of application," says Wood. "This product will certainly help prospective graduate students to gain a better understanding of our faculty members' research and creative activity."

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Experts Database can be found at http://www.uleth.ca/experts-database.

UNews - Government of Alberta

Neuroscience research capacity boosted by addition of Mohajerani

Related Topics

��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors passes balanced 2014/2015 budget

Related Content

Enrolment boost in targeted areas thanks to government investment

Related Topics

Destination Project to fundamentally change the ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

Related Content

The Destination Project

Related Topics

��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ and Volunteer Lethbridge enhance partnership

Related Topics

Gairdner speaker event brings Dr. Samuel Weiss to campus

Related Topics

Remember the people factor

Related Topics

Mt. Blakiston House welcomes students

Related Topics

Factoring the ‘people equation’ into future flood hazard planning key to helping communities recover

Related Topics

Connecting experts with stakeholders

Related Topics

U of L launches Experts Database

Related Topics

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors passes balanced 2014/2015 budget

Destination Project to fundamentally change the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and Volunteer Lethbridge enhance partnership