UNews - Water Institute

New Chair in Aquatic Health Appointed

trevor.kenney — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 23:05:57 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has added to its internationally recognized expertise in water research with the addition of a new Chair in Aquatic Health, Dr. Greg Pyle.

Pyle is the first of four new research Chairs being added to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ this year as part of the Government of Alberta's Campus Alberta Innovation Program (CAIP) Chairs plan. The government is contributing $1-million for four Chairs, over the course of seven years, for a total investment of $7 million.

"It's exciting to be able to bring in an outstanding research talent such as Dr. Pyle," says Dr. Dan Weeks, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's vice-president (research). "His established expertise in the effects of environmental contaminants on the chemical communication systems in aquatic animals will greatly add to the already comprehensive research portfolio that has been established by our researchers in the Water Institute for Sustainable Environments (WISE)."

Pyle comes to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ after spending the previous five years as head of the Aquatic Biotechnology and Ecotoxicology Laboratory at Lakehead ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Thunder Bay, Ont. His research program is considered unique because he is able to study several aquatic species, including both vertebrate and invertebrate animals, representing different positions within a typical freshwater food web and thereby better understanding the subtle effects of environmental contamination.

"The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has been building a strong reputation in research over the past several years, especially in the aquatic sciences," says Pyle. "I am thrilled to be part of that growing research culture, and excited by the prospects afforded by the university and surrounding region."

Prior to taking up a Canada Research Chair in Environmental Biotechnology and Ecotoxicology at Lakehead, Pyle helped establish and build the Department of Biology at Nipissing ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. He earned both his bachelor and master's degrees from Laurentian ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and received his PhD from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan.

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 U of L will also welcome CAIP Chairs in the areas of brain health and dementia, synthetic biology, and terrestrial ecosystems and remote sensing later this year. Pyle's appointment at the U of L is funded for seven years.

"The program is designed to recruit new research leaders to Alberta in specific areas of study," says Weeks. "Not only do these areas align with the Government of Alberta's strategic priorities, but they also reflect the core strengths of our institution."

WISE researchers study Red Deer River spill

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 21:14:39 +0000

A recent pipeline rupture in the Red Deer River might have relatively short term environmental damage, but a larger concern is the vast number of older pipeline locations at river crossings and their vulnerability to floods, according to a leading expert in floodplain and river bank ecosystems.

Dr. Stewart Rood, a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Environmental Science researcher and member of the Water Institute for Sustainable Environments, has already started on a study of the Red Deer River oil spill, looking at more than 30 km of river shoreline downstream from the spill site.

He and his colleagues are looking for opportunities to learn from this particular spill, and then turn their research findings into a set of guidelines for developing oil pipelines near, over or under waterways.

"River crossings are especially prone to pipeline breaks, since the banks are commonly eroded and stream channels shift, especially during flood events," says Rood. "While this specific pipeline break and oil spill was unfortunate, a study opportunity arises and this should be instructive relative to floodplain processes and environmental vulnerability."

The break, which occurred last week near Sundre, Alberta, northwest of Calgary, resulted in the release of up to an estimated half-million liters of light sour crude oil into the Red Deer River.

The release coincided with flood flows of the river and consequently the floating oil wove through the riparian (or streamside) vegetation, leaving what Rood describes as a 'bathtub ring' of oil deposits on the floodplain plants (photographs attached).

Despite decades of pipeline construction and occasional ruptures, Rood's team found there has been remarkably little scientific study on the environmental impacts of oil spills on river floodplains. Checking back almost 50 years the researchers found only 10 relevant journal papers.

"There have been studies on fish but very little on floodplain ecosystems," says Rood. "Since river floods can damage pipelines, we need to better understand how vulnerable floodplains are, and how quickly or slowly they'll recover.'

He added that pipeline breaks are more common than people think, and occur across the province, often in remote locations.

"In its 2010 field surveillance report, the industry-funded Energy Resources Conservation Board recorded 687 pipeline failures across the province, but most of these would have been very minor" says Rood.

Their new study sites have been positioned ('tagged' through GPS monitoring) at numerous locations within the spill zone to enable the detailed monitoring of the consequence of the oil spill on the trees and vegetation along the banks of the river (called the riparian zone).

As well, there will also be coordinated study of invertebrates in the shoreline zone, as well as investigation of impacts on fish.

The study group involves Rood and two colleagues, Dr. Alice Hontela and Dr. Joseph Rasmussen, all senior U of L researchers who have already been studying the Red Deer River and other rivers of southern Alberta for more than 25 years.

Numerous undergraduate and graduate students will also be involved in the research.

This brings world-class -- and independent -- expertise in river and floodplain ecology and aquatic toxicology to bear on the Red Deer River spill, and sets the stage for future projects.

Rood says he has communicated with pipeline owner Plains Midstream about the study project.

"Their representatives were pleased we were conducting this research independently, and have expressed a willingness to share technical data with us."

Water research makes WISE step

trevor.kenney — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 21:19:47 +0000

The infrastructure is in place, the expertise is on campus and the precedent has been set – so it is hardly surprising that the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is formalizing its established reputation as a leader in water research with the creation of the Water Institute for Sustainable Environments (WISE).

If the WISE acronym sounds familiar, that's because it is, used from 2002-2006 when it represented the Water Institute for Semi-Arid Ecosystems. Its then-mandate, led by then-Vice-President (Research), Dennis Fitzpatrick, was to expand partnerships with regional, federal and provincial government agencies and elevate the regional, provincial and national profile of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ relative to water research.

Water research at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ now operates under the auspices of WISE, the Water Institute for Sustainable Environments.

It built off the 1988-2004 Water Resources Institute (WRI) that first emphasized water management studies as related to irrigation and more formally established interaction between the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and regional water management agencies. When added to the Alberta Ingenuity Centre for Water Research (AICWR, a 2003-2009 initiative funded by Alberta Ingenuity) and the construction of the Alberta Water and Environmental Science Building (AWESB) in 2008, it serves as prelude to today's WISE incarnation.

"The combination of the recruitment of many faculty with interests in water research, the completion of previous initiatives such as WRI and AICWR, and the implementation of the AWESB, provides a foundation for the next step towards the advancement of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge as a national centre for water research and training," says Vice-President (Research), Dr. Dan Weeks. "The establishment of this institute is that step."

Today's WISE, which was officially approved by the Board of Governors at its most recent meeting, reflects how the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has grown in terms of its profile as a leader in water research and the comprehensive nature by which it approaches water related topics.

Weeks says the WISE acronym was maintained because of its history with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, but updated to reflect the greater scope the U of L is now prepared to tackle. The word 'sustainable' was added to emphasize conservation and stewardship and to reflect expanding research activities that will not be limited to regional or semi-arid environments. Likewise, 'environments' replaces 'ecosystems' because it suggests a broader context of study.

"WISE will strive to facilitate activities but will not act to limit or screen activities by individuals or groups of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ faculty," says Weeks. "It will be especially effective in encouraging collaborative and interdisciplinary research initiatives that involve groups of faculty and students from across the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ."

In that respect, Weeks sees the institute as being an excellent recruitment tool, particularly of graduate and post-doctoral students.

"It will provide a major opportunity to blend teaching and research activities and further establish our emergence as a comprehensive university," he says.

As the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has continually expanded its commitment to water research and broadened its reputation as a hub of expertise in water management strategies, the establishment of WISE is seen as a natural evolution.

"By formalizing WISE, it sets the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ on course to further stake its claim as the national centre for water research and training," says Weeks.

This story first appeared in the Legend. For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

A comprehensive evolution

trevor.kenney — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:56:19 +0000

In the 1990s, the academic discussions in Alberta largely focused on the province's two research-intensive institutions – the universities of Alberta and Calgary. That began to change once Dr. Dennis Fitzpatrick became the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's first associate vice-president of research in 1999. Ten years later, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is recognized on provincial, national and international stages for its research excellence.

"Now when I go to meetings, people talk about Alberta's three research universities," says Fitzpatrick, who became vice-president (research) in 2004. "This was a very important milestone for us, and reaching it took a lot of hard work by many people."

It took, quite literally, an institutional transformation. Over the last decade, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has evolved from a small and very successful primarily undergraduate university to a research-intensive, comprehensive university with a focus on both undergraduate and graduate studies.

"The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge of today would not be a reality without Dr. Fitzpatrick's extraordinary efforts and vision," says U of L President Dr. Bill Cade. "He is the institutional face for research in the community, and he has worked tirelessly recruiting researchers, building infrastructure, developing programs and bringing in funding. He has played a vital role in the history of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, and the impacts of his work will continue to be seen well into the future."

In June 2009, Fitzpatrick concludes his second term as vice-president (research). As a result of his "think-big, shoot-high and don't-be-afraid-to-ask" philosophy, research funding at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has soared a phenomenal 610 per cent over the last 10 years, and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has celebrated many significant achievements.

Last fall, the U of L became the inaugural recipient of the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research Polaris Award, which brought Dr. Bruce McNaughton, one of the world's foremost experts in neurophysiology, and $20 million in research funding to the U of L's Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN). The Polaris Award recognizes the excellence of the U of L's neuroscience programs. It is also the culmination of many years of work for Fitzpatrick, who was key in the first Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) grants that built the CCBN in 2001 and resulted in its expansion in 2006.

Also in 2008, the U of L proudly opened the Alberta Water and Environmental Science Building, a state-of-the-art facility where a team of world-renowned scientists are addressing the most pressing issues facing water and the environment – another pinnacle point for Fitzpatrick, who was central to the Water Institute for Semi-Arid Ecosystems initiative, the Alberta Ingenuity Centre for Water Research and the fundraising to enable the water science building.

"In each of these initiatives, Dennis demonstrated patience, persistence and a firm belief in our faculty and students," says Dr. Stewart Rood, a U of L Board of Governors Research Chair and 2008 recipient of the Killam Research Fellowship. "His extensive representation at the regional, provincial and national levels has enabled our maturation into a nationally-recognized centre for water research."

Water is one drop in a very deep pool of leading research programs at the U of L. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's capacity to conduct research in the social sciences, health sciences and humanities has exploded over the last 10 years, and multidisciplinary teams who are working on large-scale network projects are springing up across campus.

Fitzpatrick was instrumental in the development of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Community of Research Excellence Development Opportunities (CREDO) initiative, a new grant program for researchers in the social sciences, humanities, fine arts, education and management, as well as the Board of Governors ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Scholars' Chairs.

"The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is such that you have to find ways to make everyone as successful as possible," Fitzpatrick says. "A comprehensive university is like a chair. It can't sit on one leg. You have to have a vibrant and thriving research culture in all areas."

An accomplished biological scientist, Fitzpatrick came to the U of L from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba where he was the head of the Department of Foods and Nutrition.

"I was looking to do something different – something that would amplify my own natural tendency to build programs," he says.

Maintaining that research is a people business, Fitzpatrick began by building the Research Services office.

"I brought in a number of very, very capable individuals who could help researchers realize their dreams and enable the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to develop significant programming along with the infrastructure to support it," he says. "��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ research is driven by the people who provide these services."

He then went on to fill the U of L's allocation of Canada Research Chairs (CRC), which was eight at the time but has since increased to nine.

"If you look at where we have put the CRCs, they have really been transformative," he says.

The U of L's tremendous success in research, Fitzpatrick says, ultimately comes down to spirit.

"Small universities are at an incredible disadvantage in getting research funding. They have heavier teaching loads and less infrastructure, yet they have a commitment to participate in research regionally, nationally and globally, and they find ways do to it," he says. "And that's the spirit at the U of L."

As Fitzpatrick wraps up his last few months at the helm, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge can take great pride in how far it has come over the last 10 years and set its sights even higher for the years ahead knowing that Fitzpatrick has already laid a firm foundation for the future. Programs like the Alberta Epigenetics Initiative and the Prentice Institute for Global Population and Economy will be pivotal in taking research at the U of L to the next level.

"It's been an incredible privilege to take part in the transformation of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge," Fitzpatrick says. "It's been an opportunity of a lifetime."

Fitzpatrick led transformation

trevor.kenney — Tue, 12 May 2009 20:59:23 +0000

Dr. Dennis Fitzpatrick is known for his "think-big, shoot-high and don't-be-afraid-to-ask" philosophy. Over the last decade, he has led the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge through an institutional transformation, and the U of L, now a leading comprehensive university, is recognized on provincial, national and international stages for its research excellence.

In June 2009, Fitzpatrick will conclude his second term as vice-president (research). The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge can take great pride in how far it has come over the last 10 years and set its sights even higher for the years ahead knowing that Fitzpatrick has already laid a firm foundation for the future.
His colleagues offer the following words of thanks.

"The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge of today would not be a reality without Dr. Fitzpatrick's extraordinary efforts and vision. He is the institutional face for research in the community, and he has worked tirelessly recruiting researchers, building infrastructure, developing programs and bringing in funding. He has played a vital role in the history of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, and the impacts of his work will continue to be seen well into the future."
Dr. Bill Cade

"Dennis has been extraordinarily successful in advancing the profile of water research at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, and this has translated into major successes over the past decade. He was central to the Water Institute for Semi-Arid Ecosystems (WISE) initiative, the Alberta Ingenuity Centre for Water Research and the fundraising to enable the Alberta Water and Environmental Science Building. In each of these, he demonstrated patience and persistence and a firm belief in our faculty and students. Dennis's extensive representation at the regional, provincial and national levels has enabled our maturation into a nationally recognized centre for water research."
Dr. Stewart Rood

"I am very grateful for the establishment of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Community of Research Excellence Development Opportunities (CREDO) program and the Board of Governors ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Scholars' Chairs instituted under Dr. Fitzpatrick's leadership. They are both significant steps toward balancing humanities and social sciences funding with the stronger and more established tradition of funding the sciences."
Dr. Heidi MacDonald

"Dr. Fitzpatrick was absolutely instrumental in our (along with Dr. Joseph Rasmussen) decision to come to U of L. I had an excellent position at Université du Québec à Montréal, as professor and researcher, and director of the Environmental Toxicology group, TOXEN. However, Dr. Fitzpatrick's description of the developments and growth of the U of L, the importance of water research in southern Alberta and the possibility of a new building dedicated to water research, were very exciting ideas.

Dennis was a very effective ambassador for the U of L and its research programs – brilliant, charming, open-minded, fun and very knowledgeable. He made arrangements for us to go see the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, introduced us to key people and showcased the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, the community and the region. We accepted the positions and we are very excited still."
Dr. Alice Hontela

"Dennis played the major role in recruiting us (Dr. Alice Hontela and I) to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and in raising the funds to build the new Alberta Water and Environmental Science Building. He has played a major role right from the inception of the water initiative at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, and in addition his office has helped out significantly when it came to putting together start-up packages for new faculty that the U of L has attracted. It is no accident that research funding has increased dramatically at the U of L over the last
decade, and Dennis's efforts have played a large role in this."
Dr. Joseph Rasmussen

"Recently, my new Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Chair in Gender and Health was announced. This exciting research was made possible due to the initial help and support of Dennis Fitzpatrick and Chris Nicol. In 2003, by serendipity, I discovered that radiation responses were different in males and females. I did not have any funds to further confirm these findings. So I approached Dennis and Chris for help. Without their help and support my research on the molecular mechanisms of radiation responses in males and females would not be where it is now.

Also, we (Igor and I) had enormous support from Dennis from the very first days here in Lethbridge. Actually, he helped with the research grants even prior to our arrival. He put his heart and soul into getting the first CFI grant for the Molecular Biology laboratory. The application was submitted before we arrived to Lethbridge. Dennis and the wonderful personnel of Research Services really helped out with numerous grant applications and research contracts. He gave valuable advice and important suggestions on how to improve and shape-up research proposals. Currently, Dennis has championed the establishment of the new Alberta Epigenetics Initiative, which we hope to further develop into the Alberta Epigenetics Institute. Dennis has a real vision for the
research, and he has been a great pleasure to work with."
Dr. Olga Kovalchuk

UNews - Water Institute

New Chair in Aquatic Health Appointed

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