UNews - integrated resource management

Geomatics study gets Tecterra support

trevor.kenney — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 23:19:57 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students Maxine Couch and John Anderson are the initial beneficiaries of a new scholarship program designed to spur the development of Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) in the field of geomatics technology.

Tecterra Inc. recently launched the Future Geomatics Leaders Awards program, providing scholarship funds to top students studying in geomatics and related science or technology fields in Alberta post-secondary institutions. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is one of eight Alberta post-secondary institutions to participate in the awards program that will initially be offered from 2010 to 2014.

"Development of skilled human capital is part of Tecterra's mission of enabling successful commercialization of geomatics technology in Alberta," says Gord Banting, chief financial officer for Tecterra. "With Alberta's resource-rich economy, the demand for Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) in geomatics is increasing year after year."

The Future Leaders Awards are based on academic merit and targeted at top students with a GPA of 3.0 or greater, and who meet other excellence criteria as determined by their respective institutions. Couch, who is studying physics, and Anderson, a geography student, will each receive a $2,000 scholarship for their academic achievement and strong interest in geomatics technology.

"This program rewards and fosters demonstrated excellence," adds Banting. "Tecterra is proud to support a program that builds key talent for our province."

Awards of $1,000 or $2,000 each are available annually to students entering their second/third year of study at the following institutions in Alberta: Lethbridge College; Mount Royal ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ; Northern Alberta Institute of Technology; Olds College; Southern Alberta Institute of Technology; ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta; ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary; and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Over the next four years, the U of L will continue to award a pair of $2,000 scholarships, one each through the Department of Geography and the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

Tecterra Inc. is a national organization supporting the Canadian development and commercialization of geomatics technologies for integrated resource management. With current funding from the Province of Alberta and Government of Canada, Tecterra invests in technology solutions for energy, forestry, agriculture, environment and land management and development applications.

Tecterra funds scholarship program

trevor.kenney — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 17:47:28 +0000

"This program rewards and fosters demonstrated excellence," adds Banting. "Tecterra is proud to support a program that builds key talent for our province."

Over the next four years, the U of L will continue to award a pair of $2,000 scholarships, one each through the Department of Geography and the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

Fitzpatrick earns ASTech honour

trevor.kenney — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 23:02:48 +0000

Dr. Dennis Fitzpatrick the U of L's former vice-president (Research), and now a professor of chemistry and biochemistry, recently received the Alberta Science and Technology (ASTech) award for Outstanding Contribution to the Science and Technology community.

When Fitzpatrick arrived at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in 1999 as the new VP Research, he had a mandate to create nationally recognized programs. He recognized the small university had a modest research profile and a pool of good researchers. He also knew that the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta had a long history of research that overshadowed the U of L's limited resources.

ASTech award presenter Dr. Robert Haché of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary, left, presents to the U of L's Dr. Dennis Fitzpatrick.

"It was like opening up a corner store beside a major retail chain," says Fitzpatrick. Because the U of L was low on resources, Fitzpatrick says he had to find ways to build them.

"This was challenging in Alberta because of the province's history of funding primarily meritorious institutions," he says. "We had to find leading-edge programs to get the funding. It was like the chicken and the egg. Which comes first?"

Under Fitzpatrick's research leadership, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge evolved into a comprehensive research and instructional university with strong ties to the provincial technology community. During the last 10 years, the university's research budget has grown from $2 million to almost $24 million in 2010.

"The money increases the kinds of opportunities that impact the lives of people in Alberta, and especially southern Alberta," says Fitzpatrick. His 'think big and shoot high' philosophy is fundamental to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's success, as is his vision to deliberately focus on developing specific areas with programs of instruction and research in tandem.

Fitzpatrick's strategic, thematic approach was instrumental to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's ability to develop expertise and become a centre of excellence in the following areas: neurosciences, water resources in semi-arid ecosystem, biotechnology, genomics biochemistry, earth imaging applications for integrated resource management and imaging technology and the study of demographics and population.

"When we built the research infrastructure, we looked beyond the individual researcher's needs to see if we could create a toolbox to serve many people," says Fitzpatrick. "When developing resources in the emerging field of neuroscience, the university department included biochemistry, biology and behavioural sciences because the field has such a broad-based focus."

"We didn't build only one lab, we built 10, opening up a whole new area of expertise," adds Fitzpatrick. "These are the kinds of things that pay off. People get involved in creative research partnerships that allow them to do research in better, more sophisticated ways. We're providing bright people with a whole new set of tools so they can now do remarkable research. And we're training a new generation of scientists in ways we never anticipated."

Paramount in Fitzpatrick's mind was, and is, providing opportunities for students.

"The primary product of research and the value of a university education is highly trained students and the opportunities it creates for them," he says. "Because of our system, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has become a launching pad for students to go to graduate school and on to the rest of their careers."

This story originally appeared in the December issue of the Legend. For a look at the full issue of the December Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

UNews - integrated resource management

Geomatics study gets Tecterra support

Related Topics

Tecterra funds scholarship program

Related Topics

Fitzpatrick earns ASTech honour

Related Topics