Lakehead University kicked off its seventh annual Research and Innovation Week Friday with the announcement of a $1.4 million grant.
Natural Resources Management professor Ellie Prepas was the recipient of the grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada for her FORWARD III project.
The project concentrates on the area of managing the boreal forest, particularly the re-vegetation of areas that have been resource extraction sites for industry.
“The award today will be one that will allow me to work with really good scientists across Canada that are interested in response, particularly responses in water and soil following industrial disturbance,” she said.
The project is important not only to Lakehead but to Ontario and Canada, she added.
“This research grant will be an opportunity to train the best in this country to be leaders, the future leaders in terms of government, industry and science as it focuses on those aspects that intersect with the environment,” Prepas said.
LU’s vice-president of research, economic development and innovation Rui Wang said research projects like Prepas’ is critical to the city of Thunder Bay and for the region.
“Research creates knowledge, creates innovation and innovation generates jobs and makes our life better and makes our community more prosperous,” he said.
Wang added since the university began celebrating Research and Innovation Week, it has only improved; it has fulfilled its purpose to celebrate, educate and build partnerships.
“The message I want to send to our community is come out to join us to celebrate research and innovation,” he said.
For a list of activities planned for the week see www.lakeheadu.ca.
