Photo Credit: UNBC

By Sam Bennison

Science

UNBC receives close to $2 million in funding for local research

Jun 14, 2024 | 2:38 PM

PRINCE GEORGE—With the help of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) 11 researchers at UNBC will be developing local solutions in a wide range of disciplines. Those disciplines include studying how climate change is impacting woodland caribou, moose and bears, to designing new eco-friendly roads in the northern regions, and even studying the biologically interesting compounds found in mushrooms.

“UNBC researchers draw upon the unique strengths of northern British Columbia, including the natural landscapes and the University’s deep community ties to lead studies that address both local and global challenges,” says UNBC President Dr. Geoff Payne. “This funding enables UNBC to continue to leverage its distinctive northern perspective to generate impactful, world-class research.”

One of the projects to receive funding is research led by Ecosystem Science and Management Professor Dr. Chris Johnson into the development of a new method for studying how animals in the province are adapting to climate change.

“This research will provide a new framework for understanding the range of effects and tolerance of wildlife species to climate change,” says Johnson. “Insights will have direct application to the management of habitat for moose, caribou, and black bear across rapidly changing landscapes.”

Johnson adds that it is crucial to discover how individual species react to changes in local weather to build an understanding of the long term impacts. The project will get $235,000 in funding over the next five years.

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Engineering Assistant Professor Dr. Chinchu Cherian is exploring new materials and technologies in an attempt to build more durable and eco-friendly roads for cold climates. Through laboratory testing and consultation with other experts, Cherian seeks to understand how special additives and recycled materials can be integrated into road construction. The project is receiving $135,000 in funding over five years.

$170,000 has been provided Chemistry Professor Dr. Chow Lee for his research into how certain mushroom species make biologically interesting compounds including those that have antiproliferative, anti-inflammatory and immuno-stimulatory activities that are relevant for the treatment of cancer.

$325,000 has been given to Ecosystem Science and Management Professor Dr. Oscar Venter’s project titled ‘Assessing ecosystem intactness and biodiversity impacts across space and time’.

Ecosystem Science and Management Assistant Professor Dr. Samuel Bartels has received $145,000 in funding for his examination into how land use and climate change are impacting forest biodiversity.

Environmental Science Professor Dr. Phil Owens will be studying the impacts wildfires have on water flow and soil erosion thanks to $180,000 from NSERC.

Psychology Assistant Professor Dr. Nick Reid will be using the $145,000 in funding to build a computational model to understand the interaction between the systems in the brain that process general knowledge and the systems that process life events.

Mathematics Assistant Professor Dr. Stanley Xiao is diving into the basic properties of number theory which has important applications in cryptography, complexity theory and decision problems. Xiao received $115,000 in funding.

Engineering Assistant Professor Dr. Mohammad Kamali is researching the sustainability performance of civil infrastructure thanks to $135,000 in funding.

Ecosystem Science and Management Assistant Professor Dr. Jonathan Cale is helping to manage future beetle populations by clarifying the role of certain fungal species in beetle outbreaks. He received $165,000 in funding.

Environmental Science Assistant Professor Dr. Teresa Adesanya’s received $130,000 for her project titled ‘Characterizing nutrient and contaminant fate and dynamics under freeze-thaw cycles.’

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Email: sam.bennison@pattisonmedia.com