Funding drives research forward

“The researchers receiving these grants are asking questions that matter for northern communities, for B.C.’s forests and ecosystems and for global challenges around food security and climate change,” Owen said.

He also said that Discovery Grants provide researchers with steady support to pursue ambitious ideas and build collaborative research programs over several years.

UNBC Interim Vice-Provost of Research, Dr. Sarah Gray, said the success of the university’s researchers shows the quality and impact of the work being done at UNBC.

“The success of UNBC researchers in this year’s NSERC Discovery Grant competition is a testament to the calibre of research that UNBC faculty are conducting on a national scale,” Gray said.

Gray also pointed out that this funding provides students valuable opportunities to gain hands-on research experience while working with experienced scientists. This year’s largest grant at UNBC was awarded to Dr. Hossein Kazemian, an associate professor in the Department of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences. Kazemian received $235,000 over five years to develop smart, compostable food packaging using wood-based biopolymers and advanced porous materials. The project’s goal is to create packaging that can keep food fresh longer, monitor freshness in real time, and detect harmful contaminants like PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.” This research aims to provide an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional plastic packaging by leveraging Canada’s forest resources.

Kazemian said the project brings together sustainable materials and advanced chemistry to change how food is packaged and protected. create solutions that are not only effective and safe but also environmentally responsible, helping reduce plastic waste while improving food quality and safety,” he said. This research could help reduce waste and limit the environmental impact of traditional plastic packaging.

Another major project is led by Dr. Erin Crockett, an assistant professor in Ecosystem Science and Management. Crockett received $202,000 over five years to study how tree species diversity and forest structure affect growth and resilience in British Columbia’s forests. This work comes as forests across the province face increasing pressure from climate change, including higher temperatures, shifting rainfall, more frequent wildfires, and insect outbreaks.

Crockett’s research will look at how logging and wildfires change the relationship between forest health and logging and wildfires over time. The results could help guide future forest management and support strategies to keep forests healthy as the climate changes. “Promoting tree diversity provides a key opportunity to foster long-term forest health and resilience,” Crockett said. Researchers hope this work will provide information applicable across large areas of British Columbia.

Gray, who is also a professor in UNBC’s Division of Medical Sciences, received $195,000 over five years to study how hormones control fat tissue during times of metabolic stress. The study examines adipose tissue, or body fat, and its role in the body’s “fight or flight” response. Gray explains that metabolic stress can occur during long periods of cold or starvation. Her lab has already found new ways hormones interact with these stress systems to help rebalance metabolism. This new funding will allow the team to continue exploring these biological processes and help us better understand how the body adapts to harsh conditions. “Our work contributes to understanding core biological processes that we as humans employ in responding to, and reacting to stress,” Gray said.

“This foundational biological knowledge is critical to understanding how an ever-changing world is contributing to our health and wellness.”

Researchers say that learning more about these processes could eventually lead to advances in health sciences and better treatments for metabolic disorders.

Engineering Assistant Professor Dr. Fei Tong received $190,000 over five years to develop new approaches to the design of tall buildings in earthquake-prone areas such as Vancouver. Instead of just making buildings stronger, Tong’s research focuses on better controlling how buildings move during earthquakes. His system separates and manages different types of building movement, such as rocking and sliding, and directs forces to help reduce damage. This technology can be used in both regular construction and new tall mass-timber buildings.

Tong said the main goal is to ensure buildings remain safe, usable, and repairable after major earthquakes. It does not only test whether a building can stand,” he said. “They test whether it can remain safe, usable, and repairable afterward.”

“My research is about designing buildings to move in a more controlled way, so they can reduce damage, recover faster, and better support communities after major earthquakes.”

This work could help cities become more resilient to earthquakes.

Along with the Discovery Grants, UNBC researcher Dr. Mauricio Dziedzic received a Discovery Development Grant of $44,000 over two years. His project will study the environmental impacts of dam breaks, which has important implications for protecting the environment, managing water, and keeping communities safe.

NSERC’s Discovery Grant program is seen as one of Canada’s key investments in basic scientific research. Unlike funding for specific projects, Discovery Grants give researchers flexible support to explore scientific questions over longer periods.

For UNBC, this year’s funding shows the wide range of research happening at the university, from improving food safety and forest health to advancing medical science and protecting communities from natural hazards.

University leaders say these grants will create new knowledge and help train the next generation of scientists, engineers, and researchers in northern British Columbia.

by Dave Branco

Funding drives research forward

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