Project to identify potential for geothermal and wind energy in Atlantic Canada - StFX's Environmental Sciences Research Centre receives $1.8 Million AIF Funding Grant

ANTIGONISH, NS - A project to identify potential for geothermal and wind energy in Atlantic Canada has netted StFX University's Environmental Sciences Research Centre (ESRC) $1.8 million from ACOA's Atlantic Innovation Fund (AIF).

The funding is for a project called "Creating Knowledge Based Advantages in Renewable Energy Sources for Atlantic Canada: Environmental Technology and Climate Change in Atlantic Canada."

The announcement was made Jan. 21, 2008 in Halifax.

StFX received great news on the research front when the federal minister responsible for ACOA, the Hon. Peter MacKay, announced Jan. 21, 2008 that a project to identify potential for geothermal and wind energy in Atlantic Canada has netted StFX's Environmental Sciences Research Centre (ESRC) $1.8 million from ACOA's Atlantic Innovation Fund (AIF). Pictured here at the announcement are StFX Dean of Science Dr. Bill Marshall, Academic Vice President Dr. Mary McGillivray, project co-leader Dr. Grant Ferguson, Mr. MacKay, project co-leader Dr. Hugo Beltrami and StFX President Dr. Sean Riley

Project co-leaders are Dr. Hugo Beltrami and Dr. Grant Ferguson, in collaboration with Dr. Lisa Kellman. Dr. Beltrami, professor and ESRC co-founder is an expert in climate change and geophysics, while Dr. Ferguson, assistant professor in earth sciences and ESRC member, is an expert in hydrogeology and geothermal energy. Dr. Kellman, Canada Research Chair in Environmental Sciences and ESRC director, is one of the top carbon biogeochemistry researchers in Canada.

Other collaborators are Dr. Fidel Gonzalez-Rouco from Universidad Complutense de Madrid, specialist on climate models and a contributing author to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2007 report, and Dr. Juan Pedro Montavez, specialist in dynamical downscaling from Universidad de Murcia, Spain.

Jacques Whitford Ltd., an international company based in Atlantic Canada, is the key industry partner. Jacques Whitford, an engineering consulting firm with significant expertise in environmental assessment and renewable energy, will facilitate and participate in the field studies and provide consulting expertise.

StFX and its collaborators propose to establish the long-term development capacity for geothermal and wind energy in Atlantic Canada. The geothermal energy work involves the creation of a database of relevant geophysical parameters and generic models of typical developments and forecasting of subsurface temperatures under a range of probable future climates and by monitoring actual developments assess their effects on the subsurface thermal environment.

Wind energy research entails analyzing the wind probability distributions and identifying, examining and incorporating local, regional and synoptic weather relationships as well as predicting regional wind fields under a variety of future climate scenarios. This research is unprecedented in Atlantic Canada as it will help determine not only the amount of wind and geothermal energy available to be accessed, but also the optimal level of development that preserves environmental quality. The researchers say the project is necessary as both the rising cost of conventional energy sources and as a climate change mitigation measure.

The project with a total estimated cost of $2,507,970, will receive up to $1,781,440 from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a five-year period.

Jan. 9, 2008

Rare Open Mike Discussion - Former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien To Deliver MacEachen Lecture at StFX

ANTIGONISH, NS - The Rt. Hon. Jean Chrétien, former prime minister of Canada, will deliver the annual Allan J. MacEachen Lecture in Politics at St. Francis Xavier University on Wednesday, January 30, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. at the Charles V. Keating Millennium Centre.

Mr. Chrétien's talk is entitled Canadian Politics in 2008: Challenges and Prospects.

The evening's program will include the rare opportunity for a dialogue with the former prime minister during an open mike Q&A session where Mr. Chrétien will entertain questions from the public. Organizers say the event will be an unparalleled chance to engage directly and informally with Jean Chrétien as he talks about politics to students and the people of the community.

"We are looking forward to Mr. Chrétien's usual lively presentation followed by an extended period of questions and answers," says StFX political science professor Dr. Yvon Grenier, chair of the Allan J. MacEachen Lecture committee.

"This promises to be a very exciting, thought-provoking and lively evening with one of the most prominent and influential politicians in recent Canadian history."

Everyone is invited to attend.

Complimentary tickets will be required for admission to the lecture, and should be obtained in advance of the event from the Keating Millennium Centre Box Office. Tickets will be issued on a first-come basis.

Mr. Chrétien was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1963 election and represented his Shawinigan-based riding for all but eight of the next 41 years. Over his long career he served as Minister of Finance, Minister of National Revenue, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Minister of Industry, Trade and Commerce, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, and Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources. He was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada from 1993 to 2003. On June 29, 2007, he was appointed to be a Companion of the Order of Canada.

Mr. Chrétien is coming to StFX to honour his former cabinet colleague, the Hon. Allan MacEachen, with whom he served many terms in Canadian parliament.

The theme of the Allan J. MacEachen Lecture Series, established through the support of friends and associates to commemorate Mr. MacEachen's distinguished career in political life, is politics and governance in Canada.

Previous speakers have included former premiers, the Hon. Bob Rae, the Hon. Frank McKenna, and the Hon. Roy Romanow, former prime minister, Rt. Hon. John Turner, the Hon. Preston Manning, the late Dalton Camp, Senator Jerry Grafstein, Dr. Jennifer Welsh, and Dr. Margaret MacMillan.

Please note: Media must contact Shelley Cameron-McCarron, StFX media relations, to reserve a ticket.

For more information and to reserve a ticket:
Shelley Cameron-McCarron
StFX Communications
(902) 867-3916
sacamero@stfx.ca