November 2, 2004
Energy at Dalhousie catalyzes research here
by Catherine Young
With its 2002 start, Energy at Dalhousie enlivened energy research on campus and formed a hub for related research activities. Its stated aim was to confirm Dalhousie "as a leader in energy research and education." Program director and Earth Sciences professor Grant Wach left a 20-year career in private industry to work on this initiative. "Our original idea was to contribute to the Halifax community and to the province economically by being a centre of energy research in the region," Wach says. He says that all university sectors are involved. "There's an astounding amount of energy research going on at Dalhousie," he says. "But we didn't know about all of it until Energy at Dalhousie came along. Now, we are creating a critical mass of researchers who can do energy-related research in a myriad of ways." Political scientists, chemists and computer scientists are among those working in the group.
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Paul Amyotte, an Assistant Dean of Engineering and Chemical Engineering professor, says that Dalhousie engineers have benefited greatly from the group's presence. "For our faculty members, researchers and students, what's important here is the chance to participate in new opportunities. There are two aspects at play - the idea of participating with researchers in other disciplines well outside of engineering that they might not normally come in contact with, and also opportunities for new research funding."
Grant Wach says that an interdisciplinary approach suits the changing nature of investigation in the area. "Most oil and gas companies have broadened their perspective to become energy companies. In the same way, it's no longer just oil and gas research we're concerned about. We talk about energy research now." "Climate change impacts, global warming, health and safety, risk analysis and renewable energy have all entered into the area of energy research," Paul Amyotte adds.
Energy at Dalhousie has many activities planned. Officials are also planning a half-day workshop in mid-December to include all university energy researchers. There's also a public lecture series on energy issues starting on Nov. 3.
With so many current projects, program director Grant Wach is, well, energized by future prospects.
"Getting Energy at Dalhousie off the ground has been a lot of work but it's now starting to bear fruit. I'm very optimistic that we can now represent ourselves to governments and funding agencies as one of the best places around to invest in energy research."
The Energy at Dalhousie Public Lecture series starts on Nov. 3 with "Can Energy Supply Meet Forecast World Demand?" Speaker David Hughes, a geologist with the Geological Survey of Canada, has more than 30 years of experience studying energy issues. The lecture series continues on Dec. 7, when Ian Wilson of Wilson Fuels, will discuss "Prices at the Pumps."
For information on Energy at Dalhousie or its activities, consult the Web site.