2017-18 Research and Creative Activity Highlights · 11 Research Chair Spotlight — Dr. Timothy...

Research and Creative Activity Highlights

2017-18

900 Fifth St. Nanaimo, BC, CanadaBuilding 305 (Library), Room 456 Main Office

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Phone: 250.740.6324email | [email protected] | research.viu.ca

3 Welcome Letter — Dr. Nicole Vaugeois, Associate Vice-President, Scholarship, Research and Creative Activity

4 VIU Research STATS

6 Celebrating VIU’s Growing Research Capacity

7 2018 CREATE Student Conference

8 Faculty Highlight — Dr. Lindsay McCunn

9 Student Reach Awards

10 VIU Interdisciplinary Research Course Builds Connections Between Students and the Community — Dr. Sylvie Lafrenière

11 Research Chair Spotlight — Dr. Timothy Green

12 Scientist uses Television Signals to Send Internet Data to Remote Locations — Dr. Frank LoPinto

13 Supporting Older Adults by Discovering What Matters Most — Piera Jung, Marti Harder and Dr. Laureen Styles

14 Fighting for Justice Exhibit Brings to Light Lesser Told Stories — Debra Toporowski

15 VIU Creative Writing Student Shanon Sinn launches book, The Haunting of Vancouver Island — Shannon Sinn

16 Karst Aquifer and Catchment Mapping Project on Quadra Island — Dr. Tim Stokes

17 Saving the Vancouver Island Marmot — Dr. Jamie Gorrell

18 VIU Scientists Earn NSERC Grants for Ground-Breaking Research — Dr. Erik Krogh and Dr. Chris Gill

19 VIU Receives $300,000 to Expand Research of Queen Elizabeth Scholars Program

20 Faculty Spotlight — Dr. Cheryl Krasnick Warsh

21 Climate Change is Having a Devastating Effect on Species Around the World — Dr. Dan Baker

22 VIU Professor Awarded Connection Grant for Important Work in Northern Canada — Dr. Suzanne de la Barre

23 Project between VIU and Snaw-Naw-As Preserves Traditional Plant Knowledge — Donna Edwards

24 VIU Participates in UNESCO Global Project for Education of Indigenous Youth — Dr. Danielle Alphonse

25 Fostering Resilience in Nursing Students — Dr. Laureen Styles

26 Discovering the Landscape of our Garry Oak Ecosystem — Dr. Hannah Wilson

27 Using Lasers and Drones to Uncover our Landscapes — Dr. Bill Floyd

28 Deep Bay Marine Field Station Goes Mobile — Dr. Michael Hammond-Todd

29 VIU Alumnus Tracking Migration Habits of Canada Geese — Stew Pearce

30 The Regional Initiatives Fund (RIF)

Foraging for Answers Under the Sea — Dr. John Morgan

Bringing the Water Underneath Us to the Surface — Dr. Jerome Lesemann

34 The ‘Player 3’ of the Video Game Industry — Dr. Mark Williams

35 CALAREO — Dr. NIcole Vaugeois

2017-18 VIU Research Report | 1

Contents

Vancouver Island University is a centre of excellence for teaching and learning.

Through ongoing evolution and growth, VIU is proud to have contributed to the

development of Vancouver Island and British Columbia’s cultural, economic and

knowledge base for more than 80 years.

To the Snuneymuxw First Nation,

Tla’Amin First Nation, Cowichan Tribes,

Snaw-Naw-As First Nation,

and Qualicum First Nation,

we raise our hands

and say

Hay ch qa’ sii’em sieye’ yu mukw Mustimuxw.

It is with great pleasure that I distribute the 2017-2018 Research and Creative Activity Highlights for

Vancouver Island University (VIU). Over the past year, the University has embedded scholarship, research and creative activity (SRCA) into its new Academic Plan: — Access to Excellence, as well as in a new Strategic Plan for SRCA (2017-2022). Together, these plans identify a clear commitment and strategies to expand the learning opportunities for students and faculty who are engaged in research.

This report highlights just a few examples of the wide range of SRCA that took place in the 2017-2018 academic year. The diversity of activity that has been undertaken is something we can all be very proud of. Many of these examples highlight the important roles students and community partners play in VIU’s research endeavours. For us, SRCA not only enhances the teaching and learning mandate of the institution, it also serves and enables the growth and prosperity of our region.

Celebration is one of VIU’s values and this year, we have plenty to celebrate with SRCA. We expanded our student research conference from a one-day event to Research Week which enabled us to broaden the number and type of opportunities for students, faculty,

and research centres and institutes to share their work. We had over 250 student participants at the CREATE conference alone. This year also marked the first year of the new Provost Awards for SRCA where 10 outstanding faculty were recognized for their contributions. It also marks the year History Professor Dr. Cheryl Krasnick Warsh was elected as the University’s first Fellow in the Academy of Arts and Humanities of the Royal Society of Canada.

To renew our commitment to undergraduate research, we hosted a Council for Undergraduate Research Institute from June 12-14, 2018, where we brought together teams from seven different institutions across Canada to explore ways to transform our culture and curricula. We also launched the new merit-based REACH Awards to enable students to undertake their own research investigations.

On behalf of VIU, I give my heartfelt thanks to all our faculty members and student researchers for another successful year of active engagement in SRCA, and for your contributions to the University and the people of our region. Your efforts and dedication to the pursuit and sharing of knowledge has enabled the University to enhance its research profile regionally, nationally and internationally.

Dr. Nicole L. Vaugeois

Associate Vice-President, Scholarship, Research and Creative Activity


Launched the “Regional Initiatives Fund”

Funding

17projects with

29community partners resulting in

$880,311in leveraged funding for research with

253

VIU students

Research Week and CREATE Conference had

250student registrants and

25 faculty presentations

Approximately

,1,000 graduate students

engaged in researchas part of their studies

Hosted the Council for Undergraduate

Research with

50delegates and

7

Canadian institutions

6NSERC Undergraduate

Student Research Awards3

Canada Graduate Scholarship Awards for Master’s students

Created a set of new President’s Awards for Community Engagement

and Provost’s Awards for Scholarship, Research and Creative Activity

which recognized

19VIU employees

Secured

1Canada Research Chair and have

2

in nominations stages

research statsAs a community-focused university, VIU is dedicated to engaging in research across Vancouver Island.

VIU

6 | 2017-18 VIU Research Report

Over 250 registrations and $3,500

in awards were presented at the 2018

conference. The poster session

was expanded to a two-day event to

accommodate the increase in entries.

From first year undergrads to master’s

students, CREATE saw a variety of

contributions from trades, arts, sciences,

social sciences, fine arts, and media

studies. For most students, it was their

first time participating in the conference.

“We anticipate CREATE will continue

to grow as both faculty and students

recognize it as a venue to share

knowledge, gain valuable presentation

skills, and to applaud the learning,

talents and discoveries of our students,”

Celebrating VIU’s Growing Research CapacityThe CREATE student conference promotes and awards student research and projects at VIU.

CREATE showcases research and projects by VIU students through artwork, displays,

performances, posters, and presentations. Prizes are given based on display type and

include both meritorious and ‘People’s Choice’ awards. Members of the VIU community

and the general public are welcome to attend the conference.

said Kendra Stiwich, VIU Student

Research Engagement Coordinator.

CREATE is the pillar event to VIU’s

first annual Research Week, which took

place April 9-16, 2018. Research Week

was initiated to engage students, staff

and faculty to share their scholarship,

research and creative activities with the

broader VIU campus and local community.

“It is a celebration of our growing

research capacity at VIU,” said Tanis

Dagert, Community Liaison and

Knowledge Mobilization Officer.

The celebrations included a variety

of events held over the week such as

a criminology case study slam, a faculty

research symposium, a biology

$3,500in awards

undergrad research symposium, an

engineering student’s creative bridge

design exhibition, Master’s of Community

Planning student research proposal

presentations, and the Centre for

Community Outreach and Care’s

annual forum.

“We wanted to take a coordinated

approach to involve the entire campus

to celebrate and experience the amazing

work that faculty, students and staff are

doing here,” said Dagert.

The CREATE Conference and

Research Week will continue as an

annual event to celebrate and collabo-

rate on the innovative research being

done at VIU.

Over 250 registrations(needed to expand poster

session to two days to accommodate numbers)

Over $3,500 in awards presented

Campus wide contributions:trades | arts | sciences

social sciences | fine arts media studies

Contributions from first year undergrads up through

to master’s students

Reported benefits to students included being able to share research; receiving positive

feedback; learning more about how conferences are operated;

and being inspired for future work

For most students, CREATE was their

first time participating in a conference

‘We anticipate CREATE will continue to grow as both faculty and students

recognize it as a venue to share knowledge, gain valuable presentation skills,

and to applaud the learning, talents and discoveries of our students.’

— VIU Student Research Engagement Coordinator


2018 CREATEStudent Conference


“When students realize this is a

sub-field of psychology, they get really

excited,” said McCunn. “It makes a lot

of sense, but people don’t often realize

this type of research is being done.”

McCunn joined VIU in August 2017

because she saw the opportunities a

growing university brings.

“VIU has exceeded my expectations.

It has been incredibly supportive as I find

intersections in research,” said McCunn.

She directs the new Environmental

Psychology Research Lab (EPRL),

comprised of five undergraduates

interested in how humans think, feel,

and behave in built and natural settings.

Students study the transactions between

Although environmental psychology has been taught at VIU, it had not been offered in

some time. During her first class, psychology professor, Dr. Lindsay McCunn asked students

if they understood what environmental psychology was – few did.

FACULTY HIGHLIGHT

people and a number of environments

– from hospitals to prisons; from schools

to offices.

“Research is conducted by taking

variables such as productivity, attention,

sense of control, and sense of place, and

studying them in different environments

to understand whether they associate

with physical attributes of places,”

said McCunn.

The EPRL has connected with local

and international organizations to

complete projects that optimize the

inclusion of building occupants’ and

community members’ attitudes and

behaviors in the design cycle. The team

has partnered with Island Health, School

District 61, the University of Washington’s

UW Tower, as well as the City of

Bellevue, to conduct research.

“Research that accounts for

the experiences of users can help

people make better spending decisions

with public dollars, as well as avoid

carrying forward errors in design,”

said McCunn.

McCunn has been elected Chair

of the environmental psychology

section of the Canadian Psychological

Association. She received the Provost’s

Collaborative Research Award and

the Deans’ Scholarship, Research

and Creative Activity Award, for her

innovative efforts.

photo credit: University of Victoria

Students study the transactions

between people and a number of

environments – from hospitals to

prisons; from schools to offices.

Misha Zvekic was one VIU student

chosen for the REACH award this year.

Her project examined the adsorptive

properties of various chemicals

onto plastics.

“A current environmental problem

is that plastics weather and break

down into microplastics,” she said.

Microplastics cause a threat to living

organisms as they can be easily

digested and don’t break down in

the body. Aquatic organisms digest

these harmful substances, which can

then be consumed by humans.

“My research seeks to characterize

the absorption and desorption rates

for chemicals to and from different

types of plastics at different stages of

weathering,” said Zvekic. Through her

research, Zvekic has become more

conscious on how prevalent plastic is

and why it’s so important society takes

steps towards reducing the production

of the material.

“I’m so grateful to everyone involved

with the REACH award. Opportunities

like this are incredibly enriching and

so important.”

REACH AwardsVIU’s REACH awards financially support undergraduate and graduate students to conduct

their own original research under the mentorship of a faculty member. Ten awards of

$2,000 each were given out in spring 2018 as one-time awards to further engage VIU

students in research.

The following students are recipients of the 2018 awards:

NAME PROJECT FACULTY MENTOR

1 Kimberly BarrettVancouver Island Marmot (Marmota Vancouverensis) Breeding Pair Recommendations Using High-Throughput Amplicon Sequencing

Jamie Gorrell

2 Carmen ZimmerCircle Time Check-Ins Secondary Schools: A Classroom Approach to Improving Students’ Social Responsibility

Harry Janzen

3 Michael WildenA Comparison of Hemispheric Sleep Architecture in Mothers: An EEG Study.

Elliot Marchant

4 Sean Andrew

Benefits of Supplementary Dietary Astaxanthin to Reproductive Performance and Egg-Larval Quality of Repeatedly Spawned Pacific Whiteleg Shrimp (Litopanaeus Vannemei)

Stefanie Duff

5Anna-Irena (Misha) Zvekic

Characteristics of Containment-Microplastic Interactions

Christine Tong

6 Theresa YukaSilver Opportunity: Asset Mapping of Low Cost Physical Activity for Older Adults in Nanaimo

Guy Le Masurier

7 Katie EicharAn Investigation of the Relationship Between Resilience, Gratitude and Spirituality in Older Adults

Ruth Kirson

8 Sue StreetAn Exploration of Factors that Support and Constrain Women’s Participation in Recreational Ice Hockey Leagues

Aggie Weighill

9 Evan HesselsInvestigating possible genetic variations between Vancouver Island and mainland B.C. wolverine populations

Jamie Gorrell

10 Melynda Bergen

Synthesis of New Coumarin Derived Compounds: For Potential Use in Antibiotics

Jessie Key


TEN AWARDS OF

$2,000EACH

“It provides students with an

opportunity to get real life experience

by working with community members,”

said Dr. Sylvie Lafrenière, Chair of the

Sociology Department and founding

member of CBAIR.

Since its creation in 2014, CBAIR has

been focused on providing opportunities

for experiential learning, and fostering

student empowerment and growth.

The student led course partners

teams of three or four students with

a community organization to complete

a research project that is relevant to

VIU Interdisciplinary Research Course Builds Connections Between Students and the Community

the organization. Lafrenière said they

try to work with community groups that

otherwise would not be able to access

this type of research.

In 2018, students surveyed the

general public on behalf of Ocean

Legacy Foundation to ask about best

practices for recycling plastics and their

views about plastics in the ocean.

Another group worked with the Vancouver

Island Multicultural Society to interview

newcomers to Canada to better

understand where they find support.

“There were different instances

throughout the course where I was

forced to venture out of my comfort

zone, and that is where I grew the most,”

stated one student.

The team-based course is open

to students who are interested in

research from any discipline or faculty.

Each research team is responsible for

writing a research proposal for their

client, creating data collection tools,

The teaching philosophy of the Community Based Applied Interdisciplinary Research (CBAIR)

course is to support students’ development beyond the classroom.

collecting and analysing data, and

writing a final report on their findings.

At the end of the course, students

present their project at CREATE to

encourage their participation in the

reporting of data which is the final step

in the research process. It also provides

them with an opportunity to participate

in the sharing of knowledge with

the campus community. Since the

inception of the program, CBAIR

students have also presented their

work at international conferences.

One of CBAIR’s greatest assets

comes from the partnerships it

fosters between VIU and community

organizations. “These partnerships allow

students to become change agents by

creating knowledge that supports and

serves organizations in our region of

Vancouver Island,” said Lafrenière.


“VIU is committed to supporting our

coastal communities by undertaking

research in areas that are of key

importance to the Island’s Indigenous

and local communities,” said Dr. David

Witty, VIU’s Provost and Vice-President

Academic (now retired). “Green’s global

perspective will greatly contribute to

our understanding on how to address

the impacts of climate change to support

a thriving coastal aquaculture industry

which so many of our communities

rely on.”

An internationally recognized

expert in the scientific discipline of

aquaculture, with a strong emphasis on

aquatic animal health and immunology,

Green’s research aims to help

“future-proof” the shellfish industry in

Canada and the world by exploring

ways to make shellfish more resilient

to climate change and the diseases

that are linked to it. Green’s project

will specifically quantify genetic and

epigenetic (a biological mechanism

that switches genes on and off) changes

that occur in both oysters adapting

to ocean acidification, and disease

tolerant shellfish.

Green has already delved deep

into research on addressing how

to “disease-proof” oysters against

herpes virus infection. Through his

research, Green discovered a way to

Climate change is one of the biggest threats to shellfish populations and sustainable shellfish

farming in Canada and worldwide. That’s one reason why Dr. Timothy Green, VIU’s new

Canada Research Chair in Shellfish Health and Genomics, will be researching whether Pacific

oysters possess the evolutionary capacity to adapt to a rapid pace of ocean change.

“vaccinate” oysters, as well as the

offspring of “vaccinated” individuals, so

they are less susceptible to this disease.

Green will be based in VIU’s Centre

for Shellfish Research and the

University’s Deep Bay Marine

Field Station. Both research facilities

support interdisciplinary research

in sustainable shellfish production

to strengthen BC’s shellfish industry

in a way that is compatible with

the social and cultural values of

coastal communities.


RESEARCH CHAIR SPOTLIGHT

“It could help people in remote

communities gain access to information

they might not otherwise be able to

obtain,” said Dr. Frank LoPinto, a VIU

Physics instructor and founder of

Pixelstream Communications.

After successful lab tests, LoPinto

is hoping to do a field test and broadcast

content to VIU’s Powell River Campus

for a distance learning course.

“His vision to provide much-needed,

web-based communication to areas

without Internet is a lofty goal,” said

Dr. Gregory Cran, VIU’s Powell River

Campus Administrator.

LoPinto said the field test results

will be used to understand how

Scientist uses Television Signals to Send Internet Data to Remote Locations

the technology can serve remote

communities throughout British

Columbia, Canada and around the globe.

“I think it is going to change lives.

It is going to allow people to access

information interactively and it is going

to be current information,” said LoPinto.

“The most immediate impact will be

on students taking distance learning

courses who live in places where

Internet connections are not possible.”

LoPinto will use existing television

infrastructure to function as a

broadcasting system. Software will

convert a file into a colour stream. It will

then display the colours using a video

that is made for television. The received

What if you could turn the world’s television infrastructure into a system that can broadcast

data that people access on the internet?

video, or colour stream, is then turned

into a copy of the original file, which

the person on the receiving end can

download. Several pages of information

can be sent in a transmission. Once the

file is downloaded people will be able

to interact with the information the

same way they do a webpage.

“It could be just the tip of the

iceberg in terms of possibilities,”

he said. “Once people see how it

works the number of applications

will be tremendous.”


The research project explored

what matters most in everyday life

to older adults living independently

in the community by sharing personal

perspectives. The study was a

collaboration between VIU Bachelor

of Science in Nursing students,

faculty and community members.

Volunteer participants ages ranged

from early 70s to early 90s.

“We wanted to gain perspectives

across a range of ages and were

conscious about the myth that

all older adults are the same,”

said Styles. “This case study

approach with eleven participants

sought their unique experiences

and views.”

From this descriptive qualitative

study, the thematic analysis identified

six main themes: making the best

out of ‘my’ life, life connection, living

‘my’ life every day, resources for

‘my’ life, restrictions in ‘my’ life, and

respecting ‘my’ life.

The community-based research

was done in partnership with the

Central Island Chapter of Geronto-

logical Nurses Group of BC (GNABC).

The mission of GNABC is to support

Supporting Older Adults by Discovering What Matters Most What matters most to us as we get older? This question is what a team of researchers

including three students, a community member, and three VIU professors, Piera Jung,

Marti Harder and Dr. Laureen Styles, sought to answer.

and advance the professional

interests of nurses working with

older adults in efficient and effective

healthcare. The key findings of

the research were screened in

a video at the GNABC annual

provincial conference in Nanaimo.

Student researchers profiled

the video and shared what they

had learned by participating in

the research.

Styles said there is a misconcep-

tion that most older adults live out

their lives in care homes, yet the

reality is the majority of older adults

live fulfilling lives in the community.

Although the 11 older adults

interviewed for the study live

independently, Styles said their

perspectives give professionals

insight on what are key values to

the aging population.

“The insights help us share those

stories so we can better focus on

the individual nature and diversity

of older adults, and that helps

the consciousness of how nurses

approach our care, whether that

is in a facility setting, a health

promotion event in the community

or in community care.”


This story was part of 150 Years

and Counting: Fighting for Justice

on the Coast, a travelling banner

exhibit developed by VIU, the

University of Victoria (UVic), and the

Cowichan Valley Museum & Archives.

The exhibit was displayed in the

VIU Library Nanaimo Campus until

March 2018.

Fighting for Justice personalized

more than 150 years of history from

the perspectives of First Nations

communities, Asian Canadians and

their allies, who fought for justice in

the face of colonial dispossession

and racist exclusions.

“The point of this exhibit is to

tell those stories that haven’t been

told and showcase the intersections

of these communities,” said

Dr. Imogene Lim, a VIU Anthropology

Professor, who worked on the

exhibit’s concept development

alongside Dr. Tusa Shea, Program

Coordinator, Arts and Sciences

Programs for UVic’s Division of

Continuing Studies; and Kathryn

Gagnon, Curator and Manager of the

Fighting for Justice Exhibit Brings to Light Lesser Told Stories

Cowichan Valley Museum & Archives.

The key point for Gagnon was

telling the stories in simple, bite-sized

chunks to give people an idea of

the history without overwhelming

them – and then encouraging them

to pursue more information.

For many years, Debra Toporowski could not be a member of the Cowichan Tribes because

her mother had married a Chinese-Canadian man. Under the Indian Act of 1876, women were

forced to give up their status if they married a non-Indigenous person. Today, Toporowski

is not only a member of Cowichan Tribes, she is a band councillor. Bill C-31, passed in 1985,

amended the Indian Act to prevent this gender-based discrimination following pressure on

the federal government by First Nations women.

“I’m hoping people gain an

awareness of how resilient these

communities were and are, and

how they fought to preserve

aspects of their culture that were

under threat,” said Shea.


“So many people have had

encounters with the supernatural

and they are pervasive across all

cultures, all religions,” says Sinn.

From a headless ghost, to a lady

who walks on water, to the wild

people of the woods and sea

serpents, Sinn researches 25 tales

of hauntings and sightings from a

journalistic perspective, interviewing

VIU Creative Writing Student Shannon Sinn launches book, The Haunting of Vancouver Island

people with experiences where

possible, reading accounts in various

primary sources, such as local

newspapers, and going to the site

in person.

The stories span the length and

breadth of Vancouver Island, and

Sinn includes stories from the three

major First Nations language groups

on the Island: the Kwakwaka’wakw,

Shannon Sinn believes in ghosts. He’s also a skeptic. The VIU Creative Writing student

explores these conflicting emotions in his new non-fiction book, The Haunting of Vancouver

Island. Published by Victoria-based TouchWood Editions, the book is an investigation into

stories about supernatural events across the Island.

the Coast Salish and the Nuu-chah-

nulth. There is even a chapter on the

VIU Malaspina Theatre ghost, which

students have reportedly been

encountering for more than 20 years.

Sinn’s interest would have remained

at the hobby level if it weren’t for a

cancer diagnosis that ultimately led

him back to school at VIU.

When he took VIU Professor

Dr. Joy Gugeler’s publishing course,

he met Taryn Boyd, the Publisher of

TouchWood Editions. With Gugeler’s

support, he pitched the book idea

to her and after his proposal was

accepted in the spring of 2016,

he took everything he collected

and put it into book format.

“My biggest hope for the book is

that it will set a new bar for this kind

of writing so people will look at the

topic more seriously.”


FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27 • 5:30 PMVIU - CREW • NANAIMO • ROYAL ARBUTUS ROOM B300 (ABOVE THE CAFETERIA)

CATCH ANOTHER SPOOKY TALE SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28 12:00 PM (READING AT 12:30 PM) • CHAPTERS • 6670 MARY ELLEN DRIVE

For more information, contact [email protected].

SHANON SINN is currently enrolled in the VIU Creative Writing Program, and was recently awarded the Barry Broadfoot Award for journalism and creative nonfi ction. Find out more about him at shanonsinn.com.

VANCOUVER ISLAND IS HAUNTED.

SHANON SINN’S NEW COLLECTION OF SUPERNATURAL TALES

UNEARTHS THE TRUTH BENEATH SOME OF THE REGION’S BEST

KNOWN LEGENDS AND FOLKLORE. JOIN US FOR A BOOK LAUNCH!

Goosebumps Guaranteed

Everyone Welcome

Halloween drinks & snacks served

Photo: Sarah Packwood

Studying karst is a multidisciplinary

science and involves not only surface

investigations, but also requires an

understanding of the subsurface.

“The Earth Science Department at

VIU is one of the few places in Canada

that has a strong interest and expertise

in karst science, allowing for students

to be involved in a range of related

research projects,” said VIU Professor

Dr. Tim Stokes.

The 2017-2018 Karst Spring Project

at VIU is focussed on installing a

permanent water monitoring site at

the Stramberg Spring on Quadra Island.

This spring is used as a domestic water

source and for micro-hydro power

generation. It provides the opportunity

Karst Aquifer and Catchment Mapping Project on Quadra Island

to better understand karst aquifers

and catchments in the region.

“We are investigating the

relationship of the karst spring to the

karst aquifer,” said Stokes. “How it

is recharged is key to providing land

management recommendations

for the spring catchment.”

The best way to evaluate a karst

aquifer is through a combination of

geological mapping, dye tracing and

monitoring. This project will install two

channel level loggers, two electrical

conductivity loggers, four temperature

loggers, and an automatic tipping

rain gauge. The monitoring system

will provide details on water quality

and flow rate at the spring.

Karst, a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks, underlies approximately

10-15 per cent of Vancouver Island. This distinct landscape is both sensitive and valuable.

One key aspect of karst is its inherent underground drainage, which creates an important

groundwater resource for both human use and to supply streams.

From initial findings, dye tracing

has determined the spring water

is connected to a series of sinking

streams a kilometre away from the

spring. Sediment in the catchment is

transported through the subsurface

aquifer, which supplies water to

the spring. Excess sediment can

potentially impact water quality and

flow rate.

“This research will assist in

protecting this water resource and

help advise the forest licensee,

who is involved in road construction

and logging in the spring catchment,”

said Stokes.


“While we cannot create new

diversity, we can conserve what is left

and prevent future loss,” said VIU

Professor of Biology Dr. Jamie Gorrell.

“We can do this by making sure all

marmots get a chance to breed and pass

along their genetic material.”

Gorrell and his research team aim

to conduct genomic sequencing of

marmots to determine the level of

genetic diversity remaining in the wild

and captive populations to help manage

and conserve species.

Saving the Vancouver Island Marmot

By understanding each marmot’s

unique genetic profile, researchers can

determine if reduced genetic diversity

leads to lower survival or reproduction,

determine if marmots are inbreeding and

how this affects the survival of their

pups, and provide further information on

how best to choose breeding pairs to

maximize genetic diversity.

Gorrell has teamed up with the

Marmot Recovery Foundation (MRF) to

retrieve DNA samples, historical field

data and studbooks of captive marmots.

The Vancouver Island marmot is one of the most endangered mammals in the world.

As a result of the rapid decline of the species in the late 1990s, a captive breeding program

was initiated. By 2003, there were only 30 wild marmots. From 2004 - 2017, 501 captive-bred

marmots have been reintroduced into the wild resulting in a successful population recovery.

The population crash had presumably resulted in low genetic diversity, increasing the risks

of inbreeding, hereditary health concerns and disease susceptibility.

“By studying the success of reintroduc-

tions we will learn how captive-bred

individuals alter the ecological and

genetic structure of wild populations,”

says Gorrell. “This may have large

implications, not just for the Vancouver

Island marmot, but for all endangered

species in need of captive breeding.”

Gorrell said one way the public can

support their research efforts is to notify

them of marmot sightings or support

the MRF.


Marmots are the

largest burrowing

animal in the alpine habitabt.

The VIU Chemistry professors were

awarded two Natural Sciences and

Engineering Research Council of Canada

(NSERC) Discovery Grant totaling

$250,000, which will be distributed over

five years to support student projects.

“Thanks to NSERC support, we

will be able to push the limits of what

we know is possible with mass

spectrometry,” said Gill.

VIU Scientists Earn NSERC Grants for Ground-Breaking ResearchGrant funding is helping Dr. Erik Krogh and Dr. Chris Gill push boundaries and develop

new scientific approaches in environmental chemistry and analytical mass spectrometry, the

technique that ionizes chemical species and sorts ions based on their mass-to-charge ratio.


“The research programs we are

launching are aimed at developing new

approaches for the direct, real-time

measurements of trace molecules in

different environments, which has

important applications in environmental,

medical and material sciences.”

VIU’s Applied Environmental

Research Laboratories is ground zero

for this important research.

It hosts a team of undergraduate

and graduate students, providing them

with the opportunity to conduct field

and laboratory-based research with

state-of-the-art instrumentation.

Researchers work to identify contami-

nants, determine concentration levels

and study their fate and distribution

in the environment.

news.viu.ca/world-class-viu-research-vehicle-will-monitor-air-quality-nanaimo-winternews.viu.ca/viu-research-breakthrough-opioid-overdose-harm-reduction

The funding supports 18 VIU students

to pursue international internships, and

assist six international students from

partner countries to pursue graduate

studies and research at VIU – growing

VIU’s network of scholars working on

issues facing coastal communities.

“VIU students are both contributing

their skills and knowledge to partner

communities abroad, as well as learning

from their experiences to tackle issues

here on Vancouver Island,” said Darrell

Harvey, VIU’s Co-ordinator of Internation-

al Projects and Internationalization.

VIU Receives $300,000 to Expand Research through the Queen Elizabeth Scholars Program

Over the first three years of VIU’s

QES program, 22 students

have travelled to partner countries,

including VIU’s primary partners in

Belize, to pursue internships and

research. The program aims to

develop global citizens, activate

a new generation of leaders,

enhance collaborative capacity

and peer relationships and enable

scholars to pursue and amplify

community development.

The expanded program will

build on growing partnerships in the

More students at VIU are going to have a chance to continue the work of building resilience

in coastal communities thanks to $300,000 in new funding from the Queen Elizabeth II

Diamond Jubilee Scholarships (QES) program.

Caribbean, East Africa and elsewhere.

In addition to the external funding,

VIU will contribute more than $200,000

in-kind resources. The Nanaimo

Foundation will also contribute $5,000

to support students.

“The work aligns with the United

Nations Sustainable Development

Goals, and is important as it encourages

economic growth in a sustainable way,”

said Celina Glabus, VIU BA student,

“It promotes the fostering of long-term

community development in coastal

areas.”

The QES program is a collaborative

initiative led by the Rideau Hall

Foundation, Universities Canada and

the Community Foundations of Canada,

made possible thanks to contributions

from the Government of Canada,

provincial governments, the International

Development Research Centre, Social

Sciences and Humanities Research

Council, universities, and a wide range

of private sector donors.


22students travelled

to partner communiites

“I was absolutely thrilled and

delighted. This is capping off

a very long career,” said Warsh.

Warsh was recognized for her

ground-breaking work in Canadian

healthcare history, and for giving

a voice to vulnerable populations

in the 19th century, including

people with mental health issues,

addictions and children. She was

also recognized for shaping a

flourishing research field in her area

of study, as editor of the Canadian

Bulletin of Medical History.

The distinction of Fellow is

bestowed on scholars who have

made exceptional contributions

in their field and election to the

RSC is considered the highest

academic honour a scholar can

receive in the arts, humanities and

sciences. Warsh joins more than

2,000 other Canadians who have

received this recognition.

Warsh’s research focuses on

the everyday lives of people.

While pursuing her master’s degree

at Western University, she delved

into the lives of patients at the

London Psychiatric Hospital on

Highbury Avenue, also known

as the London Asylum.

“I wanted to go beyond the

images, promotional literature

VIU History Professor Dr. Cheryl Krasnick Warsh has been elected as the University’s first

Fellow in the Academy of Arts and Humanities of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC).

and the glossy veneer and see

what was going on in the lives of

average Canadians,” said Warsh.

“Everything we know about patients

is through the eyes of authority

figures, doctors and police.”

Warsh said her research explores

universal stresses and issues, and

it is fascinating that many of the past

issues are similar to those faced

by people today.

Warsh was inducted as a Fellow

during the RSC’s Celebration of

Excellence in November 2017.


FACULTY SPOTLIGHT


Climate change is having a devastating effect on species around the worldIn North America where river systems continue to get warmer year after year, just one day

of intense weather has the potential to raise water temperatures enough to devastate an

entire population of white sturgeon or salmonid eggs and larvae.

Baker is trying to discover how

water temperatures affect the early

life stages of white sturgeon and

salmonid. These species can’t adapt

to temperature changes in the same

way fish that live year round in rivers

and streams do. White sturgeon and

salmonids are anadromous, which

means they go to sea for part of their

life and then return to spawn.

“Sturgeon and salmon are two

of the most important fish in BC —

economically, culturally and ecologically,”

said Baker. “The Discovery Grant will

allow me to focus on conservation topics

critical to the survival of these species.”

Difficulties arise when hot days

increase water temperatures, which

may alter rates of larval development.

Increased water temperatures can

speed up development, but this could

work against the species as it could

lead them to depleting food sources

before they head out to sea. When the

temperatures get too high, development

is abnormal, and fish die after hatching.

Baker’s research could open the

doors for other scientists to work on

management strategies. Once tempera-

ture thresholds are better understood,

it could lead to prioritizing management

strategies aimed at protecting the fish.

Thanks to a $115,000 Discovery

Grant from the Natural Sciences and

Engineering Research Council of

Canada, Dr. Dan Baker, VIU Professor

and fish physiologist, is researching how

increasing temperatures are affecting

these populations. The grant also allows

Baker to train undergraduate students,

as well as two Master’s of Science

students and one PhD student to work

with him on the research project.

$115,000Discovery Grant from Natural

Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada.

About 35 per cent of attendees at

the week-long opportunity for education

and networking were undergraduate

and graduate students from around the

world who do research in polar tourism.

Students from VIU presented at the

Yukon IPTRN, and fulfilled conference

delivery support roles.

“The bi-annual event provides

a very good grounding in tourism from

diverse academic disciplines, as well

as industry and community perspectives,”

said de la Barre. “It’s a great opportunity

for students to learn and network, which

makes it an invaluable experience.”

Connection grants are awarded for

events and outreach activities that

represent opportunities to exchange

knowledge and engage on research

issues of value to the participants and

the communities in which they occur.

The IPTRN is a significant polar research

network. The sixth IPTRN conference

featured presentations and workshops

and engaged international academics,

artists, students, community members,

Yukon and other Indigenous peoples,

and the public sector on topics such as:

tourism and community related issues

and concerns, economic diversification,

VIU Professor Dr. Suzanne de la Barre was awarded a $23,485 Social Sciences and

Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Connection grant in support of her work on the sixth

annual International Polar Tourism Research Network (IPTRN) conference and community tour.

De la Barre was a primary organizer of this major event, which was held in Whitehorse and

Dawson City, Yukon, from June 22- 28, 2018.


the cultural and creative economies,

climate change, and much more.

“VIU has a rich research community,”

said Dr. Nicole Vaugeois, Associate

Vice-President, Scholarship, Research

and Creative Activity. “This connection

grant is a great example of how our

people are creating global relationships

to bring the best knowledge available

to our students, and are also among

the premier names creating that body

of knowledge.”

VIU Professor Awarded SSHRCConnection Grant for ImportantWork in Northern Canada


VIU’s Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere

Region Research Institute (MABRRI)

collaborated with the Snaw-Naw-As

Community Garden Committee to

develop a vision for the garden.

Throughout the process they also

spoke to other members of the

community during Elder lunches

and community events.

“At the beginning this project was

meant to provide an opportunity to

preserve language and knowledge

pertaining to native plant species, but

it grew into so much more, including

food security, community capacity

building, education and outreach, and

mental and therapeutic health benefits,”

said Graham Sakaki, MABRRI Research

and Community Engagement Coordinator.

Donna Edwards, Health Director of

the Snaw-Naw-As Health Centre said

creating a Garden of Spiritual Healing

was a dream of the late Snaw-Naw-As

Chief David Bob. For Edwards the

garden has created an opportunity

to connect with her Elders.

“I feel pride, especially for those

Elders who have mobility issues and

who I don’t see out too often. To see

them out and participating in this is just

A Garden of Spiritual Healing is taking root at the Snaw-Naw-As Community Health Centre

thanks to a partnership between the First Nation and VIU.

uplifting to the spirit knowing they

are coming out here,” said Edwards.

Edwards said the project has allowed

community members to access fresh

produce and offers the First Nation

opportunities to educate young people

about traditional plants.

Development of the garden will

continue over the next few years with

plans to incorporate other elements

including a smokehouse, gazebo and

a therapeutic garden space. A rainwater

capture project to ensure sustainability

is also on the table, as well as classes

about healthy cooking.

Project between VIU and Snaw-Naw-As Preserves Traditional Plant Knowledge


The five-year project involves over

120 institutions and communities across

40 countries, but VIU is the only west

coast Canadian university invited

to participate.

“As an institution, we are leaders

in the field of Aboriginal education

and are closely connected with

community partners and schools,”

said Danielle Alphonse, BC Regional

Innovation Chair in Aboriginal Early

Childhood Development and co-chair

of the project.

“We are now seeing Aboriginal

content woven into the school

curriculum,” said Dr. Rachel Moll, VIU

Professor, Faulty of Education and

co-chair. “There is still lots of learning

to do around Aboriginal knowledge,

perspectives, ways of learning and

improving diversity.”

VIU Participates in UNESCO Global Project for Education of Indigenous Youth

“The knowledge isn’t the sole

responsibility of the teachers or

educators, but it comes from the

community, the nations, and places like

VIU that give support to bridge those

barriers and create openness to

Aboriginal learners,” Alphonse added.

The research project will develop

recommendations from research

findings on how to improve the quality

of education of Indigenous youth.

As part of the UNESCO global research project, “Re-orienting Education and Training

Systems to Improve the Lives of Indigenous Youth,” VIU is examining ways in which

engaging education for sustainable development can enhance the quality of education

for local Indigenous youth.

There is a strong focus on incorporating

sustainable education by recognizing

the deep connectedness to the planet

of Aboriginal culture and traditions.

Through this project, VIU hopes

to localize the goals of the global project

by creating an Indigenous education

research network and developing

innovative teaching and learning

approaches. VIU intends to engage in

collaborative research with community

organizations to build upon each other’s

ideas and celebrate successes.

“When you change the narrative

of a deficit base and turn it around

to focus on the successes, then youth

can begin to feel more confident

about their education and pathway,”

Alphonse said.

5year project

more than

120institutions involved

40countries involved


VIU’s Adjunct Professor of Nursing

Dr. Laureen Styles and colleagues,

studied whether or not educational

intervention through an online resilience

course can increase resilience among

nursing students.

“The Justice Institute of British

Columbia created an online course

originally piloted to paramedic students

with some success, and our team

wanted to see if the same type of impact

could be seen with nursing students,”

said Styles.

The Leading with Resilience online

course is intended to give participants

the tools and insights to recognize their

own strengths to enhance resilience

in demanding and challenging work

environments.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing students

at North Island College and VIU volun-

teered to participate in the online course.

The research study was a three

step process; students took a pre-

assessment; enrolled in the online

course; and then were interviewed after

completing the course to share their

experience. They also took part in a

second survey. While the results of the

study have not been finalized, the initial

interviews indicate that participants

found the course helpful.

“The role of education is to help

prepare students for their profession.

There are three components —

knowledge, skills and attitude —

that students need to have in order

to be successful.” said Styles.

Fostering resilience is key to providing a foundation to prepare nursing students for

maintaining their mental well-being while in their profession.

“One way we can foster resilience is to

help people become more conscious of

their own resilience and what they need

or want in order to feel more confident

in their abilities.”

The next phase of this research

is anticipated to include the online

course as part of program work that

students take in first year with a goal to

study the impact of the course more fully

with larger numbers of participants.

Fostering Resilience inNursing Students

Developing

resilience can decrease the

possiblity of burnout.


To gain a better understanding

of the location and extent of GOEs

within the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere

Region (MABR), VIU’s Mount Arrowsmith

Biosphere Region Research Institute

(MABRRI) created a map database of

the locations and types of GOEs, and

to determine which locations may have

an increased level of vulnerability.

Building on the BC Ministry of

Environment’s Sensitive Ecosystem

Inventories, the project uses satellite

imagery in combination with aerial

photographs and field validation

to map their extent. VIU Geography

Professor, Dr. Hannah Wilson leads

a team of students and research

assistants in processing satellite

imagery and collecting data on location.

Discovering the Landscape of our Garry Oak Ecosystem

“So far the mapped data suggests

that the deep soil GOEs have

experienced significant losses due to

agricultural and urban development,”

said Wilson. “The shallow soil

ecosystems have been less impacted

by development but may be more

vulnerable to climate change in the

near future.”

Once the project is complete, the

student research assistants will create

a finalized map of the extent of all GOEs

within the MABR. The findings will assist

MABRRI in recognizing the extent of the

ecosystems within the boundaries so

they can better make conservation

decisions, and determine what areas

are most vulnerable.

Garry oak ecosystems (GOEs) are one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in Canada.

GOEs house seven amphibian species, 33 mammals, over 100 birds, over 700 plants,

and over 800 invertebrate species. They are also one of the most vulnerable ecosystems

due to encroachment, habitat loss, and habitat fragmentation.

over

100birds

over

700plants

over

800invertebrates

33mammals

7amphibian species


Dr. Bill Floyd, VIU Adjunct Professor

in Geography and Research Hydrologist

with the Province of BC, hopes to better

understand water and its systems

through the Coastal Hydrology and

Climate Change Research Lab. The lab

studies the variations in hydrological

processes in watersheds influenced

by rain, snow and ice.

With recent equipment advances,

the research team, including Dr. Brian

Menounos, UNBC, and Derek Heathfield,

Hakai Institute, can better map out our

ever-changing landscape using LiDAR

technology on fixed wing aircraft and

imagery from drones.

“In the past, there has been so much

uncertainty in measurements,” said Floyd.

“This technology should help us make

better decisions and reduce the conflict

associated with how we measure things.”

LiDAR, meaning “light detection and

ranging”, is used by flying airplanes

across a snow covered landscape to

send out laser light pulses toward the

ground to generate a point cloud with

a latitude, longitude and elevation.

Drones are used to take pictures in

a grid pattern over smaller scales to

create detailed 3D models of the

snow surface with centimetre accuracy.

Previously, researchers relied solely on

weather stations to continuously measure

a small area, along with monthly manual

snow depth measurements to describe

approximately 100m2. However, with

LiDAR and drone technology, entire

landscapes can now be mapped out

in just one flight.

“Where maybe we could get a

hundred snow depth measurements,

now we are capable of getting millions,”

Water – we are almost entirely made out of it and cannot survive without it, but there is still

so much to learn about this essential resource.

said Floyd. “We can finally collect

data in some really remote areas and

understand what is going on.”

The LiDAR and drone system is

assisting researchers to better under-

stand the impact climate change has

on our watersheds – and ultimately

how those changes will affect people.

“On the Island, people don’t think of

it as being snowy, but we are surrounded

by mountains,” said Floyd. “We don’t

have high mountain elevations, which

means we are more susceptible to

temperature increases as our snowmelt

will be replaced by rain.”

As data become more reliable and

widespread, researchers can make

recommendations on how best to adapt

to our changing landscapes.

Using Lasers and Drones to Uncover our Landscapes


“We are re-imagining a science

or marine centre as a multi-platform

learning facility where our mobile

technology supplements the physical

space,” said Dr. Michael Hammond-Todd,

co-collaborator for the Deep Bay mobile

app research project.

The Deep Bay facility currently

includes a seawater tank farm, a

laboratory, a demonstration shellfish

farm and a research facility for shellfish

aquaculture, marine ecology and

water quality. It also includes marine

exhibitions and educational programs for

schools and surrounding communities.

“The facility is geographically remote

and educational staff is limited, so using

mobile technology could support

Deep Bay to provide more quality

educational opportunities for children,”

said Hammond-Todd.

Deep Bay Marine Field Station Goes Mobile

Hammond-Todd is working alongside

VIU Education Professor Dr. Rachel Moll,

to develop a framework for an iPad app

designed to augment on-site learning

at the marine facility. The app aims

to encourage school-aged children

to discover and learn about marine

life through interactive activities.

For example, children will read about

and see photos of different shellfish

on the iPad, then be asked to identify

what shellfish they see in the displays

and speak to a facilitator about their

answers. After exploring the app, real-life

attractions will continue the dialogue.

Researchers with VIU’s Deep Bay Marine Field Station and community partners are

investigating how mobile device technology can be used to support real-life exploration.

“There is a lot of value in using

mobile device applications to encourage

more real-life exploration,” said

Hammond-Todd. “We are hoping that

if this app is successful, we could

co-author with Deep Bay to create

a beachcomber app.”

The beachcomber app would

explore citizen-based science where

participants could identify shellfish

on the beaches and share their

discoveries with Deep Bay for a

deeper understanding.

The facility is geographically remote and educational staff is limited, so using

mobile technology could support Deep Bay to provide more quality

educational opportunities for children.


With the help of volunteers, 400

Canada geese have received a white

collar on their neck, which displays

three numbers and the letter P.

The geese also received metal leg

bands for better cross-border tracking.

“Banding the birds allows us to get

a population estimate and discover

migration habits which helps shape

management strategies,” said Pearce.

Pearce does roving counts of

the collared birds, but said public

participation is crucial to the success

of the project. People are encouraged

to report sightings on the VIU Canada

Goose Project website, wordpress.viu.ca/

gooseproject.

VIU Alumnus Tracking Migration Habits of Canada GeeseStew Pearce, a VIU alumnus, has been monitoring the migration habits of Canada geese

through the VIU Canada Goose Project that started as part of his undergraduate research.

He is now working under contract with the City of Nanaimo to build upon what he learned.

Dr. Eric Demers, a VIU biology professor

said gauging population numbers

and migration habits are important

to help with management strategies.

“You can’t manage something if you

don’t know how many there are or

where they go. It’s like trying to

manage a moving target,” said Demers.

Most Canada geese in the

Departure Bay area are resident

geese which typically have higher

breeding success because they don’t

spend energy migrating. The geese

found in the Nanaimo River Estuary

seem to be more migratory.

Managing Canada geese populations

is becoming increasingly important

as more conflicts arise between birds

and humans.

Rising population levels are impacting

sensitive ecosystems such as the

Nanaimo River Estuary because Canada

geese rip out plants by the roots, which

can cause soil erosion. Sports fields,

where Canada geese graze, can also

be damaged and users don’t want to

play on fields with goose droppings.

Geese can also damage agricultural

crops by eating seedlings, leaves

or stalks.

400Canada geese

have been banded for migration

tracking


The partnerships develop scholarly connections through meaningful student involvement in community-based applied research.

The projects also respond to community needs and promote innovation and sustainability with a particular focus on supporting

Indigenous communities and projects.

The RIF fund provides grants of up to $20,000 for a one-year research project, with additional matched funds between VIU and

the community partners. The fund is intended to empower students to get involved in community-based applied research. So far,

the RIF has supported VIU faculty to collaborate with 29 community partners and more than 250 students to develop projects that

provide opportunities to make informed decisions for the growth and resilience of key economic sectors on Vancouver Island.

The Regional Initiatives Fund (RIF)The Regional Initiatives Fund (RIF) is a partnership between VIU and the Province of BC

to support communities on Vancouver Island to collaborate on projects that contribute

to the intellectual capital in the region.

Since the fund was announced in March 2017, over

$880,00017 projects

has been allocated to support


“A vibrant forage fish population

means a healthy oceanic ecosystem,”

said Haley Tomlin, Project Coordinator

of VIU’s Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere

Region Research Institute (MABRRI).

“Understanding the spawning habitat

of forage fish will help us to determine

which areas of the coastline are in need

of attention — regarding the creation

and implementation of policy and

management strategies.”

In November 2017, Dr. John Morgan,

VIU Professor of Resource Management

and Protection, and the MABRRI team

were provided funding by VIU to

undertake the Forage Fish Spawning

Habitat Monitoring Project. The principal

objectives of the project were to

generate spawning habitat predictive

Foraging for Answers under the Sea

mapping for the southeastern corner

of Vancouver Island; train students to

collect sediment samples in search of

forage fish embryos; engage with and

train local organizations and First Nations

to also collect samples, and build the

capacity of this project. Participants also

attended the 2018 Salish Sea Ecosystem

Conference in Seattle, Washington.

VIU aims to understand where

the spawning habitat exists in the

region using the same methods that

Washington State uses – the Vortex

Method.

Since receiving training in November,

MABRRI’s research team has been

sampling beaches, primarily within the

Parksville-Qualicum Beach region.

So far, 14 beaches have been sampled,

spanning the coastlines from Bowser

to Nanaimo. “Of those 14, there are

four sites that had forage fish embryos

identified within the beach sediments

we collected,” said Tomlin.

In partnership with the World Wildlife

Fund, MABRRI produced a total of

40 predictive maps for the entire

southeastern coastline of Vancouver

Island as well as many Gulf Islands;

the model used was developed by

Coastal and Ocean Resources.

The research team hopes to expand

upon their knowledge by including

citizen scientists along the Vancouver

Island and Gulf Island coastlines.

Forage fish are small pelagic fish that are preyed on by larger predators. They are an integral

part of the marine ecosystem as a result of the significant amount of energy they transfer to

their predators when consumed.

THE REGIONAL INITIATVES FUND (RIF)


“Proper management of groundwater

resources requires sound understanding

of surface and subsurface water flow,”

said Dr. Jerome Lesemann, VIU

Professor of Earth Sciences.

VIU’s faculty members Lesemann,

Dr. Jeff Lewis, and Dr. Alan Gilchrist

partnered with the Regional District of

Nanaimo (RDN), RBC Foundation, and

75 VIU students, to learn about aquifer

mapping and surface-subsurface water

interactions for improved groundwater

management in the Nanaimo Lowlands

and Vancouver Island.

This RIF-supported project analysed

groundwater resources to better

understand the physical parameters that

control the availability and flow of water

underground. Using the data collected,

researchers can determine the areas

needing protection from contaminants.

Bringing the Water Underneath Us to the Surface

“We are interested in gaining a

better understanding of areas where

groundwater is recharged by surface

water,” said Lesemann. “To do this,

we are trying to improve the availability

of data on surface flow, recharge

areas tied to land use, and subsurface

geological conditions.”

The research project also focuses

on determining the types of subsurface

materials and their architecture below

the surface. This involves geophysical

surveys, analysis of borehole data, and

the development of geological models

of the subsurface.

The students who are participating

in the project are VIU geology and

geography students from undergraduate

courses, directed studies courses, and

a Master’s of Geographic Information

Systems student.

The project is scheduled to be

completed in the fall of 2018. The RDN

can then use the information collected

to better define groundwater recharge

areas and understand how aquifers

that are mapped as distinct systems

may be connected.

Understanding the availability and flow of underground water is crucial to those in the

Nanaimo Lowlands who use well water as their water supply.


VIU faculty along with

75students are learning how to improve groundwater

management in NanaimoLowlands and

Vancouver Island

Faculty Member Project Title Funding Allocated

Matched Funding

VIU in-kind Matching

Number ofStudents Involved

Community Partners

May 2017

Rob FergusonDeveloping a visitor profile and exploring resident perceptions of tourism development for Bella Bella, BC

$20,000 $20,000 $20,000 3 Heiltsuk Tribal Council (Bella Bella)

Mark Holland and Dr. Miko Betanzo

Denman village community design charrette and village enhancement plan $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 20 Denman Island Local Trust

Committee

Dr. Jerome Lesemann

Surface-subsurface aquifer mapping and hydrometerological characterization for improved groundwater management and policy in the Nanaimo lowlands, Vancouver Island, BC

$20,000 $20,000 $20,000 106 Regional District of Nanaimo, RBC Foundation

John PredykEvaluation of the Économusée business model’s provincial/regional economic impacts and improvement in client satisfaction

$20,040 $27,400 $20,040 2

Societe de development economique de la Colombie- Britannique, Économusée BC Artisans at Work

Dr. Pamela Shaw Linley Valley park plan, trail assessment, and public engagement strategy $17,740 $17,740 $17,740 7 City of Nanaimo

Leslie Sundby, Dr. Pamela Shaw, Lynn Rollison, Les Malbon, Graham Sakaki, and Monica Shore

Snaw-Naw-As Garden of Spiritual Healing $20,000 $20,000 $20,000 17

Timber West, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, Home Depot Canada Foundation, Island Health Community Wellness Program, Rite on Time Excavating, Island Timberlands, Cloverdale Paint

October 2017

Dr. Dan Baker Thermal plasticity of larval stages of West Coast Salmonids $20,000 $23,000 $20,000 4 NSERC

Dr. Miko Betanzo District of Ucluelet: Official community plan revision project $20,000 $40,000 $20,000 3 District of Ucluelet

Dr. Mathew BowesBarriers and benefits to bio-diesel use in commercial, industrial, and government vehicle fleets in the Regional District of Nanaimo

$10,678 $10,500 $10,678 15 Cowichan Bio-Diesel Co-op

Dr. Erik Krogh Regional air quality mapping pilot project $20,000 $20,000 $20,000 2

Cash Sponsors: BC Ministry of Environment, Regional District ofNanaimo, Comox Valley Regional District, Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District, City of Nanaimo – In-kind sponsors: Applied Environmental Research Laboratories, Centre for Coastal Health, Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Regional Research Institute, Advanced Diploma GIS

Dr. John Morgan Forage fish habitat restoration project $11,425 $11,425 $11,425 7 Nature Trust of British Columbia and WWF-Canada

Spencer Russell Tenacibaculum bacteria from farmed Atlantic salmon in Vancouver Island waters $11,000 $11,000 $11,000 10 Marine Harvest Canada

Dr. Pamela Shaw The City of Parksville’s open space and trails master plan $20,000 $37,000 $20,000 28 City of Parksville

May 2018

Dr. Jamie Gorrell Genomic diversity and relatedness in captive and wild Vancouver Island marmots $20,000 $20,000 $20,000 1 NSERC Discovery Grant, Vancouver

Island Marmot Recovery Centre

Dr. Pamela Shaw Campbell River – Campbelton neighbourhood project $14,440 $20,800 $14,400 9 City of Campbell River

Joanne Schroeder Gold River tourism strategic plan $7,900 $10,000 $7,900 7 Village of Gold River

Mark Holland Malahat First Nation project: Part 1 $15,000 $20,000 $15,000 12 Malahat First Nation Project: Part 1

TOTAL: 273,223 333,865 273,223 253 29 partners

TOTAL LEVERAGING FUNDING 880,331




“Canada is a country that has quietly

become the third largest country in the

world for video game development,

based on payroll of those working in the

sector, only behind the US and Japan,”

Dr. Mark Williams, VIU Professor of

Political Studies.

Canada is home to 500 studios that

directly employ over 20,000 full-time

workers and contribute over $3 billion

to Canada’s annual gross domestic

product (GDP).

Employing 1,000 staff at any given

time, the Burnaby-based studio, EA

Games, is the largest video game

company in the nation.

Williams and VIU students investigated

why this growing industry has made such

a profound impact in British Columbia.

“The purpose of this research

was to investigate the role of public

The ‘Player 3’ of the Video Game IndustryIn the early 1970s, Pong was released as one of the first video games. Fast forward 40 years,

and gamers are stepping into realistic adventures through virtual reality. The video game industry

is rapidly challenging technology, and Canada is at the forefront of these developments.

policy in the sector of video game

development in British Columbia,”

said Williams. “We hope to discern

through structured and semi-structured

interviews, the perspectives on public

policy held by members of BC’s video

game community.”

The focus of public policy relates to

the two major sets of tax credits video

game development studios can apply for:

The Scientific Research and Experimental

Design (SR&ED) tax credit, and the

Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit

(IDMTC). Although largely beneficial, the

SR&ED credit is difficult for most studios

to achieve due to the requirements.

The BC provincial IDMTC seemed to be

more significant for companies as the

credit gives studios up to 17.5 per cent tax

deductible on labor expenses, and the

incentive is not conditional on qualified

work. As 90 per cent of revenue comes

from only about 10 per cent of projects

worked on, the IDMTC supports

companies to hire and retain staff.

Due to the growth of the industry,

provincial governments are competing

for studio space – and the tax dollars

that come with it. Studio managers

voiced the importance of having

guaranteed provincial tax credits for

the long-term and working together

to create a harmonized tax credit level

between provinces.

Researchers discovered that

a lot of smaller BC studios were

deeply rooted in their communities,

and regardless of public policy, would

still choose to operate their businesses

in BC.

$3 billion dollar

industry

“Knowledge knows no jurisdictional boundaries. Important discoveries

and insights are gained when researchers from different international

contexts engage in projects with one another,” said Dr. Nicole Vaugeois,

Associate Vice-President of VIU’s Scholarship, Research and Creative

Activity.

VIU has signed onto a consortium of Canadian institutions called

CALAREO to promote research opportunities for graduate students

from Latin America. Six universities across Canada have signed into

the agreement.

“CALAREO will ensure that VIU is promoted as

a place for graduate students in Latin American

countries to come and engage in research

initiatives,” said Vaugeois. “As VIU expands its

graduate programs, this will help us to attract

diverse students and it will also provide

opportunities for VIU faculty to partner with

universities in Latin America on collaborative

projects that train the next generation in research.”

The partnership with CALAREO will result

in building meaningful connections between

VIU and Latin America graduate students, and

work collectively on discovering and expanding

on research.

CALAREOAs a student-centred community institution, VIU

prides itself on being an inclusive environment

for students around the world. The unique

perspective international students bring with their

cultural experience provides insight and diversity

amongst the campuses.

CALAREO aims to:

1 Encourage, facilitate, and support student mobility between Canadian

and Latin American member institutions.

2 Establish a scholarship program to allow Latin American students

to study at the partner Canadian member institutions.

3 Encourage, facilitate, and support research collaborations between

Canadian and Latin American member institutions.

4 Encourage partnerships that result in national and international grants

to enhance research collaborations and training of graduate and

undergraduate students between Canadian and Latin American

member institutions.

The CALAREO initiative will elevate funding for Latin American

graduate students as well.


14%of VIU students are international

VANCOUVER ISLAND UNIVERSITY

Key Funding SourcesVancouver Island University faculty and students could not

participate as actively as we do in research and scholarly activity

without the support of our research grant funding agencies.

We would like to publicly thank and acknowledge their continued

support. Below are some of the key groups which have funded

projects in this fiscal year.

Recognition Guidelines

Name

Please refer to the Foundation ONLY in either of the following ways (i.e. NOT BC Real Estate Foundation):

Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia OR Real Estate Foundation of BC

The following statements can be used in media releases, articles and verbal announcements to acknowledge the Real Estate Foundation of BC as a source of funding for your project.

Vision: To support land use and real estate practices that contribute to resilient, healthy communities and natural environments.

What we do: The Real Estate Foundation is a philanthropic organization that helps advance sustainable land use in British Columbia. We provide grants to non-profit organizations working to improve BC communities through responsible and informed land use, conservation and real estate practices.

Current grant program focus areas are: Sustainable Land Use, Sustainable Built Environment, Freshwater Sustainability, Local and Sustainable Food Systems, and Professional Excellence in Real Estate.

How we do it: The Real Estate Foundation has grant programs that support projects by non-profit organizations that fit its mandate and funding criteria. The Foundation also:• Provides information to people and organizations to help them advance their non-profit, land use related work;• Convenes stakeholders to hold meaningful conversations and share information on BC land use issues;• Partners with other organizations on real estate and land use related initiatives.

Governance: The Real Estate Foundation of BC is directed by a board of seven members. Governors are appointed by the British Columbia Real Estate Association, Real Estate Council of British Columbia, Real Estate Institute of British Columbia, the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) and the BC Minister of Finance (3).

History: The Real Estate Foundation of BC was established in 1985. It is a non-profit corporation regulated by the Real Estate Services Act (BC). (It is not a government body.)

Income: According to the Real Estate Services Act, the Real Estate Foundation receives interest from pooled funds held in trust by real estate firms. We invest that money, and give it back to the community through our grant program.

Grants: Since 1988, the Real Estate Foundation has approved over $74 million in grants for projects across British Columbia.

Public Relations Information

For more information, or to discuss ideas for publicizing your project, please feel free to contact Stephanie Butler, Communications Coordinator - tel 604.343.2620 | toll free 1.866.912.6800 ext 101 | [email protected]

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2017-18 Research and Creative Activity Highlights · 11 Research Chair Spotlight — Dr. Timothy...

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