April 12, 2006 Source: :
http://www.wlu.ca/news_update.php?grp_id=28&nws_id=1476&filter_type=update Funding helps increase northern Canadian research Laurier has been awarded $29,400 from the Northern Scientific Training Program (NSTP). The funding will support 12 graduate and senior undergraduate student field projects in northern Canada for the 2006/7 year. "The grant is the most Laurier has received from NSTP since the university began submitting annual applications over 15 years ago and is a clear reflection of our continued growth in Northern research and training," says Brent Wolfe, a professor and researcher from the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies. He chairs the Laurier Northern Studies Committee and holds one of six Northern Research Chairs funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC). NSTP funding will be going towards northern research projects led by six faculty members from the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies. Research will occur in the Yukon, Northwest Territories and northern Alberta and span human, life and physical sciences. Sonia Wesche, a doctoral student at Laurier, is "a veteran third-year NSTP-er," explains Wolfe. She is studying northern environmental change from a First Nations community perspective, to understand how changes impact human-environment interactions, and how people adapt. "Dr. Wolfe and his students are studying environmental history using natural science approaches," says Wesche. "My research evolved out of their ongoing project in the Slave River Delta, NWT, after local community members in Fort Resolution expressed interest in a social science project about change." The approximately $2500 per student goes towards transportation, living expenses, freight, and translators/interpreters. "NSTP funding is critical to help offset the high cost of conducting Northern research and is used mainly to fly students to their field sites," explains Wolfe. "The NSTP funding supports longer and repeated fieldtrips, allowing us to build and maintain a good relationship with the community," says Wesche. "This is an essential component of participatory community-based research. It is often difficult to find funding for initial scoping trips to propose and initiate research. The NSTP funds provided me this opportunity, which helped to both develop relationships early on in the process, and solidify my project direction. The ongoing relationship between Laurier researchers and the people of Fort Resolution is definitely paying off." If students or professors are interested in applying to the program for support, you can contact Wolfe for more information at bwolfe@wlu.ca. NSTP was established in 1961 to help support Canadian universities and students who specialize in Northern scientific training. NSTP is managed by the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and funds approximately 300 students annually. Mallory O'Brien
Public Affairs
| 