Province Invests in Research Nova Scotia Trust to Advance Oceans Research
The first projects receiving funding from the Research Nova Scotia Trust will invest in oceans science and technology and have a focus on growing the province’s economy.
Premier Stephen McNeil was Joined by some of Nova Scotia’s top researchers at Dalhousie University’s Ocean Sciences building to highlight nine research projects receiving more than $6.5 million from the $25-million trust. The nine projects are expected to support more than 170 jobs, and training for more than 200 research graduates, interns, lab technicians, project managers and faculty.
The Trust is the first step to creating Research Nova Scotia and the Research Opportunities Fund.
Here are the nine projects:
Finfish & shellfish tank systems to improve nutrition in aquaculture
Stefanie Colombo, Dalhousie University
The project will focus on finding innovative ways to improve nutrition in aquaculture and contribute toward improved, healthier, environmentally sustainable and economically viable farmed seafood. The research will include designing a state-of-the-art tank system capable of rearing different species at different life stages, and implementing treatments for analysis.
Research Nova Scotia Trust funding: $80,000
Federal amount: $80,000
Other N.S. partners and in-kind: $40,000
DAMOS: Development of Autonomous Marine Observations Systems
Sara Iverson, Dalhousie University
The Development of Autonomous Marine Observation Systems (DAMOS) will dramatically improve observational capacity, and understanding of, Canada’s ocean, such as listening for endangered right whales and relay, in near real time, the animals’ location to researchers and vessels in the area. It will support Nova Scotia in tackling current science and engineering knowledge gaps that limit effective ocean management and policy development. The DAMOS project will establish, in Nova Scotia, a world-class ocean technology infrastructure built in largely by local technology firms.
Research Nova Scotia Trust funding: $2.9M
Federal amount: $2.9M
Other NS partners and in-kind: $2.4M
Environmental Monitoring: Modelling & Forecasting Infrastructure for Instream Tidal Energy
Alex Hay, Dalhousie University
This project will help support collecting data and filling knowledge gaps about environmental conditions in the Bay of Fundy and the effects of turbines on the marine environment.
Research Nova Scotia Trust funding: $322,000
Federal amount: $322,000
Other NS Partners and in-kind: $161,000
microSTARR — Ultra Sensitive Tracer Analysis for Radioisotope Research
John Gosse, Dalhousie University
The microSTARR project will provide new and upgraded equipment at Dalhousie University and University of Ottawa to improve the quality of isotope research regarding cosmic ray interactions in rock, water and ice. Isotopes are studied to determine the timing of fault earthquakes, erosion cause by rivers, recurrence of landslides over tens of thousands of years, coastal zone erosion, and age of geological events from centuries to million-year timescales. Nova Scotian researchers and businesses involved in geohazards, earth and environmental sciences, civil engineering, oceanography, aqua-culture and fisheries will also have improved access to the research they need.
Research Nova Scotia Trust funding: $125,000
Federal amount: $125,000
Other NS Partners and in-kind: $62,500
How does sound travel in high energy tidal environments? Effectiveness of acoustic monitoring systems & turbine audibility assessment
Bruce Martin, Jasco Applied Sciences Ltd/ Dalhousie University
This project will design and develop a long-term acoustic monitoring program that supports tidal energy development in the Bay of Fundy. Researchers will monitor the effects of tidal turbines on marine species in highly turbulent and ‘noisy’ flow environments to better understand the impact of turbine noise on the marine environment. The research will be used to collaborate with industry and academia to accelerate tidal energy development.
Research Nova Scotia Trust funding: $80,000
Funds from partners and other research grants: $144,000
Advanced Coastal Mapping to Support Hydrodynamic Modelling — Phase II
Tim Webster, Nova Scotia Community College
Hydrocarbon spills in the offshore marine environment are transported by wind and currents. In the nearshore, where biological diversity is highest, predicting the movement of hydrocarbon spills is further complicated by shoreline topography, seabed cover and complex longshore currents. This project aims to improve spill response planning by combining water-penetrating Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) mapping results with nearshore current measurements. This will help spill responders to predict the movement of spills in coastal environments and thus effectively respond with equipment, labor and other resources in the event of a spill.
Research Nova Scotia Trust funding: $40,000
Total other funds: $40,000
Research Equipment for the Development & Structure-Function Relationship Studies of Cryoprotectants in Seafood
Mohamed Gulam Razul, St. Francis Xavier
The goals of this research are to increase the duration of frozen storage for, and eliminate waste of, frozen lobster. It will also find ways to provide better quality frozen products for consumers which will help these products be more globally competitive. The project also focuses on the developing natural additives that will appeal to the consumers who may be concerned about the health effects of artificial chemical additives in food.
Research Nova Scotia Trust funding: $67,500
Federal amount: $67,500
Other NS Partners and in-kind: $46,000
Environmental Monitoring, Modelling & Forecasting Infrastructure for lnstream Tidal Energy
Richard Karsten, Acadia University
Using state-of-the-art field equipment and high-end computing infrastructure, Canada’s leading tidal energy research team will pursue two research thrusts: impact of the environment on turbines, and impact of turbines on the environment.
Research Nova Scotia Trust funding: $153,000
Federal amount: $503,000
Other NS Partners and in-kind: $601,000
