•Lights, camera, action –
the Aurora Borealis, live online
•New radar system to predict weather
for 2010 Winter Games
•McGill scholars win top academic prizes
•Research boost for auto industry
•Canadian pair win international
scientific tournament
Lights, camera, action –
the Aurora Borealis, live online
The Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, are one of the world′s greatest natural spectacles but seeing them involves a long journey to the far north. However, the Canadian Space Agency, the City of Yellowknife, the University of Calgary and Astronomy North have joined forces to create AuroraMax, an online observatory that will feature live broadcasts of the phenomenon so you can enjoy the show from the comfort of your armchair.
Steve MacLean, president of the Canadian Space Agency says, "We′re proud to be part of this five year project that will promote the Aurora Borealis, one of the North′s greatest treasures."
A team of scientists, lead by space physicist Eric Donovan of the University of Calgary, has developed one of the world′s most advanced networks of Auroral cameras and the images it produces will become an important part of Canada′s contribution to NASA′s mission to study the Aurora. The images will also be shared with scientists around the world.
The official press announcement of AuroraMAX in Yellowknife, Canada on February 25, 2009.
The online observatory will be managed by the Canadian Space Agency and Astronomy North, a society based in Yellowknife which is dedicated to observing and exploring Canada′s Northern sky. "The timing of this project couldn′t be better," says James Pugsley, president of Astronomy North. "As the sun approaches Solar Maximum in 2012, there will be a dramatic increase in the intensity and frequency of the northern lights. It′s the greatest light show on earth and AuroraMax will give you a front row seat."
The Northern Lights occur when charged particles from the sun collide with gases in the earth′s upper atmosphere.
The AuroraMax observatory and website will go live in September.
McGill scholars win
top academic prizes
Professors at McGill University have won three of the five prestigious Killam Prizes awarded annually in Canada to mark outstanding scholarship in the fields of health sciences, natural sciences, engineering, social sciences and humanities.
Dr. Philippe Gros, James McGill Professor in Biochemistry in the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Centre has done groundbreaking work in genetics, including leading a research team that identified the gene that causes spina bifida.
Professor Wagdi G. Habashi is an internationally recognised authority in Computational Fluid Dynamics and has developed mathematical solutions to a wide range of complex aerospace problems for aircraft, rotorcraft and jet engines.
And François Ricard, James McGill Chair in Quebec Literature and Modern Fiction in the Department of French Language and Literature, has made numerous contributions to Quebec's literary history placing him among the top historians of contemporary Canadian society.
The $100,000 Killam Prizes were inaugurated in 1981 and created to honour eminent Canadian scholars and scientists actively engaged in research, whether in industry, government agencies or universities.
"We are immensely proud of these distinguished scholars, all of whom have received numerous honours throughout their remarkable careers," says McGill University Principal and Vice-Chancellor Heather Munroe-Blum.
The other two winners this year were Dr John P. Smol of Queen′s University, who is one of the world′s leading environmental scientists and Professor Ernest J. Weinrib of the University of Toronto, a pre-eminent legal theorist and an internationally acclaimed scholar of private law.
New radar system to predict weather for 2010 Winter Games
Athletes competing in the 2010 Winter Games will have access to up-to-the-minute weather forecasts thanks to the installation of a $1million Doppler radar system.
The radar provides Environment Canada′s meteorologists with important information about the motion and structure of weather systems on Whistler Mountain, in the Callaghan valley - the venue for cross country skiing and other events – and along the spectacular Sea-to-Sky Highway which links Whistler with Vancouver. The radar, which is located just outside Whistler, will help determine if and when a storm or severe snowfall could cause disruption to the Games, affect transportation systems and have an impact on public safety.
"Since 2003, Environment Canada has been training and preparing to deliver weather services for the Games," says Jim Prentice, Minister of the Environment. "With this final installation of the new Doppler radar, we are ready to provide the real-time weather information that 2010 decision makers need to keep the Olympics safe and fair."
For the 2010 Winter Games, the Government of Canada has committed $13.4 million to provide weather services, leadership on Games sustainability and environmental assessments of Olympic venues.
Research boost for auto industry
A new research centre opened by the National Research Council Canada (NRC) could infuse new life into Canada′s auto industry, which like others around the world, is currently struggling due to the global economic downturn.
The Centre for Automotive Materials and Manufacturing (CAMM) based in London, Ontario, will work with the auto industry and universities to develop new technology. "It will co-ordinate country-wide activities to improve the fuel efficiency of vehicles, to develop alternative propulsion systems using electricity and hydrogen and help develop technologies to make vehicles smarter," says NRC President, Dr Pierre Coulombe.
And in a bid to create jobs and benefit scientific research in Canada, the Government of Canada will spend $19 million on modernising 28 National Research Council labs. "With this funding our scientists and researchers will have more modern work environments that will ultimately provide enhanced research and development," says Gary Goodyear, Minister for Science & Technology.
The government is also investing $170 million to give more small and medium sized enterprises access to the capital and expertise needed to commercialise new technology.
Canadian pair win
international scientific tournament
Imagine you find yourself in an unfamiliar environment where you don′t know how to get food, avoid predators or travel from A to B. Would you work out what to do on your own or copy others? And if you chose to copy others who would it be – the first individual that you see or those demonstrating the most common behaviour?
These questions were at the heart of a year-long science challenge sponsored by the EU with a 10,000 euro prize on offer for the best response.
The Challenge – called the 'Social Learning Strategies Tournament′ attracted entries from around the world from a range of academic fields including mathematics, physics, psychology and computer science.
Following intense competition, two PhD students from Queen′s University, Ontario were declared the winners. Dan Cownden, who is studying Maths and Statistics and Tim Lillicrap, studying Neuroscience, were presented with their cheque at a ceremony at St Andrews University in Scotland in April.
The pair were congratulated for their sophisticated and complex strategy that focused on decisions based on expected lifetime outcomes rather than immediate benefits.
