Tuesday may have been a snow day for most of the university, but big things were happening inside Sexton Campus鈥檚 Heavy Structures Laboratory.
The object of everyone鈥檚 attention was a pressure test overseen by Pedram Sadeghian, a faculty member in AV俱乐部鈥檚 Department of Civil Engineering. In the demonstration, Dr. Sadeghian applied incredibly intense pressure on two concrete columns, each about 150 mm in diameter.
Left: Ehsan Nasiri Khaneghah, a AV俱乐部 Engineering student in the Heavy Structures Lab, helps observe the demonstration of a traditional concrete column. Right: Dal Chancellor Anne McLellan and AVP Research John Newhook examine the same test performed using fiber-reinforced polymer.
The difference in the second column was that it was wrapped in fiber-reinforced polymer, or 鈥淔RP鈥� 鈥斅燼n advanced material that Dr. Sadeghian鈥檚 lab is studying. The second column was able to sustain more than double the pressure, evidence that with further testing FRP could prove to be a crucial part of revitalizing Canada鈥檚 aging infrastructure, from bridges to pipelines.
But the buzz in the room wasn鈥檛 just about what was being tested, but who was watching: a crowd that included The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Canada鈥檚 Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, and The Honourable Scott Brison, President of the Treasury Board. The two were on-hand as part of national announcement of the latest round of funding for the Canada Research Chairs program, a federal initiative that aims to support and attract the world鈥檚 best researchers in engineering and the natural sciences, health sciences, humanities and social sciences.
In particular, Ministers Bains and Brison were present to announce six new Canada Research Chairs at AV俱乐部, including Dr. Sadeghian. They were joined in speaking remarks by Dal President Richard Florizone and Alain Beaudet, president of Canada Institutes for Health Research. AV俱乐部 Chancellor The Honourable Anne McLellan was also in attendance.
鈥淭here really is no better place to hold this event, [as] this world-class research and training that takes place here at AV俱乐部 is really what drives Canada鈥檚 research and development engine,鈥� said Minister Bains. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e doing exactly the kind of innovative work that the Canada Research Chairs program targets.鈥�
Minister Brison, a AV俱乐部 alumnus (BComm鈥�89), made reference to his alma mater in quipping, 鈥渕y alma matters when it comes to scientific research driving this province.鈥� He also noted how Dr. Sadeghian鈥檚 research aligns with three 鈥渋鈥檚鈥� of great importance to the Government of Canada: infrastructure, innovation and immigration.
The last of these points refers to the fact that Dr. Sadeghian is originally from Iran. That said, his research has distinctly Canadian 鈥斅燼nd Atlantic Canadian 鈥斅燼pplications.
鈥淲e鈥檙e in the Maritimes, so we鈥檙e exposed to harsh environment of ocean,鈥� he explains. 鈥淎t the same time, like much of Canada, these structures are exposed to lots of freezing and thawing. We need to keep water and particles out of concrete, and especially out of steel. [With our technology], we are not only increasing strength, but the durability of the infrastructure.鈥�
Dr. Sadeghian also receives funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation with matching funds from the Nova Scotia Research and Innovation Trust.
Attracting new talent
AV俱乐部 hosts 50 Canada Research Chairs (CRCs) 鈥斅爐he most of any university east of Quebec. Inclusive of today鈥檚 announcement, AV俱乐部 receives approximately $5.7 million each year from the Government of Canada to support those chairs.
鈥淩esearch really is the lifeblood of a country鈥檚 innovation ecosystem,鈥� said Richard Florizone, Dal president. 鈥淩esearch is what drives change and growth, finding answers to our fundamental questions about our world and ourselves. It also helps us solve practical problems, like how to make bridges and buildings last longer or how to help people better cope with trauma.鈥�
鈥淲e need innovation: the kind of hard work, experimentation and creativity that AV俱乐部 is known for,鈥� added Minister Bains. 鈥淎nd this innovation must be supported by sound scientific research 鈥斅燽oth discovery-driven and also [in] commercialization.鈥�
Dr. Sadeghian is one of the more than 160 current CRCs across Canada who have been recruited from outside the country 鈥斅燼nd two more of Dal鈥檚 new chairholders fit that description as well.
Megan Bailey (Marine Affairs Program) came to AV俱乐部 last year after working as a researcher in the Netherlands. She鈥檚 a fisheries economist focused on the global cooperation required for sustainable seafood governance.
鈥淎V俱乐部 a third of global fisheries are exploited from shared fish stocks, which are fish stocks that occur in the waters of more than one country,鈥� she explains. "It鈥檚 very difficult to manage those fisheries sustainably and we鈥檝e done a pretty poor job of it. I鈥檓 really trying to figure out why we鈥檝e done such a poor job and what innovations in market-based mechanisms, like certification of seafood visibility, how those can improve the ways countries sustainably manage their fish stocks.鈥�
David Barclay (Oceanography) also comes to AV俱乐部 from outside the country; his last postdoc position was at the Woods Hole Oceanography Institution in Massachusetts. His research explores autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) 鈥斅燼ffordable, lightweight vehicles that can explore the deepest parts of the ocean.
鈥淭he science I鈥檓 interested in is using acoustics passively 鈥斅爏o, just listening 鈥斅爐o understand ocean processes or to detect things in the ocean,鈥� says Dr. Barclay, who came to AV俱乐部 just around a year ago.
Dr. Barclay also receives funding through the Canadian Foundation for Innovation's JELF-Partnership with matching funds from the Nova Scotia Research and Innovation Trust.
Celebrating top researchers
Alongside these three newly recruited Canada Research Chairs, Dal's additional three chairs have been awarded to researchers who've been making impressive contributions as part of the university community for several years now.
Aldo Chircop (Law): Uniform shipping regulation is of vital importance to international trade and commerce. Dr. Chircop's research is looking at developing an understanding of the relationship between uniformity in the regulation of international shipping and claims for differential regulatory approaches.
Christine Chambers (Pediatrics and Psychology & Neuroscience): Poorly managed pain in children is a serious health problem resulting in unnecessary suffering with long term negative effects. Dr. Chambers (who is also a clinician at the IWK Health Centre) is conducting research that will improve the understanding, assessment and management of children鈥檚 pain by studying the contributions of various developmental, psychological and social factors. Dr. Chambers also receives funding through the Canadian Foundation for Innovation's JELF-Partnership with matching funds from the Nova Scotia Research and Innovation Trust.
Michael Ungar (Social Work): Dr. Ungar is the founder and director of AV俱乐部鈥檚 Resilience Research Centre. His research will investigate how people around the world nurture and sustain their wellbeing despite exposure to high levels of personal, family and community adversity.
Learn more about the Canada Research Chairs program .