News and Events
November 2012
11th Annual H.B.N. Hynes Lecture: Dr. David Schindler
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta
We are fortunate to be hosting Dr. David Schindler, Killam Memorial Professor of Ecology from the University of Alberta as this year’s H.B.N. Hynes lecturer. He is one of Canada’s top environmental scientists and is known worldwide for his leadership in aquatic sciences, especially in understanding the effects of eutrophication and acid precipitation on lakes.
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Public Lecture: “The Oil Sands: Economic Saviour or Environmental Disaster?” Nov 15th, 7 pm, Hazen Hall Lecture Theatre, UNB Saint John
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Science Lecture: “The Dilemma of Controlling Cultural Eutrophication" Nov 16th, 3 pm, Kent Auditorium, Wu Centre, UNB Fredericton
August 2012
PhD Oral Examination by Laura Noel
Laura Noel will defend her PhD thesis on August 20, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. in Room 22, Loring Bailey Hall.
Click here to view the abstract.
June 2012
MSc Defense and Examination by Katrina Chu
Msc Defense and Examination by Katrina in the Department of Biology is scheduled for Monday, June 25th, 2012 at 10 am in Loring Bailey Hall room 27 (common room).
Click here for more information.
Congratulations to Dr. David Soto!
Dr. David Soto, the Science Manager in the Stable Isotopes in Nature Laboratory (SINLAB) recently was awarded the best PhD Thesis in Limnology for the biennium 2010-2011by Iberian Society of Limnology. In recognition of this very significant achievement, David has been invited to present his findings in a keynote address at the XVIth Congress of the Iberian Society of Limnology in Guimarães (Portugal) from 2 to 6 of July 2012. Please join me in congratulating David.
May 2012
Save ELA Petition
The government recently announced the closure of the Experimental Lakes Area (ELA). This one-of-a-kind facility has been in operation for over 40 years and has been critical for understanding human impacts on aquatic systems and for influencing changes in environmental policies. A petition has been launched by the Coalition to Save ELA. For more information about the petition and how you can help click here.
April 2012
2012 National River Management Symposium (April 24-26, 2012, Asheville, North Carolina)
Click here for more information.
Congratulations!
Congratulations to Andrew Cowie, Katie Biggs, and Nicole Chaisson in the Martyniuk lab for receiving UNB Graduating Student Leaders’ Awards.
March 2012
Ice Fishing Derby - CANCELLED!!**
The 12th Annual NBCFWRU and CRI Ice Fishing Derby to be held on March 17, 2012 has been cancelled due to deteriorating ice conditions.
Click here for more information.
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February 2012
2012 CRI Student Retreat Workshop
The CRI Student Retreat Workshop will be held on February 25th, 2012.
Click here for more information.
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[UPCOMING] - Andrews Initiative Speaker Series
The Andrews Initiative 2012 Year of Water Speaker Series will run from February 16th until April 10th, 2012.
Click here for more information.
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Forest Task Force Symposium
The New Brunswick Private Lands Taskforce and Crown Lands Taskforce will present a day-long symposium on their reports and recommendations at the Hugh John Flemming Forestry Centre February 13 in Fredericton.
Click here for more information.
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CWRA Workshop
The New Brunswick branch of the Canadian Water Resources Association is organizing a one-day workshop on fresh water management in Atlantic watersheds and municipalities. The workshop will be held on February 3, 2012 at Université de Moncton.
More information: English - Français
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MSc Defense and Examination by Sherisse McWilliam Hughes
Msc Defense and Examination by Sherisse McWilliam Hughes in the Department of Biology is scheduled for Monday, February 6th, 2012 at 10 am in Loring Bailey Hall room 27 (common room).
Click here for more information.
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PhD Oral Exam - Alexa Alexander Trusiak
A PhD oral exam for Alexa Alexander Trusiak, candidate in Biology, will be held on Feb. 1 at 1 pm in Loring Bailey Hall, Room 27 (common room).
Thesis title: Effects of Multiple Stressors on Macroinvertebrate Communities
Abstract
January 2012
Atlantic Leadership Workshop
Click here for more information
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Canadian Conference for Fisheries Research (CCFFR and SRL) coming up: January 5-7, 2012
It is being held this year at the Delta Beausejour in Moncton. For more information or to register, click here.
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CRI Science Director and team awarded almost $600K from the Canadian Water Network
"Towards a regional monitoring framework for cumulative impacts assessment in the Northumberland Strait: Linking land-use stressor loads, and nearshore biological integrity."
Led by Dr. Michael van den Heuvel, the Canada Research Chair in Watershed Ecological Integrity at the University of Prince Edward Island, they will receive $592,500 from CWN over three years.
His team, involving seven researchers across six universities and institutions, will identify biological monitoring endpoints and techniques best suited to the needs of end users to develop a sustainable regional monitoring framework for estuaries in the Northumberland Strait. Research will be conducted in 18 estuaries across the range of nutrient and sediment stress in the Northumberland Strait. Research will be divided into quantifying land-based stressors, monitoring tools for estuarine integrity, and developing stressor-based models of estuarine impacts.
Dr. van den Heuvel’s research team responded to the Northumberland Strait–Environmental Monitoring Partnership, whose call sought proposals to examine the cumulative effects of land-based nutrients, sediments and contaminants on coastal economic activities within a number of drainage basins along Northumberland Strait.
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MEM Report Presentation - Humpfrey Akwar
The MEM Report Presentation of Humpfry Akwar will be held on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 9:00 am. Click here for more details.
December 2011
CRI's Water Grandmother Cecelia Brooks Discusses Fracking with CBC News
Click here to watch the news clip
November 2011
Hynes Lecture 2011
This year's Hynes Lecturer will be Dr. David Allan, from the University of Michigan, with lectures on November 7th and 8th. For more information, click here.
October 2011
Benthic Macroinvertebrate Workshop, October 28*, 2011
The CRI would like to invite you to a free BMI sorting and taxonomic workshop. Click here for more information.
To register, click here.
*Please note: The workshop has been modified from a two-day (27th-28th) to a one-day format (28th only).
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CONGRATULATIONS to Recent CRI Graduates
The CRI would like to congratulate the following students on the completion of their degrees:
Cindy Breau (PhD)
Andrea Chute (MSc)
Kelly Sparks (MSc)
Bill Tibble (MSc)
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Nathan Wilbur (supervisor Allen Curry) Discusses his Research with the Globe and Mail
September 2011
Congratulations to CRIers Adam and Jessica
The CRI would like to congratulate Adam Bliss (Technician, CRI Benthic Macroinvertebrate (BMI) Lab) and Jessica MacPhee (Environment Canada Technician) on their successful testing and certification in the North American Benthological Society* Taxonomic Certification Program.
They both successfully passed the hugely stressful and difficult Genus-level testing for Group 2 EPT-East. The test allows for only one mistake/misidentification so they trained hard and showed off their taxonomic skills in order to get this designation!
*newly renamed the Society for Freshwater Science.
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'Report on Water Quality at the University of New Brunswick Fredericton Campus' - Nov 2010
Last fall, students from the UNB Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management's course ENR 2114: Water Sustainability - Practice and Technology designed and conducted a preliminary study looking at drinking water quality on the Fredericton campus as part of their coursework. The students took water quality samples at various water fountains on campus, as well as bottled water, to test for 6 common metals (lead, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, and cadmium). The water samples were analyzed by the NB Department of Environment Water Lab and sample analysis was funded in full by the Canadian Rivers Institute.
The students found levels of lead above the health advisory levels and summarized their findings in their final project report (PDF - 2.1 MB).
Given that this preliminary report was part of the impetus for the recent expanded study conducted by UNB's Facilities Management, we wanted to post this final report to highlight the work the students did. This highlights the utility of real and applied projects in academic courses that can actually make a significant difference. The students learned a tremendous amount and accomplished a tremendous amount through the course of their semester-long project.
July 2011
CRI Day July 8, 2011
On July 8th, 2011 at the Wu Conference Centre (UNB-Fredericton), we celebrated our first 10 years of success with the release of the Saint John River State of the Environment Report.
March 2011
Kelly Munkittrick Appointed Scientific Director of Canadian Water Network
"The Canadian Water Network and its Board of Directors are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Kelly Munkittrick as Scientific Director. His appointment is effective March 18, 2011.
As Scientific Director, Dr. Munkittrick will lead the development of a network of innovative researchers, practitioners and implementers focused on providing clean, safe and sustainable water across Canada and internationally"...... go to CWN website for complete article.
February 2011
CRI Day is Announced for July 8, 2011
Please stay tuned for exciting news about CRI Day 2011. This will be a day of special guests, informative research presentations and the launch of our 10th anniversary celebrations!
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Dr. Kelly Munkittrick receives $591,500 in NSERC Funding
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Munkittrick, CRI Fellow and Canada Research Chair in Ecosystem Health Assessment, has received $591, 500 from NSERC to study the recovery of fish populations near pulp and paper mills. His research group will visit closed mill sites across the province to see whether the fish populations have recovered from reproduction effects by comparing the results to previous studies done in these areas when the mills were operational.
January 2011
CRI Adds New Courses and Selects Course Dates for 2011
We have added exciting new courses including Stream Hydrology & Habitats with Drs. Bob Newbury and Michelle Gray; Assessing EEM Data (online); Multivariate Statistical Methods with Dr. Roger Greem (UWO). Please see our Professional Training page for 2011 courses & dates.
November 2010
Cecelia Brooks Visits Global High, an Early College High School in
Waxahachi, Texas
In mid-November, Cecelia Brooks, of the CRI, had an opportunity to visit Global High, an Early College High School in Waxahachi (Buffalo Creek), Texas. With Principal Mr. Don Snook, she toured the facility, visited with teachers and students and observed their interactions in this new cutting-edge school. Each student enrolled at Global is from a family in which he or she would be the first person to attend a post-secondary institution. Many of the students are from First Nations’ communities. The model used at Global High is also being used by 200 schools in 24 states in the United States.
Learning is project-based, hands on, and lessons are based on real-world applications of knowledge and skills in curriculum which prepares students for college. Schools have their own areas of focus, and Global High is part of the STEM schools which focus on science technology, engineering and math. Students who qualify may also use some of the courses for college credit.Principal Snook said “I tell everyone that Global is a place where ordinary kids do incredible things. We challenge the kids to do things that traditional education tells us can’t be done. Our kids prove every day that when you set the bar high, they are fully capable of reaching it.” He believes that this is the “future of education...as it creates a pathway to higher learning and careers.”
Ms. Brooks would like to explore the possibility of bringing some of these ideas to New Brunswick. She says that this school is very impressive and is a tremendous opportunity for students. “It is making such a difference in Waxahachi” and Cecelia would like to see if such a programme could be piloted here. She thinks that this kind of model could potentially inspire high school students whose families do not have experience with the post-secondary system to consider college and university and careers in the sciences, especially in forestry and environmental management.
Last Updated May 24, 2012
