Research Report 2009-2010 - College of Engineering - University of ...

THEME 2 – ENVIRONMENT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
Overview and Relevance
This research theme is fairly broad in scope and overlaps to some extent with other
theme areas. However, it is characterized by a central focus on the impact of human
activity upon the environment, both the natural environment and the built environment
(infrastructure). The ‘Environment’ sub-theme deals primarily with the natural
environment, with research focused on the impact of agricultural, forestry, industrial or
municipal activity on the health of the natural environment and the development of
methods for monitoring, minimizing, and remediating these impacts. The ‘Infrastructure’
sub-theme focuses on the built environment, dealing primarily with the health of the
transportation and municipal systems on which society relies.
Environment
The Environment sub-theme involves faculty from the Departments of Agricultural and
Bioresource Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil and Geological Engineering,
Mechanical Engineering, and Physics and Engineering Physics as well as the Division
of Environmental Engineering. Research projects encompass studies on environmental
monitoring of the atmosphere, water, and land systems; methods of minimizing harmful
emissions to the environment; and reclamation and bioremediation of contaminated soil
and water. While research topics cut across themes and departments, the common
focus is on ensuring that human activity can be sustained by the natural environment. A
particular strength of the Engineering College is a large body of work targeting the
environmental concerns of industries vital to Saskatchewan’s and Western Canada’s
economy, including those of agriculture, forestry, mining and petroleum. Some
examples of environmental research, as categorized by the medium targeted -
atmosphere, air, water, land, or byproducts - are provided below.
Geo-space and Atmospheric Science
The Institute of Space and Atmospheric Studies (ISAS), which is a large research unit
[led by 8 professors] within the Department of Physics & Engineering Physics, is one of
the largest groups in Canada investigating terrestrial space and atmospheric
environments (‘Space Weather’ and ‘Climate Change’). The group bases its research
upon the development and operation of observational systems, with an emphasis upon
experimental design, tomography, radar-signal-processing and data analysis. Prof. St.-
Maurice, who holds a Canada Research Chair (CRC) in ‘Environmental Science,’ also
provides Campus leadership for the environmental science community on Climate
Change issues. Some examples of research projects in this group include the following:
SuperDARN and PolarDARN - G. Sofko is the P.I. for the Canadian component of a
growing international network of 11/7 HF radars in the northern/southern hemispheres.
Theme 2 – Environment – Research Report 2009-10 Page 8