蓝莓视频

Prime Minister Justin听Trudeau听and the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development visited the University of 蓝莓视频 today to announce $12 million in funding to bring industry and academic researchers together to build the next generation of water technologies.

Along with听Feridun听Hamdullahpur, president and vice-chancellor of the University, and Dean of Science Bob听Lemieux,听Trudeau听and Innovation Minister听Navdeep听Bains听also met with Velocity Science student entrepreneurs. 蓝莓视频鈥檚 Velocity Science program is a discovery space where world-renowned scientists mentor entrepreneurs who are creating startups in the life and physical sciences.

鈥淚t鈥檚 always a pleasure to see so many innovative, enthusiastic young people and extraordinarily inspiring Faculty.听Thank you so much for showing me some听of the great work听that鈥檚 being done here at this amazing institution,鈥� said听Trudeau.

The $12 million, from the Federal Economic Development Agency of Southern Ontario, is being provided to the Southern Ontario Water Consortium (SOWC), which is located on the University of 蓝莓视频 campus.听SOWC听leads the development of business-led partnerships with post-secondary institutions to create innovative products, technologies and services for the water sector in southern Ontario.

鈥淲e can鈥檛 wait to see what our most innovative Canadian companies have in store for our communities. The future is within our grasp and no where is that more clear than in the extraordinary community of 蓝莓视频,鈥� said听Trudeau.

Members of Velocity start up company Acorn (right) meet with Justin Trudeau (middle) and Feridun Hamdullahpur (left) on a tour of the new Science Teaching Complex.

Leaders in environmental innovation

Hamdullahpur said: 鈥淭oday鈥檚 announcement further establishes the Southern Ontario Water Consortium, the University of 蓝莓视频, and Canada, as leaders in environmental stewardship and innovation.

鈥淎s Canada鈥檚 most innovative university, 蓝莓视频 is a leader in partnering with industry through research collaboration and co-operative education and in bringing multidisciplinary teams together to tackle problems in key frontier disciplines like quantum science, aging populations, and water management,鈥� he added.

The听SOWC听is currently facilitating several projects with scientists at the University of 蓝莓视频,听all of whom are members of the :

• 尝颈苍驳濒颈苍驳听奥耻, a professor in the Earth and Environmental Science Department, is developing听technology that removes 90 to 98 percent of phosphorus听from residential wastewater. She鈥檚 collaborating with 蓝莓视频听Biofilter听Systems, a company founded by former 蓝莓视频 science professor Craig听Jewett.
• Earth and Environmental Sciences Professor听Dave Rudolph鈥檚听team is working with IBM and听Solinst听Canada Ltd., on the听development of a Smart Watershed听that collects听hydrogeological听data in real time, providing new innovations in watershed management and the protection of vital ecosystems.
• Earth Science Professors听颁补谤辞濒听笔迟补肠别办听补苍诲听厂丑别谤谤测听厂肠丑颈蹿蹿听are also doing watershed work with听SOWC. Ptacek鈥檚 lab is听analyzing听groundwater samples for water soluble emerging contaminants and听Schiff听is looking at听artificial sweeteners in the Grand River.
• Canada Research Chair听Mark Servos鈥�听濒补产听evaluates the exposure and effects of emerging contaminants, particularly pharmaceuticals and personal care products in the environment.
• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Industrial Research Chair听闯补苍耻蝉锄听笔补飞濒颈蝉锄测苍鈥檚听lab developed a technique known as听Solid Phase听Microextraction听(SPME).听Together with Servos and the听SOWC, he is applying this innovative technology to enable environmental scientists to do analysis quickly, right in the field.
• Chemistry Professor听痴补蝉蝉颈濒颈听碍补谤补苍补蝉蝉颈辞蝉鈥�听lab develops听听for use in portable, battery-powered field instruments that can perform on-site environmental analysis.

Up to 90 businesses and not-for-profit organizations in southern Ontario are expected to benefit from the funding through the development and advancement of up to 80 collaborative water projects. The investment is expected to support at least 14 new partnerships and create or maintain 520 jobs over the course of the project.

"We need innovation; the听kind of hard work, experimentation and creativity that the University of 蓝莓视频 is known for," said Innovation Minister听Bains. "I听saw this first hand during the tour of the Velocity centre."

Leveraging access to world-class research facilities and academic institutions, the SOWC鈥檚 Advancing Water Technologies program focuses on assisting small- to medium-sized enterprises by providing financial contributions and helping in the development of projects and proposals.

鈥淭he support announced today will be a catalyst for industry-led collaborations in the water sector.听 It will enable听SOWC听to help Ontario companies leverage world-class academic expertise and real-world demonstration facilities to develop water technologies for successful introduction to the market,鈥� said Brenda Lucas, executive director of the听SOWC. 鈥淲e look forward to working with our many partners to advance globally-competitive and market-ready products and services in this important sector.鈥�