Fellowships Spearhead New Climate Change Research In BC Universities
British Columbia’s leadership in the climate change arena has taken another step forward with the announcement today by the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS) of 22 new or extended university climate change research scholarships for 2009-10.
PICS has awarded 15 new fellowships (comprising six master's and eight PhD students plus one post-doctoral fellow) and extended the existing research scholarships for seven other graduate students. All recipients are from PICS’ collaborating universities – the University of Victoria, the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University and the University of Northern British Columbia.
PICS director Dr. Tom Pedersen says the fellowships are collectively worth more than $250,000, which represents a major investment in ensuring BC decision-makers have up-to-date, relevant research to help guide mitigation and adaptation policy decisions.
“Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing our province, and indeed our planet,” he says. “Without sound information to guide government, industry and our communities, we risk failure in mitigating and preparing for its worst impacts, and risk missing opportunities presented by the emerging green economy.”
Research topics tackled by the new PICS scholarships include:
• the expansion potential for environmentally friendly geothermal energy within BC
• future threats to BC’s hydro-electric power, and optimal strategies for Canadian wind power generation
• reducing BC’s aviation carbon footprint despite a global upswing in aircraft emissions
• the impact of climate change on the invasion of biological species and ranchland productivity
• the impact of social influences on public acceptance and adoption of new energy technologies
The seven existing PICS fellowships awarded ongoing funding include projects on pine beetle outbreaks and on “green building” design and functionality, and can be viewed at http://pics.uvic.ca/fellowship_holders.php
Pedersen says this broad range of PICS -funded research will result in solutions not just from a science and engineering perspective, but across the spectrum of human endeavour. PICS fellowships are worth up to $12,000 a year for master's students, $18,000 a year for PhD students, and $50,000 a year for post-doctoral fellows, with factors such as other awards held determining the final value.
See attached backgrounder for summary of new PICS fellowships. For further information, photos, or to be put in touch with new or existing recipients please contact the PICS communications officer or each university’s communication office.
PICS is a collaboration of BC’s four research-intensive universities hosted and led by the University of Victoria.
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