Director’s Report (January 2008)
There is no shortage of exciting things happening in the CRI these days. A glance across our web site will reveal our expansion of infrastructure with the opening of our UNB Saint John facility where we focus on aquatic ecosystem health assessment, fish reproductive physiology, and eco-toxicology, the addition of 2 new Fellows at UPEI and INRS (Mike van den Huevel and Andre St. Hilaire), training programmes and web services, and much more. Our statistics for the last few years are impressive: >$3M in research revenues annually, >60 students graduated (PhD, MSc), >40 students in graduate programmes each year, >250 peer-reviewed publications, etc.
Our research continues to expand in scope with projects across Canada dealing with agricultural (chemical use and water abstraction), hydroelectric developments, water supply issues, and biomonitoring in Arctic rivers and lakes, and international projects in Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, and Uruguay. Recognition of our work is growing as demonstrated by Karen Kidd’s research selected as a top scientific paper of 2007.
CRI education and training is expanding as well. We now offer courses for graduate students and professionals in river habitats, hydraulics, and restoration, electrofishing certification, and in April we’ll introduce the online training component of Environment Canada’s Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network (CABIN). In fall 2008, our first cohort of undergraduates will begin in the new BSc in Environment and Natural Resources, Water Resources Management Major. Look for more courses and programmes coming in 2009.
The SINLAB continues to expand its services in stable isotope analyses. The CRI benthic macroinvertebrate taxonomy service now has 6 staff offering sorting services to researchers and the private sector. The CRI generated >$100,000 in consulting revenues in 2007.
Our next big challenge is a new research and training facility at UNB Fredericton. To address our present need and stalled growth, we are working to build a 45,000 sqft complex for 175 researchers, staff, and students.
I am very proud of our continuing contributions to water sciences and management, and we are looking to do more.
Allen Curry, Director
