University secures Saskatchewan funding for nuclear research

(Image: University of Regina)Three nuclear research projects at the University of Regina have been awarded funding totalling CAD580,000 (USD424,000) by Innovation Saskatchewan through the Innovation and Science Fund (ISF).ISF matches federal innovation funding dollars for projects from Saskatchewan universities, colleges and research institutes to promote research excellence and competitiveness in the province. Innovation Saskatchewan has provided more than CAD18 million in ISF funding for innovative projects at Saskatchewan institutions since 2018.The University of Regina (U of R) projects receiving the latest funding are in nuclear energy, subatomic physics and high-performance computing in nuclear science.The first project - receiving CAD200,000 - will study ways of preventing rust and damage in materials used to protect fuel in small modular reactors (SMRs) and provide advanced training opportunities in SMRs technology.The second - receiving CAD83,109 - will be used to upgrade simulation laboratory equipment for studying nuclear matter under extreme conditions.The third project - receiving CAD300,000 - will be used to help construct and test components of the Heavy Gas Cherenkov (HGC) detector, a critical piece of the Solenoidal Large Intensity Device (SoLID), one of the world's most powerful microscopes.Innovation Saskatchewan...

Read More........→July 22, 2024

How global warming is reshaping winter life in Canada

H. Damon Matthews, Concordia University and Mitchell Dickau, Concordia University As we begin to emerge out of yet another mild winter, Canadians are once again being reminded of just how acutely global warming has changed Canada’s winter climate. The impacts of this mild winter were felt across the country and touched all aspects of winter culture. From melting ice castles at Québec’s winter carnival, to a dismal lack of snow at many Western Canada ski resorts, seemingly no part of Canada was unaffected. But the change that will likely be felt most keenly by many Canadians is the loss of a reliable outdoor skating season. For the second year running, Ottawa’s Rideau Canal Skateway was closed for what should be the peak of the skating season. In 2022-2023, the Skateway did not open at all for the first time ever. This winter, a portion of the Skateway opened briefly in January, but continuing mild temperatures forced a closure again after only four days of skating. In Montréal, fewer than 40 per cent of the city’s outdoor rinks were open in the middle of February. There is no obvious upside to this story. Outdoor skating in Canada is fast becoming the latest casualty of our failure to confront the reality of the climate crisis. On thin ice More than a decade ago, our research group published our first analysis of how...

Read More........→March 28, 2024