The Bridge - Fall 2004

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1, FALL 2004

NEWS FROM THE MARINE INSTITUTE

Autumn Additions MI launches new programs this fall

The first class of the Occupational Scuba Restricted Bridge course get ready for an assessment dive in Tappers Cove, Torbay.

hat do sea urchin divers, stevedores continued to evolve its suite of underwater and marine security personnel have training ever since. That initial offering in common? Yes, they all call the ocean focused on the seafood harvesting their workplace, but now these professions industry, and was geared towards sea will also be able to look to a single source urchin divers. It was a joint effort of the – the Marine Institute – for industry-driven Marine Institute, the Department of training in their respective fields.

Labour, and the Workplace Health, Safety In each of these careers, new and Compensation Commission (WHSCC). regulations and MI went on to emerging markets Divers can now benefit from incorporate further have placed this training without having to requirements from the increased demands leave the province.

Canadian Standards on workers to update Association and WHSCC to develop their training. MI has launched several separate courses for the different depths in new programs this fall in response to which divers work. companies looking for the latest skills.

In September of this year, MI introduced its first occupational scuba Diver training diver training in conjunction with an MI introduced its first occupational diver industry partner, Pro Dive Marine of program in 2001 on the heels of new Mount Pearl. The course was delivered to provincial standards legislation, and has

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27 divers, and MI diving instructor Greg Harvey says he is pleased with the response.

“Occupational divers that work in the industry know there will always be a need for continued training and skills development to ensure the safety of all dive team members,” says Harvey. He noted that divers can now benefit from this training without having to leave the province.

Mark Unsworth, a graduate of the first course offering, underlined the need for training. “This course solidified my skills and knowledge, two things needed as a dive professional,” says Unsworth.

Fellow diver Mike Philpott agrees: “The most current information on dive tables and dive medicine is always an asset.”

Successful graduates from the program can work in the occupational dive industry in seafood harvesting, aquaculture, underwater engineering inspections, archaeological investigations, police operations, underwater film production and emergency services.

Dave Bonnell, head of MI’s School of Fisheries, says he is pleased the Institute was able to work with the provincial government, the WHSCC and the FFAW to offer this new program in the province.

Continued on Page 3

IN THIS ISSUE

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

Autumn Additions.............................1 Executive Director’s Message ...........2 Message from the Editor ..................2 New Software Developments............3 Trainer of the Year ............................4 MI on the Move ................................4 International Opportunities ...............5 MI and BCIT Training Agreement......5 MY.MUN.CA......................................5

Vision 2020 Update Hitting the 400

Memorial Teaches the World ............6 FPSO Model Comes Ashore .............6 OSSC Research Benefits...................7 Installation of FPSO Simulator .........7 New Research Units .........................8 Firefighter Combat Challenge ...........8 SERT Centre Firefighting Program....9 Alumni Updates ..............................10 Alumni Profile.................................11

eople are talking – 400 people to be exact – and the Marine Institute’s Vision 2020 team is listening. The response this spring to our call for input into MI’s strategic direction was extremely encouraging, with 400 individuals participating in several rounds of consultations. So far we have met with stakeholders from our industry sectors: fisheries, aquaculture and marine biotechnology, marine transportation,

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marine recreation, oil and gas and oceans technology. We have met with representatives from Memorial University and Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, and held regional sessions in Labrador and on the Burin Peninsula. We have talked to MI students, and we have conducted planning workshops with our faculty, staff and management. The results of some of these sessions are now available at www.mi.mun.ca/vision2020.

The participation levels have been impressive; the pride we share in our Institute, overwhelming; and the insights you have been sharing with us, invaluable.

Let’s keep the momentum going!

Consultations with alumni, students, and MI employees took place in October, and validation sessions are scheduled for November, during which time we will revisit stakeholder groups to report on the proposed vision and look for feedback.

Please check the Vision 2020 Web site for dates and times of our upcoming consultations and make plans to get involved. This is your Institute. Help us craft a vision for your future that responds to emerging needs in education, industrial training, applied research and development; a vision that will meet, and perhaps even exceed, the needs and realities of life in 2020.

MI in the News ...............................12

MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR

Contact Us The Bridge is published twice a year by the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University. We welcome submissions, story ideas, photographs, letters and, of course, your comments.

Get in touch with us!

Kimberley Thornhill Editor P.O. Box 4920 St. John’s, NL, Canada A1C 5R3 Tel: (709) 778-0372 Fax: (709) 778-0672 Public.Relations@mi.mun.ca

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066-185-11-04-4000

his year is quickly coming to a close, as is the Marine Institute’s 40th anniversary. And while we’ve had a good time looking back at where we’ve been, our efforts have been focused on where we’re going — as a post-secondary education institution and as a contributor to the oceans industries in this province and around the world.

As we move into 2005, we will be sharing our Vision 2020 paper with our stakeholders and beginning the challenging work to bring about the infrastructure, people and resources to achieve our goals.

The New Year will also bring some exciting events. Right now, we’re planning for our 3rd annual Career Fair to take place February 9-10. We invite you to come meet

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the best and the brightest students Newfoundland and Labrador has to offer; hear how MI graduates are succeeding in their fields; and raise your company’s profile on campus.

In the meantime, we continue to evolve our programs and capabilities. In this issue, we look at what’s new at MI including three industrial training courses, our expanding firefighting campus in Stephenville and our latest training partnerships. We look forward seeing you in 2005 and sharing our stories of your Institute once again.

Autumn Additions Continued from cover “And with our industrial partner, Pro Dive Marine,” he says, “we were able to deliver a top-quality training program.”

MI brings new software on board

Cargo Handler (Stevedore) This fall’s cargo handler (stevedore) program is the result of a partnership between MI and the Voisey’s Bay Nickel Company (VBNC).

Recognizing growing workplace complexities for its marine terminal workers, VBNC came to the Institute looking for a comprehensive training package that included operation of loading equipment, proper packing and unpacking techniques, and handling of hazardous materials.

The result is a 10-day program that provides the skills necessary to safely load and discharge a ship’s cargo, and to safely operate, refuel and perform operator-type maintenance on forklifts, tow-motors and similar machinery. It was created with the assistance of MI instructional designers.

The program was delivered in July in Happy ValleyGoose Bay for 12 employees with funding from the Joint Voisey’s Bay Employment and Training Authority (JETA). That group co-ordinates employment and training for members of the Labrador Inuit Association, Labrador Métis Association and the Innu Nation.

Graduates will put their skills to use on ships currently providing supplies to the Voisey’s Bay construction site as well as on tanker vessels that will transport ore concentration to secondary processing facilities once mining begins.

Maritime Security The last of MI’s new fall offerings is a particularly timely one. The Institute has developed two new courses in maritime security - a ship and company security officer course and a port security officer course. Both were developed in accordance with the post-9/11 security regime adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Port facilities and shipping companies have been moving quickly to develop and implement security assessments and plans, and arrange training for their ship and land-based personnel. The MI courses each deal with identifying the security responsibilities of a port facility or vessel; outlining the development, implementation, maintenance and updating of the security plan; and reviewing the IMO code and associated regulations.

To date, the Institute has delivered the courses over 15 times with various companies at its St. John’s campus and on-site throughout the province. MI is also ensuring that the curriculum and its instructors are kept up-to-date as the IMO continue to refine and enhance the new maritime security regulations.

A one-day marine security familiarization for vessel, company and port facility personnel is also available.

naval architecture and marine fairing, power prediction, stability engineering systems design analysis and drafting. With the students have a new training tool at addition of ShipConstructor, students their disposal. The Institute has will now gain experience in powerful introduced the use of 3D production-based software.

ShipConstructor software into both Initially, second year naval its three-year diploma programs. architecture students will use Developed by Albacore ShipConstructor to define basic Research Ltd., ShipConstructor is an structural components as part of the easy-to-use, AutoCAD-based 3D program's ship structure and product-modeling software for the shipbuilding courses. In their final design and fabrication of ships and year they will build on this offshore foundation by structures. The applying their With the addition of software is ShipConstructor students will now knowledge to currently used gain experience in powerful 3D the structural by the elements of a production-based software.

University of major ship New Orleans, as well as by more design project. The marine than 100 shipyards and designers engineering systems design students worldwide. will then design and model all the “Since the near global adoption major engineering systems to suit the of computer aided drafting began, we conceptual design started by the have seen a continuing evolution in naval architects. engineering graphics as it has moved In implementing toward three dimensional pictorial ShipConstructor, the Marine Institute representations,” says Mark has partnered with local design firm Wareham, chair of the marine Genoa Design International Ltd., a engineering systems design program. ShipConstructor user, to provide “We have integrated ShipConstructor support and guidance. Both parties into our program in an effort to will benefit from the association in remain a leader within the marine that MI will strengthen its presence industry.” within the local marine industry, and Genoa Design (as well as other Powerful training tool design offices and shipyards) will Program students already utilize have access to trained graduates industry relevant software for lines proficient with ShipConstructor.

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MI NAMED TRAINER OF THE YEAR

By Gerald Anderson he National Seafood Sector Council (NSSC) held its 9th annual general meeting and first annual awards night in St. John’s in September. The Marine Institute was honored with the Educational Trainer of the Year Award.

Established in 1995, the NSSC is a national body that brings together employers, employees, unions, associations, regulatory agencies and training institutions to ensure Canada has a strong and prosperous seafood processing industry with a well-trained workforce.

Dave Bonnell, head of the School of Fisheries, said, “MI is very pleased to have been recognized by the NSSC this way. It certainly speaks to the quality of the MI instructors and staff involved in delivering NSSC courses.”

MI has delivered NSSC courses throughout the province to hundreds of processing employees. They include first line supervisor, factory clean up, sanitation and hygiene, and northern shrimp handling and processing.

“Early on MI took the decision not to

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David Bonnell, head, School of Fisheries and Ron Hyde, instructor, accept the NSSC's Trainer of the Year award from board member Marg Werseen.

develop any more of our own seafood plant worker courses in favor of using those developed by the NSSC,” Bonnell said, “and to use their courses in serving the needs of MI clients. We look forward to the NSSC playing an even larger role including the certification of plant workers

and the accreditation of all MI seafood programs.”

Bonnell was elected as an ex-offico (education) member to the NSSC Board of Directors at the annual general meeting.

MI has been a member of the NSSC since it was established.

in Tasmania November 8-11. MI instructional designer Coreen Breen delivered a paper on emerging technologies for online course delivery. Two student papers were also featured.

WaterWorks

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Captain Anthony Patterson, director of MI’s Centre for Marine Simulation, chaired a maritime simulation workshop in Victoria, BC on October 27. CCMC hosted the event as part of its WaterWorks© workshop series in conjunction with the Ocean Innovations Conference. Patterson led a panel of national and international trainers and corporations in discussing Canadian know-how in training, engineering and commercialization in marine simulation and modelling.

CMAC Annual Meeting

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MI participated in the national Canadian Marine Advisory Council (CMAC) meeting November 22-25 in Ottawa. CMAC is a forum for consultation with and information

sharing among marine community stakeholders on matters of safety, navigation and marine pollution. MI has been a longstanding member of the council.

CAMTI in Ottawa The Canadian Association of Maritime Training Institutes (CAMTI) held its meeting in Ottawa in November. Catherine Dutton, MI’s head of maritime studies, is the president of the association.

IAMU in Tasmania MI attended the 5th Annual General Assembly & Conference of the International Association of Maritime Universities (IAMU) at the Australian Maritime College

Marine engineering student Garrett Duncan, who worked with fellow students Ben Harpwood and Matthew Stares to evaluate fuel cells for ship application, presented the first paper to the international audience. The second paper, by nautical science students Melissa Hopkins, Andrew Wakeham, David Ingram and Adam Holwell on the effect of the automatic identification system on the shipping industry in the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway, will be published by the IAMU. Garrett Duncan also had the opportunity to spend three days on the island state at the IAMU student conference meeting hundreds of his fellow nautical science and marine engineering students from around the world.

Distance Partnership Targets International Opportunities wo outstanding departments from the Marine Institute and Memorial University have officially joined forces. MI International and Distance Education and Learning Technologies (DELT) will look into ways to combine their expertise in an effort to seek out international opportunities in information and communications technology.

The announcement was made in October.

“MI International is constantly looking for new opportunities, partnerships and ways to expand its service offering to international markets. Our alliance with DELT will bring additional skills and expertise to the table which will allow us to target a broader range of projects,” said MI executive director Leslie O’Reilly.

Over the next six months, Glen Penney of DELT will be working with MI International

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to conceptualize and quantify the nature of the relationship and the opportunities. Penney’s first project will be to co-ordinate marine engineering and nautical science student exchanges with other maritime universities in Canada and the European Community under the Centre for International Maritime Education and Training (CIMET) this fall. The strategic partnership is expected to be fully operational by April 2005.

DELT director Ann Marie Vaughan called the alliance “an excellent opportunity to combine the international reputation and experience of MI with the e-learning capabilities of DELT for mutual benefit.”

“We are very happy to have Glen working on this project. His years of experience and knowledge will no doubt assist us in moving this partnership forward.”

BCIT and MI sign training agreement I and the BCIT School of Construction and the Environment signed a partnership agreement in November to jointly develop and deliver national training programs for the offshore petroleum and natural gas energy, fisheries, ocean (Left) Bill Bradbury, BCIT’s project technologies, and the manager for the School of Construction environment sectors. and Environment, and MI executive director, Leslie O’Reilly sign the The British agreement during the Oceans Industries Columbia Institute of BC conference.

Technology (BCIT) is Canada’s premier polytechnic institute, and its School of Construction and the Environment is recognized as an international centre for training excellence.

In the agreement, the two institutions will work through a joint working committee to identify national training and technology transfer initiatives in each sector and develop appropriate curriculum. The partnership also enhances opportunity for student and faculty exchanges between the institutions.

John English, dean of the School of Construction and the Environment, said, “This partnership allows each of us to focus on and develop what we each do best and yet be able to deploy a full palette of services for our clients. This is good business for everyone.”

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GET READY FOR my.mun.ca

By Angie Clarke arine Institute students will soon be able to join their peers at Memorial University in accessing the student Web portal my.mun.ca. The portal connects students to a variety of Web services— student notices, a new student e-mail system, Student Banner and WebCT— through one convenient interface. It will be available later in December.

Memorial’s Department of Computing and Communications (C&C) officially launched my.mun.ca in April 2003. MI’s student portal committee was formed in

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the spring of 2004 and has been collaborating with C&C to tailor the technology to meet the specific needs of MI students.

“Our goal,” says MI portal committee member John Smith, “is to deliver to our student body customized, hassle free access to their online services. The expertise and enthusiasm of the C&C team has been invaluable in helping us integrate into this system.”

Smith says one of the biggest advantages of my.mun.ca is convenience.

The single sign feature allows students to enter one username and password and

have access to a variety of services without entering any new information.

The official launch of my.mun.ca for MI students will be in late fall, but marketing and promotion of the portal is already underway and will continue until students are fully aware of what the portal project has to offer.

“We’re very impressed with the progress so far,” Smith says. “We’re looking forward to maintaining the portal with the most current information and announcements. We encourage students to check out my.mun.ca and make it part of their daily online routine.”

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Memorial teaches the world

SeaRose FPSO Comes Ashore

Courtesy of The Gazette emorial University is again proving that its expertise is available to the world. The latest example came in July when Irish and Newfoundland fishing gear was tested in the flume tank of the Marine Institute, and broadcast using videoconferencing technology to fisheries training centres in Ireland.

Richard McCormick, marine services manager with the Irish Sea Fisheries Board (BIM), brought over two scale models of Irish fishing trawls, which were tested in the flume tank and viewed live on screen 2,000 miles away in Ireland, supported by technical commentary to highlight their underwater performance based on visual observation.

To facilitate this world-first trial, the Marine Institute rigged up cameras inside and outside the flume tank so that the fishing gear could be viewed from the side and top, with the additional facility of zooming in on critical areas.

“Everybody on the (Irish) side was extremely impressed with the quality of the pictures,” said Mr. McCormick of the three-hour videoconference.

BIM and the Marine Institute planned this project as a logical extension to a highly successful trans-Atlantic partnership, which led to the joint development of a unique distance learning navigation and stability training course specially designed with inshore fishermen in Ireland and Newfoundland in mind. This innovative e-learning course, which will be available to Irish fishermen over the Internet, courtesy of a specialist distance learning software package situated in Letterkenny Institute of Technology in Ireland, came to fruition through the combined expertise of the Marine Institute’s specialist Learning Technologies Group and BIM, supported by funding from the Ireland Newfoundland Partnership.

According to Mr. McCormick, BIM and the Marine Institute of Memorial University intend to build on the outstanding success of these two projects by co-operating further to develop more fishing and aquaculture e-learning training courses and also by intensifying the use of the flume tank’s excellent facilities and professional staff to improve fisheries conservation technology on both sides of the North Atlantic.

“The relationship with Memorial will continue,” he said. “I see no reason why it should not.”

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Presenting the SeaRose FPSO. From left Leslie O'Reilly, Executive Director, Marine Institute, Walt DeBoni, Vice-President of Canada Frontier International, Husky Energy, Ruud Zoon, General Manager, East Coast Development, Husky Energy, Dr. Christopher Loomis, VicePresident (research), Memorial University, Dr. John Lau, CEO, Husky Energy and Heather Lau, wife of Dr. Lau.

r. John Lau, president and CEO of Husky Energy, visited the Ridge Road campus in October to present the Marine Institute with a model of that company’s SeaRose FPSO. The 1:200 scale model was built at the Samsung shipyard in South Korea, and completed the 14,000-mile sea journey to Newfoundland and Labrador without damage, loaded aboard its full size counterpart.

Dr. Chris Loomis, Memorial’s vicepresident (research), and MI executive director Leslie O’Reilly accepted the model on behalf of the university.

O’Reilly noted that the model accurately reproduces the FPSO hull, propulsion system, topsides, turret structure, flare and offloading system. The hull lines are faithfully produced from the vessel lines plans. The model is also exceptional in that the Samsung team, working from drawings supplied to them, was able to accurately model the topsides oil and gas processing equipment.

It is a shipbuilding tradition for owners to have scale models built of their

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ships for display in their headquarters. MI will use the model as a study tool for its naval architecture and marine engineering systems design programs and will also make it available for scheduled public viewing.

In 2003, MI was awarded a contract to develop and deliver courses to train operations personnel for the SeaRose FPSO. The exclusive training program is specifically designed for the crewmembers who will work onboard.

In total, the Institute will deliver approximately 4,500 training days at its St. John’s, Foxtrap and Southside campuses. MI will also house the FPSO’s process control simulator for training.

The Marine Institute will be responsible for managing Maersk’s training program, including the administration and logistical coordination of subcontracted training partners, facilities, equipment and other resources that will be used during the training program.

OSSC RESEARCH PROVIDES REAL BENEFITS TO LOCAL INDUSTRY

By Rob Brown he offshore safety research unit at the Marine Institute’s Offshore Safety and Survival Centre (OSSC) has been involved in a wide range of projects at the local, national and international levels since its recent formation. From human behaviour studies in simulated evacuation situations to full-scale trials of life raft towing performance, OSSC and its collaborators have been adding to the knowledge base of offshore safety and providing useable results to clients and partners.

Two local companies have been involved with OSSC in the development and testing of their safety products – an area of interest to the research unit under its AIF funding for applied research in offshore safety. Cathexis Innovations Inc. and Mad Rock Marine Solutions Inc. have both grown their business with support

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from Memorial and NRC’s Institute for Ocean Technology business incubators.

Now with research support from OSSC, the companies are growing to new levels of success.

High tech evacuations Cathexis Innovations specializes in the development of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. They have been working on a system that can be installed on ships and offshore installations to provide valuable information about crew member positions onboard. In the event of an emergency, once the crew has mustered at the lifeboat stations, the RFID system will automatically provide a head count and give the positions of missing individuals onboard the vessel. Search times for missing crew members can be reduced significantly, allowing for faster evacuations from vessels in peril. OSSC has provided financial support for the project as well as

MI to install FPSO training simulator iemens Canada Limited, an international technology company known for innovations in health care, communications, energy, automation, transportation, and lighting industries, has custom-built a FPSO process control simulator for the Marine Institute. Siemens will install the simulator early next year, in time for training personnel for the SeaRose FPSO. The SeaRose team will depart for the field in June 2005.

Due to short project times and limited space on deck, FPSO vessels require the use of compact, flexible, high-performance processing modules. MI, together with its training partner, ODL Canada, will deliver the process control simulator training in five different modules to members of the marine and process crews on the FPSO,

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following a general familiarization course on the operations of the simulator. An engineering workstation will be used in the commissioning of the FPSO itself and will allow workers to test and verify process changes that may become necessary during initial operation.

Leader in Simulation Training MI has dedicated two rooms at its main campus to house the simulator and provide study space for students, according to the head of the school of Maritime Studies, Catherine Dutton. "We’re already internationally known for our simulation training and development," Dutton says.

"Developing our experience in process control training will only add to our overall simulation capabilities."

expert knowledge of offshore and marine operations. A full-scale ship mock-up structure for testing of the electronics and software in a realistic environment was also supplied. Following the system shakedown this fall, Cathexis hopes to make an installation onboard a vessel for offshore testing.

The Mad Rock Marine Solutions project will improve another crucial aspect of onboard safety: the hooks that release a lifeboat from the falls during launch. To date, numerous accidents have occurred worldwide during drills and training activities with conventional systems that sometimes release prematurely, often with devastating results. With support from OSSC’s research unit, Mad Rock Marine Solutions has been successful in working to design, manufacture, test and market an improved lifeboat release hook design that cannot release prematurely.

Simulation training offers many advantages. For the company, it ensures reliability in project planning and plant testing - even for highly complex processes.

For the student, procedures become transparent; operational efficiencies are achieved; and reaction times are increased.

In a safe environment, students learn how to guide operational systems out of critical situations quickly and correctly.

The simulation training is one component of MI’s contract to provide and manage the SeaRose’s overall training program, which in addition to providing a major component of the safety and simulation training, includes the administration and logistical co-ordination of subcontracted training partners, facilities, and equipment. Dutton says MI’s training experience in the oil and gas field will pay off in the long run.

"Having access to this simulator coupled with our capabilities to customize training courses will hopefully attract other FPSO training opportunities from around the world to MI."

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New research units attract early attention rotecting our fishery resources and maximizing their potential are the driving factors for MI’s newest applied research units. The Aquatic Health and Biotechnology Unit (AHBU) and the Fishery By-Products centre will open in November and already the demand for research and development projects is strong.

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Aquatic Health MI officially introduced the AHBU unit to the national stage at the Aquaculture Canada 2004 conference in Quebec City in October.

The unit offers fish and shellfish services in health assessment, product testing (e.g., vaccines, immunostimulants), educational training and alternative species development.

Project co-ordinator, Dr. Duane Barker, has studied parasites and diseases of freshwater and marine fish for over 15 years. He leads a team of well-respected researchers and aquaculture technicians that specialize in fish husbandry, finfish and shellfish nutrition, culture biology and quality assurance protocols.

“We’re taking a proactive approach to health assessment and biotechnology product development to complement the diversification and expansion of our local aquaculture and fishing industries and help ensure sustainability of these sectors,” says Barker. “We want to do that by being a central resource for commercial, scientific and government clients.”

The unit is bringing that capability to the market with a number of specialized facilities on campus including a newly renovated, artesian-well supplied, flowthrough quarantine/level II containment facility. Clients are already lining up to use the quarantine facility, as it is ideal for rigorous experimental design with 24, 120L tanks and viral disinfection capabilities. The ISO 9001 registered unit also comes equipped with a freshwater/saltwater

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recirculation system for research and a histology lab with image analysis capabilities; microbiology and chemistry laboratories and CFIA registered foodprocessing plant for nutritional studies.

The next step is to promote those capabilities beyond the local region.

Already the unit is working with a client in Scotland and is in discussions with a pharmaceutical company based in Maine and British Columbia.

Fish By-Products The Atlantic Canada Fishery By-Products Research Centre is a $5.3 million, threeyear fishery initiative. That includes $2.3 million capital for a research and development pilot plant in St. John’s, and state-of-the-art research technologies for six university research partners including labs at Memorial, Dalhousie, St. Francis Xavier, and McGill Universities. The Marine Institute, guided by an industrial advisory board, will manage and direct the project and be the hub for pre-commercial development of extraction, isolation and concentration processes for marine bioactive compounds.

“We’re bringing together a host of panAtlantic Canada experts that will create new products and industrial processes with our new infrastructure,” says Nigel Allen who will direct the by-products centre and lead a team of biochemists, process engineers and lab technicians.

Allen believes the centre will yield significant benefits for the region, including enhancing waste management, controlling production costs and creating stable employment.

“Our goal is to build our knowledge and put it to work for biotechnology, nutraceutical and food companies,” he says.

“And by reducing the waste in fishery and aquaculture sectors, we all benefit in having a better environment.”

FIREFIGHTER TEAM CAPTURES HARDWARE he MI team of Craig Harnum, Stephen Harnum, Brad Dunn and newcomer Mike Murphy had a great showing at the Scott Canadian Firefighter Combat Challenge this past Labour Day weekend in Sherbrooke, Quebec.

The team first travelled to Halifax to compete at the Atlantic Regional event where they took home bronze medals in the relay competition with a time of 1:24 seconds. All team members had very good individual runs with Craig leading the way with a 1:47, Brad with a personal best of 1:55, Mike with a time of 2:08 and Stephen with a time of 2:46. The overall team time worked out to 5:50, placing them sixth overall. Those times qualified the team to move on to the Canadian national competition.

Again the relay team preformed very well and ranked high amongst some of the top teams in the country, consistently running a time of 1:19. Individually, all team members preformed extremely well, all running personal best times. Craig ran a solid 1:41, Mike came in with a 1:56 and Stephen with a 2:24, knocking off over 20 seconds from his time in Halifax.

Brad was unable to attend the national event.

The team will now focus on offseason training at local fitness facilities in Stephenville and St. John’s in preparation for next year’s competition.

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SERT Centre to Deliver Firefighting Training Program he Marine Institute announced in October that it will expand the Safety and Emergency Response Training Centre (SERT Centre) in Stephenville to offer its firefighting and recruitment certificate program beginning in January 2005. The 26-week program prepares graduates, through classroom and practical training and certification, to work with municipal and industrial fire departments. The expansion will allow MI to move the program from its Offshore Safety and Survival Centre (OSSC) to accommodate increased demand for marine and offshore petroleum related safety training at that facility.

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New facilities and positions The SERT Centre was officially opened in November 2003 with $1.04 million in funding from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) to deliver certified safety and emergency training for the aviation, oil and gas, fish harvesting,

and marine transportation sectors in the Atlantic region. A $250,000 purpose-built firefighting simulator will be constructed this fall that will enhance the aviation crash training field, emergency response and crash vehicles as well as student facilities and classrooms. Two positions will be established in Stephenville by the SERT Centre expansion.

MI executive director Leslie O’Reilly says the expansion will benefit all partners in the project.

SERT partners welcome expansion “The SERT Centre has been in operation for less than a year but has already proven its exceptional expertise to a number of municipal, aviation and industrial clients who have trained at this campus. Our students and clients will find that this expanded facility will greatly enhance their training experience as future firefighting professionals,” said O’Reilly.

“The Town of Stephenville and our partner, the Stephenville Airport Corporation, will also benefit from further spin-off activity as a result of increased training.” O’Reilly also explained that the institute will work with the Stephenville campus of the College of the North Atlantic to enhance its administrative and students services at the SERT Centre.

Mayor Cec Stein welcomed the announcement. “We’re very proud to have this state-of-the-art training program and facility in our town. The expansion will attract more local, national and international students to the area and increase opportunities for our businesses and services.”

Pamela Walsh, president of the

College of the North Atlantic, welcomes the opportunity to collaborate on the implementation and operation of the firefighting program at the SERT Centre.

“We’re confident that the enhanced partnering between the Marine Institute and the College will lead to exciting growth at the SERT Centre.”

The Institute will focus its OSSC in Foxtrap to deliver training programs for the marine transportation and offshore petroleum sectors. This includes completing the $2.5 million contract to train the SeaRose FPSO operations personnel. In May 2004, the Institute also announced its intention to construct a marine base in Holyrood to broaden its capability in environmental response and small craft operations training.

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UPDATES B. Craig Adams

Al Rose

Greg Tilley

(Diploma of Technology – Mechanical ’95) recently took over all engineering and design build operations for Canada and the U.S. for Ocean Park Mechanical in BC.

(Advanced Diploma in Fisheries Development ’95) works with Fisheries and Oceans Canada in Peterborough, ON.

(Naval Architecture ’01) works with Oceanic Consulting Corporation. He is a naval architect, health and safety co-ordinator, quality assurance co-ordinator and designer on the Alinghi model test team.

Frank Antle (B. Tech. ’03) is working with Newfoundland Power.

Lloyd Short (Commercial Refrigeration Certificate ’72) retired in 2003. He lives in Chilliwack, BC.

David Stirling Tony Bambury (Marine Engineering Technology ’03) is an engineer with Algoma Central Marine in St. Catharine’s, ON.

Rob Freake (Diploma in Naval Architecture ’93) works with Transport Canada in Ontario.

He is married to Christine and has "three kids": Joey and Payton (Rottweilers) and Missy (Beagle).

Jonathon Lee (Naval Architecture ‘01, Marine Systems Design ’02) works with E.Y.E. Marine Consultants. He lives in Nova Scotia.

Nancy Murphy (Naval Architecture Technology ’02) is in British Columbia, where she works with Robert Allan Ltd.

Ross Patten (Nautical Science ’96) lives in Aberdeen, Scotland where he works with Tidewater Marine. He was promoted to captain in February 2004.

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(Advanced Diploma in Aquaculture ’02) works with Heritage Salmon Limited in British Columbia.

Chad Stuckless (Diploma in Electrical Engineering Technology ’91) works with Weldwood Canada in Alberta.

Fraser Walker (Nautical Science ’01) is working worldwide as a third officer with P&O Princess Cruises.

Karl Whelan (B.Sc. ’95, Advanced Diploma in Aquaculture ’96) has been living in New Brunswick since graduation. He is the manager of Stolt Seafarms.

A L U M N I

PROFILE

LISA AUSUM

Recipe for Success

By Gerald Anderson

Excellent employment rate

isa Ausum’s career path has taken her, quite literally, out of the kitchen… and into the laboratory of one of Atlantic Canada’s leading aquaculture companies. A 2004 graduate of the Marine Institute’s Food Technology program, the former restaurant cook is now technical manager with Cooke Aquaculture’s Atlantic Fish Specialties Division in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

This is a good time to be a graduate from MI’s Food Technology program. Every member of Lisa’s 2004 graduating class has found employment.

“There are lots of jobs in this field,” she says. “I had several job offers even before I graduated. I started my job here with Cooke Aquaculture the day after I graduated from the Marine Institute and had job offers from two other facilities at the same time.”

Married for over three years, Lisa feels she has finally found her niche, and she credits her enrollment at the Marine Institute for preparing her for the demands – and rewards – of her new job.

L

New program fit the bill After graduating from Holy Heart of Mary High School in 1994, followed by a twoyear stint at Memorial University, Lisa attended culinary school on Prince Edward Island. She then began a successful threeyear career as a cook in the restaurant business.

“But I needed something more,” she recalls. “I saw an advertisement in the newspaper for the Marine Institute’s new three-year Food Technology program and I decided to pursue a career in food science or food technology.” That program was introduced in 2001. Graduates have the option of completing 12 additional university courses and earning their Bachelor of Technology degree. Lisa is halfway through her degree program and will continue to work on it next semester.

“The degree option is very important.

The good thing about the B. Tech program is that you can complete 100 per cent of the program through distance learning. I can work here in PEI and at the same time earn a degree from Memorial University.”

“Cooke Aquaculture is a great place to work.

I am responsible for about 60 employees including responsibility for the company’s quality program and supervision of all quality assurance and plant employees. I do all of the companies product development as well. I really enjoy it.”

“Enrolling in the Food Technology program is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

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Bonnell named to board David Bonnell, head of MI’s School of Fisheries, was elected to the National Seafood Sector Council’s Board of Directors as the ex-officio educational representative at their Annual General Meeting in St. John’s on September 16.

Premier meets with students During a recent industry study tour, graduate students in the Advanced Diploma in Sustainable Aquaculture program discussed aquaculture training and the importance of sustainable aquaculture development with Premier Danny Williams.

From left to right: Michelle Bachan

(Trinidad & Tobago), Kristine Steffensen (Norway), Sherry Power (NL), Premier Williams, Ryan Legge (NL), Melanie McLaughlin (New Brunswick), Nadia MacPhee (Nova Scotia), Cyr Couturier (Chair, Aquaculture), Natasha Hynes (NL).

Aquaculture scholarships

Aquaculture Canada 2004 Cyr Couturier of MI’s School of Fisheries was the program chair for Aquaculture Canada 2004, the national forum for technology, science, and business of sustainable aquaculture, held in Québec City October 17-20. Couturier and other MI faculty members, including Dr. Duane Barker and Dr. Laura Halfyard, were invited to present the findings of their research projects and chair sessions at the national conference. MI also promoted its industrial training and applied research services at the trade show and introduced its new Aquatic health and Biotechnology Unit.

The Bridge c/o The Marine Institute Office of Marketing and Business Development P.O. Box 4920

Keith Sullivan

Marine Institute students Cris Jenkins (M.Sc. Aquaculture), Keith Sullivan and Stephanie Synard (both Advanced Diploma in Sustainable Aquaculture) were awarded national travel Cris Jenkins scholarships of $500 each to attend the Aquaculture Canada 2004 conference in October in Quebec City.

Jenkins presented work on his M.Sc project while Sullivan and Synard presented the findings of their independent research option projects. Only 12 such scholarships were awarded across Canada this year.

MI’s Advanced Diploma in Sustainable Aquaculture program has the highest enrolment of all advanced programs for 2004-2005. Students for this year's cohort originate from three countries and across Atlantic Canada.

St. John’s, NL Canada A1C 5R3 Public.Relations@mi.mun.ca www.mi.mun.ca Stephanie Synard