The Bridge - Spring 2005

VOLUME 3 ISSUE 2 SPRING 2005

NEWS FROM THE MARINE INSTITUTE

NEW MI BASE FOR HOLYROOD Marine facility will train 2,500 a year

north side of the wharf to facilitate the launch of fast rescue craft and new training equipment will be purchased. The base should be fully operational by 2006.

The Holyrood Marine Base will provide safety and survival training for the province's offshore and marine industries. (l-r) Dr. Chris Loomis, ACOA minister Joseph McGuire, Natural Resources minister John Efford and MI executive director Leslie O'Reilly.

ural Newfoundland got a big boost in April with the announcement that the Marine Institute will establish its newest marine training base in Holyrood. The facility will be geared towards safety and survival training for the offshore oil and gas sector as well as the province’s marine industries.

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“The offshore oil and gas industry is a major component of the economy in Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Minister McGuire. “MI will offer survival training in a state-of-the-art facility with a team of highly trained instructors who have industry experience. MI will provide customized, site-specific training that will enable clients across all target markets to optimize their training requirements.”

Joseph McGuire, minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), announced April 29 that The facility will include a the agency will provide “state-of-the-art facility new building to $860,303 to assist in the with a team of highly accommodate classrooms refurbishing of the and office space. The trained instructors” marine infrastructure at existing wharf will be Holyrood to accommodate the new upgraded, including new fendering, training facility. Natural Resources bumpers and curbing around the wharf and Minister John Efford, MP for Avalon, was new mooring facilities. The project will also also on hand for the event. include the installation of new electrical services and a lighting system. A steel launch platform will be constructed on the

“This facility will enable offshore survival and small boat operations training to respond to the growing needs of the offshore petroleum industry as well as environmental issues. It will also help foster rural development, particularly around the Holyrood area,” said Minister Efford. “The Marine Institute estimates that once the new marine training facility is completed there will be at least 2,500 people a year who will receive training at this new facility.”

The Holyrood location is ideal because of its proximity to the main training facility in Foxtrap. The new site will offer training not only in offshore survival, but also for small boat operators and in marine environmental training.

The funding for this project is being provided through ACOA's Strategic Community Investment Fund (SCIF). SCIF is providing $135 million over five years to help communities in Atlantic Canada create an environment that encourages the development of strategic sectors. This fund, administered by ACOA, is a component of the $700 million Atlantic Investment Partnership (AIP).

IN THIS ISSUE

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

New MI Base for Holyrood .................1 Executive Director’s Message .............2 Message from the Editor ....................2 Beyond the Sea...................................3 Partnered with the Best ......................3 Creating a Culture of Confidence........4 MI Launches Vision 2020...................5 Training Solutions...............................6 Making a Significant Impact ...............7

Bon Voyage!

MI in the News ...................................8 ROV Finds New Home ......................10 A Northern Experience......................10 FRC Prototype to be Built .................11 MI Career Fair a Success..................11 MI Welcomes Malaysia.....................12 MI Expands African Partnerships .....13

his is a time of great excitement and great potential for the Marine Institute... and for me personally. I will be completing my term as executive director of MI this year, and while I am sad to leave my colleagues and the work I enjoy so much, I am excited at the future that lies ahead. I have proudly served as executive director of MI since 1992, and in that time I have seen the Institute grow by leaps and bounds. We

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have expanded our suite of training programs; we have extended our global outreach; we have shaped industry with our groundbreaking research; and perhaps most importantly, we have continued to graduate the highly skilled women and men who are now the leaders of the fisheries and marine industries worldwide.

MI is above all else a student-focused institution, and our alumni will always be my greatest source of pride. Indeed, from our thousands of accomplished graduates, to our exemplary faculty and staff, to our many industry partners, it is the people of the Marine Institute that have made it such a renowned, world-class institute, a place of vitality and a powerful economic engine for Newfoundland and Labrador. It has been a privilege to work with all of you over the years, and I know that our vision for the future of MI is in capable hands.

To the many friends of MI, I say a sincere thank you.

The Simulation Specialists ...............14 Student Profiles................................15

MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR

MI on the Move ................................16 s editor of The Bridge, I would like to officially dedicate this issue to the graduating class of 2005! Congratulations!

For students of any other educational institution it might be cliché to say that as you leave us to embark on the next phase of your careers that “the world is yours!” But in the case of the Marine Institute and its impressive graduates, it is actually quite true. Just have a look at the stories in this issue: MI is making its presence known in Nunavut, Malawi, Mozambique, Southeast Asia, the Baltic States… and yes, right here at home, too. That’s quite the global reach… from Holyrood to Malaysia! And as our recent Economic Impact Report indicates, many MI graduates enjoy a oneof-a-kind career mobility that alumni of other institutions can only dream of. Many

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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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have secured exciting, well paying jobs abroad… while still maintaining their residence here in Newfoundland and Labrador.

So it’s quite true to say that there is a world of opportunity waiting for you as you graduate from the Marine Institute. And wherever in the world your career path leads you, we certainly hope you will keep in touch with The Bridge and keep us up-todate on what’s happening with you.

Congratulations and best of luck!

PARTNERED WITH THE BEST

BEYOND THE SEA

Nunavut consortium selects MI

MI trains ERT personnel for Voisey’s Bay he Joint Voisey’s Bay Employment and Training Authority (JETA) tapped the Marine Institute to provide Emergency Response Team (ERT) training for 24 of its aboriginal clients in March. Participants in the program were provided with the skills necessary to become candidates for the Emergency Response Team at the Voisey’s Bay mine site.

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JETA is a non-profit organization, providing training opportunities to Labrador Inuit, Labrador Métis and the Innu Nation in order to prepare individuals for employment at the Voisey’s Bay nickel mine site. The four-week ERT training program was delivered at MI’s Safety and Emergency Response Training Centre (SERT Centre).

The ERT training program was developed specifically to meet the requirements of JETA. Participants in the program completed training in high angle rescue, fire fighting, first aid, confined space entry and selfcontained breathing apparatus. Craig Harnum, one of the instructors in the program said, “this type of fourweek orientation program is an excellent way for an industrial site like Voisey’s Bay to introduce new recruits to an Emergency Response Team.”

Sherri Russell, training co-ordinator with JETA, said her organization chose the Marine Institute to do the Emergency Response Team training “because of the Marine Institute’s high standards and excellent reputation in providing this kind of training. Marine Institute programs are also accredited and certified. The Marine Institute’s SERT Centre in Stephenville has state-of-the-art firefighting facilities and highly qualified staff which will provide the best possible training to JETA clients.”

Emergency Response Team training is the third training program that MI has offered for JETA clients this year.

This past summer the Marine Institute offered stevedore training (cargo handler) in Goose Bay as well as port security training in St. John’s.

isheries’ training has become a top priority for Canada’s northern territories. Recently the governments of Canada and Nunavut, together with the Baffin Fisheries Coalition, allocated $5.2 million for a fisheries development agreement for Nunavut. Over $2 million is going directly into training programs to be administered by the newly formed Nunavut Fisheries Training Consortium. In its first act, the consortium has chosen the Marine Institute and Nunavut Arctic College as the designated training providers.

forward to the day when our offshore fisheries are fished 100 per cent by the people of Nunavut and today we are a step closer to this reality.”

Funding has also been allocated for student bursaries and the establishment of a smart classroom and videoconference facilities at Nunavut Arctic College.

MI has begun work on the contract by outlining a comprehensive threeyear training plan including the delivery of marine emergency duties, Presea Trawl, Quality Assurance, and fishing masters courses. Certificate training in Bridge Watch, Fishery Observer, Offshore Shrimp Vessel Worker, Nautical Science and Marine Engineering has also been requested for those working in Nunavut’s fishery. Olayuk Akesuk, Nunavut’s Minister of Environment says the territory’s fisheries industry offers immense potential for developing Nunavut’s economic independence.

“The Marine Institute is a world renowned fisheries and marine training institution,” he says, “and Nunavut Arctic College has partnered with the best, to deliver high quality, internationally recognized training programs.”

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Akesuk stated, “A critical element in the development of this industry will be a trained, capable and ready workforce. This training initiative is an important step forward. I look

Nunavut’s Minister of Education, Edward Picco, says he is very pleased that Nunavut Arctic College has partnered with the Marine Institute to develop and deliver this comprehensive training program.

The first training under this new program started in Iqaluit in late February. Twenty-four participants throughout Nunavut participated in Presea Trawl and MED training to prepare them for positions on offshore shrimp and turbot vessels.

Ben Kovak, president of the Baffin Fisheries Coalition, says, “The people of Nunavut now have the opportunity to access training and take advantage of good paying jobs in the new and emerging fishing industry in Nunavut.”

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CREATING A CULTURE OF CONFIDENCE As Leslie O’Reilly’s term draws to a close, the executive director of the Marine Institute reflects on what he’s leaving behind, and what lies ahead for the MI community.

“There’s a sense that we’ve deepened our visioning and our sense of ownership for the Institute, and that many people feel the need to drive initiatives. That is the key that has enabled the Institute to grow stronger, to be more responsive to its mission.”

O’Reilly has seen a lot of changes in his Lparteslie time with the Marine Institute. He’s been a of MI since 1981, when the then College of Fisheries was housed in the former Memorial University campus on Parade Street. He was vice-president in 1985 when MI moved to its new location on Ridge Road. And in 1992, when the Institute became affiliated with Memorial, he stepped into his role as executive director, the role he is set to leave in June of this year after 13 years.

In that time O’Reilly has seen a robust strengthening of the MI program base, to include, among other things, its degree-granting status at the baccalaureate and master’s levels.

He has watched MI’s unique brand of applied “problem resolution” research break new ground industry-wide. He has steadily guided MI’s international outreach work as it crossed countless borders to secure a global reputation for the Institute, its faculty and students.

But to O’Reilly, the single greatest accomplishment of his term in office, and indeed the impetus behind all of the Institute’s success, is what he proudly refers to as “the culture” of the place – a culture of confidence among the people of the Marine Institute that O’Reilly says has reached maturity within the past several years.

A DEEPENING OF THE CULTURE

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“It’s about an organization’s culture that has become endemic, it assumes its own energy and it isn’t dependent on any one person. It isn’t dependent on my being there,” O’Reilly says.

graduates. He cites the successes of MI’s The MI mission, now fully articulated in respected research centres in delivering the Vision 2020 practical solutions to document O’Reilly “...it assumes its own industry problems pursued during his worldwide. And as he energy and it isn’t dependent extended term, is leaves his post in June, on any one person.” industry-driven, O’Reilly is confident that international in scope, his team is focused on and above all else, focused squarely on the the common vision that is propelling MI success of its students. into its future as a global oceans institute.

LEADERS FOR THE FUTURE O’Reilly is thrilled with MI’s partnership with industry – a relationship he says is founded on trust of the Institute’s programs and people – and how it has translated into unmatched levels of employment for MI

“The challenge for us is to be standard bearers for the future,” he says. “If we can position MI to be a leading institute in the world whereby with quality programs we graduate good people, we will position them to be successful in the marine and

Creating a Culture continued... oceans industries. Our objective is to place good graduates in the international oceans sectors so that they will be leaders in those industries. Not just participants, but leaders.”

Leadership is the simple, yet powerful, theme underlying the Vision 2020 blueprint for MI’s future: to become nothing less than a World Oceans Institute setting the standard for education, training, innovation and research (see sidebar for details). That visioning statement is the product of a series of extremely productive sessions with faculty, staff, students and industry stakeholders of the Marine Institute over the past two years, and a fitting legacy for the man who, as a self-described “student of leadership”, has helped set the course for the Marine Institute for more than two decades.

PAINTING A PICTURE OF THE FUTURE O’Reilly calls it “the art for the future”, a masterpiece of consultation and planning that paints a picture of where the Marine Institute can go and what it can achieve as it pushes forward into its next 10 years. He plans to stay involved in the process, keeping on top of emerging issues and opportunities, and lending his expertise to several boards, committees and other initiatives that will contribute to the social and economic development of Newfoundland and Labrador, especially the rural areas of the province.

The Marine Institute will continue to be “the most critical institute” in terms of the future of Newfoundland and Labrador and its young people, O’Reilly says. The culture of confidence that he has worked so hard to nurture across the entire MI community is what ultimately will define the success of the Vision 2020 statement.

“I firmly and honestly believe it is achievable because we have great people in this organization. We have a community of people steeped in a culture of believability, a culture where they believe in themselves and have built trust and confidence with their stakeholders. It is an environment in which most of my colleagues here have connected their own skill sets to the Institute’s mission and vision. That is a major accomplishment for any organization.”

“There is a psychic energy between our employees and the vision for the Marine Institute. It’s exciting, and the most difficult challenge I have is to leave it.”

MI LAUNCHES

VISION 2020 n 2004-2005, the Marine Institute embarked upon an

I unprecedented strategic planning exercise to lay the

foundation for its renewal for the future. And now you can read all about it!

This June, MI is launching MI Vision 2020: a comprehensive document outlining what we believe the Marine Institute can become, and a schematic for the Marine Institute we want to build. The vision is simple: to be a World Oceans Institute setting the standard for education, training, innovation and research.

Our new vision document explains how MI will redefine itself in terms of the global oceans economy and engage in seven sectors: fisheries, aquaculture and biotechnology, marine recreation, marine transportation, energy (including offshore oil and gas), defence and science. The vision also identifies themes within these areas including ocean technology, the environment and living resources, safety, security and emergency response, ocean policies and management.

Over 500 stakeholders from industry, the federal and provincial governments, the Memorial University community, MI alumni as well as current students, faculty, staff and management have helped us craft our new strategic direction. Thank you to everyone who participated in this important process that will shape our future.

We invite you to learn how MI will address the future needs of education, industrial training and applied research in this global oceans economy. You can receive your copy of our Vision 2020 document by contacting public.relations@mi.mun.ca or by visiting us online at www.mi.mun.ca/vision2020.

TRAINING SOLUTIONS Team approach nets contracts for School of Fisheries

or MI’s School of Fisheries, providing Findustrial customized training solutions for its clients is a way of life. They do it by bringing together MI industrial centres with faculty expertise to design and deliver specific curriculum that meets the needs of its local, national and international clients. Recently, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the Canadian Coast Guard and the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture needed just that.

Baltic Participants of DFO Observer Training.

Observer Training When the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) required all vessels fishing in regulatory areas to carry observers in 1996, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and the Marine Institute partnered to develop an observer program for 33 participants from nine countries. In March, DFO once again called on MI to host a trainthe-trainer session for nine fisheries officials, including senior NAFO inspectors and program managers from the Baltic States of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.

Dave Bonnell, head of the School of Fisheries, welcomed the opportunity. “It was not only a collaborative effort between MI and DFO, but also a way for Canada to share its knowledge through a key marine training centre with the Baltic States for the benefit of both our fisheries.”

During the three-week course, MI provided training, facilities and logistic support for a team of DFO experts and MI instructors including Judy Dwyer, a DFO policy analyst, Bev Fleet, MI curriculum specialist and instructors Roger Bath and Roy Gibbons.

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Maris Stulgis, deputy director of the Marine Environment Board in Latvia, was “very impressed with the collaboration.” He found the sessions “well organized and the knowledge and expertise we have gained will serve us well in our jobs.”

Survey Trawl Construction When the need to train its personnel on survey trawl construction became Dockside Grading Students participate in a sensory apparent, the Canadian evaluation of cod and shrimp.

Coast Guard (CCG) turned to MI to help develop a Plans are in the works to deliver the course customized course for its research again later this year, as well as an advanced crews. The two-week Survey Trawl survey trawl course for senior fishing staff next Construction, Repair and Operation year. course focused specifically on survey trawls for the Campelen, the main Dockside Grading survey trawl used on the larger CCG research vessels.

Dockside Grading Certification is an essential requirement for Department of Fisheries and The course was designed with an Aquaculture (DFA) staff involved in its Quality emphasis on “hands on” skills applications. The Assurance/Inspection Program. That’s why Ian flume tank at MI’s Centre for Sustainable Burford, director of licensing for DFA, turned Aquatic Resources and its well-equipped net to MI’s School of Fisheries to develop a loft facilities were used throughout the course dockside grading course. to study the trawl and how to repair and operate it. Don Llewellyn, marine superintendent for Fish inspection at the dock is critical to DFA’s Canadian Coast Guard says MI offered a very work. “The staff are designated as law officers cooperative, client-driven approach. He said the for the purpose of administering the provincial participants were impressed with MI’s facilities, Fish Inspection Act,” Burford explains. “This instruction, and the knowledge and skills they certification enables these individuals to acquired from the course. perform quality assessments on fish. In instances where an inspector deems the fish to Harvesting instructor Roy Gibbons, who be unacceptable for human consumption and delivered the courses in February and March, the owner of the fish elects to challenge the added, “It was a pleasure to teach the guys. inspector’s decision in court, those who have They were very enthusiastic learners.” completed the course requirements can be classified as grading professionals who have the technical expertise to make these quality decisions.”

Participants Bill Hearn and Nick Doronin Preparing Netting for Patching.

Lead instructor Ray Hayter said the School of Fisheries wanted to ensure it provided DFA staff with the best possible skills.

According to Burford, the new customized course certainly accomplished its goals.

He concluded that, “the practical training included in this course curriculum enabled new staff to have an opportunity to fully integrate and adapt to the work environment once they are dispatched to their assigned patrol areas.”

MAKING A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT Marine Institute generates 4.4 dollars in Teveryhespending for the provincial economy for dollar invested by the Newfoundland and Labrador government. That’s according to an economic impact report presented by MI to Minister of Education Tom Hedderson on the Institute’s education and training activities for 2002-03.

The study conducted by the Institute for the Advancement of Public Policy, a St. John’s consultancy firm that provides policy research and analysis for the public, private and nonprofit sectors, concluded that the short-term impact of the Marine Institute on the provincial economy was $47.3 million – $38.6 million more than its provincial grant.

FACT SHEET Economic Impact Additional economic activity generated by MI: $38.6 million • Return on provincial investment: 4.4 Overall economic activity including graduate incomes: $47.3 million - $51.6 million s to 5.4 – 5.9 increase ent investm ial • Return on provinc Overall Short Term Economic Benefits • Direct: $36.1 million • Indirect/Induced: $11.2 million • Total: $47.3 million Long Term Economic Benefits (one year’s typical graduating class) • Total Economic Impact (Low Scenario) $8,704,275 (High Scenario) $13,027,275 Impacts over a 30 year period (Low Scenario) $261.1M

Graduate Impact Total number of MI graduates from all full-time programs: 281 • In Newfoundland and Labrador, people with a college education will earn $11,400 more in average annual earnings than will their counterparts with only a high school education; ; • 76 per cent of graduates will maintain their residence in the province over of y econom the • This translates into incremental earnings in $2 million in a single year; • Additional indirect and induced economic impacts associated with these higher wages exceed $700,000, for a total annual impact of over $3 million. (All degrees, certificate and diplomas awarded in 2002-03 excluding Marine Engineering and Nautical Science) Science: 95 Total number of graduates in Marine Engineering and Nautical ing maintain while • Approximately 73 per cent are working abroad residency in the province; • Salaries range from $45,000 to $120,000 per annum; • Total direct impact of these ‘imported salaries’ ranges between $4.3 million and $7.6 million.

• Indirect and induced impacts are estimated to range between $1.3 million and $2.3 million annually.

“This represents a significant return on the provincial government’s annual investment in MI. Though these impacts were measured as a snapshot in time, they repeat annually,” says the report.

The report also highlights the contribution MI graduates make to the local economy, particularly those from the Marine Engineering and Nautical Science programs. “The nature of the work in these fields allows people to work internationally while maintaining a provincial residence. For just the 2002-03 graduating class, the total estimated annual economic impact of these ‘imported salaries’ ranges between $4.9 million and $9.9 million.”

Small and medium size enterprises are also capitalizing on MI’s growing applied research, development and consultancy capabilities with long-term benefits expected to be realized over the next three to five years in terms of product commercialization, sales and employment.

The consultants concluded, “This assessment demonstrates that MI’s contribution to the provincial economy is significant as well as ongoing. These impacts are understated when one considers the full impact of increases in graduates’ salaries over time and the impact of the technical and other supports to the local industry. These supports assist local firms in competing within the global economy and building the province’s capability as a centre of excellence in marine industries from which additional benefits arise.”

MI executive director, Leslie O’Reilly, is extremely pleased with the results and stated, “This study demonstrates the Marine Institute’s phenomenal success as an educator and an industry partner for our province. The results are indicative of our entrepreneurial and collaborative culture and our commitment to grow this organization as an important ingredient in province’s economic development.”

O’Reilly singled out the delivery of engineering technician programs which MI provides for the Canadian Navy as an example of how the institute contributes to economic development. He said that these programs alone generated an annual economic impact of $11 million in 2002/03.

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Rick Mercer’s European media Monday Report visits MI ________________________________ ________________________________ Comedian and writer Rick Mercer toured MI for his CBC TV show, Monday Report. Memorial Chancellor John Crosbie joined Rick on the bridge simulator and Minister of Natural Resources Ed Byrne took a dip in the pool in the Helicopter Underwater Escape Trainer. If you missed it, you can catch the March 7 video at www.cbc/mondayreport.backissues.html. Mercer is also one of 10 people who received an honorary degree from Memorial this year.

Journalists from Norway, Denmark, Iceland, the UK, France, Spain and Portugal visited MI in February as part of a Canadian press tour sponsored by Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Foreign Affairs Canada. The visit was designed to raise awareness among Canada's European partners about overfishing and to showcase Canada’s approach to developing sustainable fisheries. MI’s Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Resources and Centre for Aquaculture and Seafood Development were highlights of the St. John’s leg of the visit.

Participants also met with fisheries representatives, industry specialists, scientists and government officials. Articles featuring the MI centres will appear in newspapers and science magazines throughout Europe in the coming months.

NOIA Oil and Gas Week ________________________________

Rick Mercer and John Crosbie experience a ride on MI’s bridge simulator. Photo courtesy of CBC.

MI played sponsor and host to the kickoff reception for NOIA’s 3rd annual Oil and Gas week in February. Industry players and students from offshore petroleum programs attended the event. Jason Wicks, a graduate of MI’s nautical science program, was also featured in NOIA’s provincial awareness campaign. During the week, MI was the site for Phonse Fagan’s presentation of “Petroleum Exploration and Development in Newfoundland.” Thanks also go to MI faculty member Paul Pearson for participating in the organizing committee for the week.

MI director gives Scholarships ________________________________ public lecture ________________________________ Minister of Education Tom Hedderson, MI advisory board chair Captain Sid Hynes, and parents and friends of the Marine Institute gathered in March to honour recipients at MI’s semi-annual scholarship presentation. Scholarships and awards went to 26 deserving students, including nautical science student and MISU president Dawn Patten who received a national scholarship from the Company of Master Mariners. MI thanks the many individuals, families, companies, associations and governments for supporting and mentoring our students.

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Memorial alumni and friends in Stephenville attended a presentation with keynote speaker Glenn Blackwood, director of MI’s Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Resources, in March. Blackwood’s presentation focused on the transformation of the province’s fishing industry from groundfish to shellfish. The challenges facing the fishery sector on a global basis were highlighted as well as the Marine Institute’s and Memorial’s roles in providing research and development in support of industry and rural economies.

Canadian Forces recognize MI Portuguese Visit ________________________________ ________________________________ In March, Lieutenant-Governor Ed Roberts presented the Canadian Forces Liaison Council Recognition Certificate to the Marine Institute at a Government House event. The award was given in recognition of MI’s support of Canada’s Reserve Forces.

Portuguese representatives visited the Marine Institute's flume tank in March as part of that country's bilateral workshop with Canada to discuss common fisheries issues.

MI supports many employees involved with the Canadian Forces Reserves like Tim Woodworth, a technical assistant with the OSSC.

First ever “First Run” for SERT Centre ________________________________ The first firefighting class to train at MI’s Safety and Emergency Response Training (SERT) Centre in Stephenville held their First Run ceremony in April. The ceremony marks the completion of the firefighters’ studies before they start their work terms. The event began with a ceremony and reception for students and families at the Holiday Inn, followed by a night exercise at the SERT Centre.

Firefighting students demonstrated their skills in a number of exercises including fire response, confined space entry and rescue, high angle rescue, vehicle extrication and Hazmat. MI expanded the SERT Centre in Stephenville in January 2005 to offer this firefighting and recruitment certificate. The 26-week program prepares graduates, through classroom and practical training and certification, to work with municipal and industrial fire departments.

Amazing Student ________________________________ Congratulations to Nautical Science student Jennifer Allen who was featured as an “amazing student” by Memorial University in March. Allen was recognized for her work as a MI student union councillor, and as a volunteer with MI’s Career Fair, the university’s Leaders Involved in Further Education (LIFE) program, the MUN Food Bank and Sexual Harassment committee. A Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award recipient, Jennifer also helped raise funds for MADD and Epilepsy Newfoundland and Labrador.

Jennifer Allen

Left to right: Bev Green, DFO, Bob Lambert, DFO, Alberto Bras, Alberto Leite, Dr. Eurico Monteiro, Portuguese Director General of Fisheries, Catherine Dutton, head school of maritime studies, Maria Jose Policarpo, Glenn Blackwood, director, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Resources, Dr. Peter Fisher, Head, School of Degree Studies and Research.

School head appointed to fisheries board ________________________________ Dave Bonnell, head of the School of Fisheries, has been appointed to the inaugural Fish Processing Licensing Board. Bonnell is the author of Quality Assurance in Seafood Processing (1994) and a board member with the Canadian Centre for Fisheries Innovation (CCFI) and the Professional Fish Harvesters Certification Board (PFHCB).

He is also executive director with the Seafood Management Education Association. Bonnell has managed projects for many local fishing industry organizations and has held quality assurance positions with two Atlantic seafood processing companies.

Food Bank ________________________________ A food drive by MI faculty and staff has helped stock the shelves at Memorial’s Campus Food Bank. The food drive was part of the MI Recycling Committee’s ongoing support for the food bank through monies collected from beverage container recycling. To date, MI has contributed over $1,500 from recycling funds. The Campus Food Bank primarily serves the students, employees, and families of Memorial University and the Marine Institute. Approximately 1,800 clients are served each year, 38 per cent of which are children. MI’s Recycling Committee would like to thank everyone for their generous donations of food and money.

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ROV FINDS NEW HOME I is going to new depths – underwater, that is – with the donation of a work class Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) from Oceaneering Canada Ltd.

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“This generous donation provides MI with the opportunity to build a solid ROV pilot training program within Atlantic Canada,” says Anthony Patterson, director of MI’s Centre for Marine Simulation. Patterson points out that as the oil and gas industry on the east coast migrates into deep waters, there will be an increasing requirement for skilled ROV pilot/technicians.

“Oceaneering’s support has stepped up our progress to the next phase where we will be acquiring a ROV training simulator and completing our curriculum development.”

Oceaneering is the world’s leading provider of ROV services to the offshore oil and gas industry and is well recognized for their development of deepwater intervention technology.

The ROV is an underwater “robot” that is used for underwater exploration, recoveries, inspections, search and rescue, trenching, cable burial and much more. ROVs can also help solve some of today’s maritime security issues, including ship and pipeline inspections and oil rig surveillance. Work Class ROVs, which usually are very large in size and operated by a crew, are used for deep water trenching, cable burial, repair jobs and the recovery of large objects.

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These heavy ROVs are lifted in and out of the water by cranes. Work Class ROVs are an essential tool for making today’s underwater jobs less of a challenge. As a result, a variety of new markets are finding needs for ROVs including oceanography, fishing and civil engineering.

This latest acquisition brings MI’s ROV fleet to two. The Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Resources (C-SAR) uses its observation class ROV, which is much smaller in size but performs many underwater tasks, for at sea research projects.

A NORTHERN EXPERIENCE Marine Institute’s newest student exchange program The Marine Institute is expanding its student exchange program to the North. In partnership with Nunavut Arctic College (NAC) in Iqaluit, Nunavut, MI is providing its students the opportunity to study in Canada’s newest territory for a four-month period. Likewise, students in Nunavut have the opportunity to travel to Newfoundland and Labrador and study at MI. The exchange was made possible through a successful bid to the Association of Canadian Community Colleges’ (ACCC) Pan-Canadian Student Mobility Program in association with Canadian Heritage, and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada.

The partnership between MI and NAC engages students in marine and environmental-based programs, and addresses the many educational and training issues facing Newfoundland and Labrador and the North in the areas of coastal zone management, fisheries and aquaculture and environmental studies.

There are currently two students from MI and one student from NAC participating in the exchange. The MI students are delighted that they have had the chance to experience the North first hand. The educational benefits have come not only from in-class instruction, but also from their integration into a new culture and a new environment.

Further collaborations between the Marine Institute and Nunavut Arctic College are in the works. Planning is now underway for the next phase of the student mobility partnership, with the second exchange scheduled for September 2005.

Students in the mobility project have an opportunity to experience a different culture, a different land, and meet new people

FAST RESCUE CRAFT PROTOTYPE TO BE BUILT he east and west coasts are getting T(FRC) together to develop a fast rescue craft prototype simulator to train search

the entire BC coast with 50 local units. In 2004 alone, the CCGA-P responded to 804 distress calls.

and rescue volunteers.

The Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary Pacific Region (CCGA-P) and the Marine Institute’s Centre for Marine Simulation have signed a memorandum of understanding to begin the first phase of design and construction of a prototype simulator that will provide CCGA-P volunteers with a realistic training environment for operating a rigged-hull inflatable rescue craft. The project also involves the development of web-enabled training simulations of the navigation instruments used by the CCGA-P in their missions.

The CCGA-P is a non-profit organization that responds to maritime distress calls and conducts marine search and rescue in British Columbia’s waters. Staffed by 1,400 volunteers, the organization covers

The project is a result of funding CCGA-P received from the New Search and Rescue Initiative Fund, which is administered by the National Search and Rescue Secretariat. The goal of the initiative is to improve existing training programs with the addition of simulation technology.

The FRC prototype will be a fullLeft to right: Brian Veitch, MUN Engineering, Thomas mission simulator featuring a cockpit Kerr, CCGA-P, Randy Billard, VMT, Stan Warlow driver seat and visual screen.

CCGA-P, and MI’s Catherine Dutton, Dr. Peter Fisher and Captain Anthony Patterson.

MI and CCGA-P will also draw on local engineering and technology expertise for assistance. Participants include MI’s Division of Degree Studies and Research, Memorial’s Faculty of Engineering and Distance Education and Learning Technologies unit, and Virtual Marine Technologies, a St. John’s based firm. The

prototype construction is expected to take 18 months. From there, the partners will move to phase two to further refine the design to meet the needs of the CCGA-P and other rescue services around the world.

MI CAREER FAIR A SUCCESS! M

I hosted its third annual Career Fair in February for students, graduates and employers to meet face-to-face to discuss employment trends and issues facing their respective industries.

The event concluded with a special thanks to companies who support MI’s work term placement program with an employer recognition dinner, attended by Minister of Education, Tom Hedderson.

For many students, this is the place to make themselves known to prospective employers in advance of their workterm competition. This year, 19 local and national companies hosted booths including new employers Newfoundland Hydro and the Voisey’s Bay Nickel Company. Many MI students in every discipline took advantage of the exhibit to introduce themselves to marine and food companies and gain a greater exposure to their industry.

MI placement officer Darlene Foote, who led the planning committee for the Career Fair, was thrilled with the turnout and attributes the fair’s success to the tremendous support from students, faculty and staff volunteers. “Many employers said they were struck by our impressive array of students and how

The event also featured a full day of presentations from MI alumni eager to share their work experiences, and from companies seeking to raise their profile with potential employees. Leonard Pecore, founder of Genoa Design, and Peter Adams, officer with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, were two such MI alumni who talked to students about their careers and what they could expect in the workplace.

well they were prepared for the fair,” she said. Foote indicated that so far, companies have offered over 20 work term positions and summer placements to students as a result of the Career Fair.

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MI WELCOMES MALAYSIAN DELEGATION Southeast Asia looks to MI for training expertise t was a case of east meets west as the Marine Institute hosted senior officials from the government of Malaysia to discuss how MI can help redevelop the country’s fisheries sector.

I

Recent policy shifts in Malaysia have seen the reemergence of agriculture and fisheries as the country’s leading growth sectors for its economy. Malaysia’s Ministry of Agriculture and its Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM) are introducing several major projects to restructure their fishing industry including privatizing existing operations and creating a fully integrated modern fishery with a strong regional and global presence.

One of the nation’s most ambitious goals is to create a new international marine institute to train its industry’s harvesters and processors.

That’s where MI comes in. Last September, the Malaysian government contacted the Marine Institute, through its MI International office, to discuss forming a collaborative partnership to establish an industry-responsive fisheries training capability in Malaysia. MI International has worked extensively in Asia over the last 15

Glenn Blackwood, director of the MI's Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Resources, speaks with the Malaysian delegation about how MI is assisting the international fishing industry in fisheries conservation and gear technology research.

years lending its knowledge and skills of the fishery sector through training, technical assistance and human resource development.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Dato’ Sri Mohd Shariff Bin Omar, the Director General of LKIM, Dato’ Annas Bin Khatib Jaafar, and a 17-member delegation were in St. John’s recently to examine how MI can be used as a model to organize the training school. This is the fourth exchange visit between the two groups since exploratory talks began last year.

During the two-day tour, MI introduced the high-level delegation to some of the province’s most influential fisheries people including Fishery Products International CEO Derrick Rowe and Alistair O’Reilly of the Canadian Centre for Fisheries Innovation. Minister of Education Tom Hedderson also welcomed the Malaysians to the province.

Bill Chislett, director of MI International, says MI’s global experience in institutional development and its world-class training and research facilities impressed the delegation.

“The delegation had the opportunity to view our world class facilities and were particularly impressed with the model of responsive training programs designed in close collaboration with industry.”

As a result of this round of discussions, MI expects to sign a memorandum of understanding this summer with the Malaysian government outlining the general terms for collaboration. Chislett says, “As a first step MI has agreed to design a number of responsive training modules for the Malaysian fisheries sector. That training, which will probably last at least six weeks, will be completed here in Newfoundland.”

An agreement that will outline the objectives for a long-term training initiative as well as delivery timelines is to be signed by the end of the year.

Minister Tom Hedderson and MI executive director Leslie O’Reilly welcome

by Dato’ Sri Bin Omar and Dato’ Jaafar to MI’s campus.

MI EXPANDS AFRICAN PARTNERSHIPS I International will lead two community M development projects in Malawi and Mozambique to help reduce poverty through education and training in the fishing industry. International Cooperation Minister, Aileen Carroll, recently announced the projects as part of a Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) program which funds collaborations between Canadian universities and other higher education organizations in developing countries in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America.

In Malawi, fisheries supply about 75 per cent of the nation’s dietary animal protein and employ approximately 250,000 people in catching, processing and marketing. In the past decade, the total catch decreased from 70,000 tons a year to 45,000 tons largely because of over-exploitation of tilapia (chambo). The goal of MI’s Sustainable Fisheries for Food Security project in Malawi is to ensure environmental sustainability and its consequent positive impact on the population of Malawi’s coastal communities through reduced post-harvest losses.

The project will expand the mandate and capacity of the Malawi College of Fisheries to deliver training in post-harvest processing and sustainable fishing practices. The $1.5 million project (CIDA’s contribution was $1

million) will also raise awareness of sustainable management of aquatic resources among midlevel fisheries officers and community representatives.

Using local fisheries to address poverty issues is also the focus of MI’s $600,000 Poverty Reduction Through Fisheries project (CIDA contribution $400,000) in Mozambique. The project aims to help the Ministry of Fisheries to improve the institutional capacity of the National Institute for the Development of Small Scale Fisheries (IDPPE) in that country.

The project will improve the livelihoods of fishers and fish processors, mainly women, in coastal communities by assisting IDPPE personnel develop and deliver community-based training programs that promote sustainable and safe fishing and processing.

Nina Goudie, MI’s International Program Officer, says MI International is looking forward to working in Mozambique. “This project is an excellent opportunity for MI to share its highly successful community-based education model with the international community and to develop and share

fisheries expertise between Mozambique and Canada.”

MI International has been the focal point for international programs and activities at MI for almost 20 years. MI students, graduates, faculty and staff have participated in more than 100 funded projects in over 35 countries. MI International director Bill Chislett says MI has been active in Sub Saharan Africa for ten years, focusing strategically in the southeast in the broad living resources sector. The projects in Mozambique and Malawi will concentrate efforts in coastal communities.

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THE SIMULATION SPECIALISTS CMS team designs and markets its own lifeboat launch simulator an enclosed lifeboat from an Ldo aunching oilrig is not something you would want to for the first time in a storm. What if you could learn how to perform such a meticulous operation before you went to sea? What about before you even sat in the lifeboat?

Tucked away in a remote corner of MI’s campus, a small group of engineers are helping lifeboat coxswains learn how to do just that by building a new lifeboat launch simulator. The project is a part of Anthony Patterson’s plan to bring the Institute’s Centre for Marine Simulation (CMS) into the exciting field of simulator design and construction.

Simulation success story Two years ago, the plan to develop the training tool was hatched during model tests of an evacuation system at the Institute for Ocean Technology (IOT). Patterson teamed up with researchers Brian Veitch of Memorial’s Ocean Engineering Research Centre and Antonio Simoes Re of IOT. “The model test offered visuals of what the coxswain sees as the lifeboat descends into rough waters. We thought with our simulation experience, we could pair that visual with a driver console to help coxswains undergo evacuation training in simulated extreme conditions but in a safe environment,” says Patterson.

CMS's new lifeboat launch simulator will help train coxswains to launch from oil rigs in rough weather.

a lifeboat cockpit, based on the control systems of Mad Rock Marine’s Totally Enclosed Motor Propelled Survival Craft. Mad Rock is a local marine technology firm that specializes in offshore safety equipment for extreme seas and environmental conditions.

The visuals are synchronized with the cockpit controls that trick the driver into perceiving motion even though the prototype is fixed to CMS set to work with its new partners using the floor. Rear sound speakers and a woofer seed funding from provide the driver with PRAC to develop a audio cues and vibrations to “...evacuation training in proof of its simulator make the lifeboat launching simulated extreme concept. In the first year all the more realistic. of development, CMS conditions but in a safe put together a team of environment.”

Drivers will learn how to co-op engineering operate the lifeboat through students with Memorial who programmed the a series of increasingly difficult scenarios. software and visuals for the simulator on a While they begin with simple daytime laptop. To date, 13 students have contributed launches, they later perfect their launching to the project. With further support from skills by dealing with a combination of NSERC’s Idea to Innovation program, the nighttime and extreme weather conditions concept moved to the development of an along with instrumentation failures. engineering prototype. The development of the simulator is also part of a research program sponsored by the Atlantic Innovation Taking the technology to market Fund to improve modeling and simulation of harsh environments.

The next step for the prototype is its verification, validation and accreditation trials, Local company lends a hand which start this summer. Having licensed the simulator technology, Virtual Marine The prototype features three screens that wrap Technology Inc. is working with CMS in this around the driver who sits inside a mock-up of stage to refine the engineering design, this

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time with funding from Natural Resources Canada. The portable simulator will be taken to MI’s Southside Marine Base where coxswain students and instructors will use the prototype to determine its effectiveness in training people to launch a lifeboat.

Patterson is confident that the trials will show that training in the simulator can help remove the danger for first-time lifeboat drivers.

“We are going to strengthen a driver’s ability to handle emergency situations by making better decisions based on the knowledge and experience they’ll gain from training in this simulator.” Patterson thinks cruise lines, the military and other educational institutions will be willing to purchase the simulator once it is ready for market.

CMS and Virtual Marine Technology Inc. will demonstrate the simulator to Canada’s search and rescue community at the upcoming SARSCENE 2005 conference in PEI in October. The international simulation community will also experience the simulator at the International Marine Simulator Forum CMS will host September 20-23 in St. John’s.

P R O F I L E S

ARCHITECTS IN ACTION New courses add hands on experience to naval architecture program

Students in MI’s naval architecture program now have the opportunity to apply their design expertise in a real world setting thanks to a pair of practical courses that were added to the curriculum in the 2004-05 academic year. The two new additions were created in response to a growing demand for graduates with some knowledge of composite boat design and construction.

In Boat Design – Composite Structures, naval architecture students are introduced to the theory of fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) materials and their application to boat structures. In Boat Design – Fabrication, they continue their exploration of theory and then take the fabrication of boats from the

computer and drawing board to the shop floor. Three different methods of construction were used to build three different hulls during the term. These featured boats were selected from the final year projects by the students themselves. The aspiring architects behind the designs come from different backgrounds and had different motivations for creating their peer-approved models.

Curtis Dickenson Curtis Dickenson is from British Columbia.

He is an avid sailor with summer experience working in the yachting industry, and this is where his passion lies.

For his final year project, Curtis chose to design a 55’ sailing cruising yacht using the strip plank wood epoxy composite technique. Curtis tested his model in the towing tank at the Ocean Engineering Research Centre (OERC) at Memorial University. He was able to apply knowledge learned in a previous course in resistance and propulsion to investigate the hull resistance in the upright, heeled and yawed conditions. His model will also be put through qualitative flow visualization tests in MI’s flume tank.

Andrew Higgins Andrew Higgins is from Fogo and has a keen interest in the fishing industry. For his final design project, Andrew chose a multi-

species fishing vessel. He successfully overcame the constraints of the 65’ maximum length to allow for a more efficient design with respect to hull volume and deck space utilization, safety, seakeeping and powering requirements. To investigate powering and seakeeping performance, Andrew created a foam core plug over which he constructed a mold. He then separated it from the plug, and laid up a FRP hull inside the mold. Andrew’s model will also be resistance-tested at the OERC. He was unable to investigate seakeeping performance at this stage but his model will be made available for future students.

Brent Starkes Brent Starkes is from La Scie and has some close family connections with the boatbuilding industry. His design for a catamaran tour boat also saw a great deal of production activity in the shop. Brent’s team was able to lay up a female mold over a MDF plug. The small scale of the developable hull form presented some challenges to the model makers and this model did not quite make it through the production stage. However, many lessons were learned and point the way towards solutions using today’s newer technologies of vacuum bagging and resin infusion.

Brent and the others all agreed that these new courses significantly enhance MI’s naval architecture program, and in more ways than one allowed the students to see their designs take on a new dimension.

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MI to host International Marine Simulator Forum

Combat Challenge in Stephenville

Community education programs

The Marine Institute's Safety and Emergency Response Training (SERT) Centre, the Stephenville Fire Department and the Stephenville Airport are joining together this year to host the 2005 Provincial Regional Firefighters Combat Challenge July 29-30. The two-day event is a timed race designed to test a firefighter’s speed and ability on a five part obstacle course that challenges many of the skills firefighters use in their daily jobs. The event will serve as a regional qualifying event for the national championship to be held in September in Edmonton. Good luck to all the teams!

MI will once again offer a number of opportunities this summer for grades 9-12 students to learn about career options in the ocean industries. It kicks off with MI’s 3rd annual Marine Pursuits camp, July 18-22. Participants of the residential program have sailed on MI training vessels, seen the world’s largest flume tank, designed their own cardboard boats (and raced them!), surveyed the marine life of a beach, witnessed helicopter emergency evacuation manoeuvres, made their own caviar and more.

Aquaculture Canada 2005 MI will play a major role at Aquaculture Canada 2005 in St. John’s, July 3-6. The Aquaculture Association of Canada will hold its annual conference in partnership with this province’s Aquaculture Industry Association’s Cold Harvest Trade show. Several of MI’s leading aquaculture researchers and instructors are assisting in the organizing of the conference and will participate in the program. Cyr Couturier will present two papers and chair an International Mussel Forum.

Dr. Halfyard will lead an aquaculture public awareness and education session while Dr. Duane Barker will present a paper and lead a discussion on fish health. Several MI aquaculture graduate students will also present papers. The event is expected to attract 500 participants from over 12 countries. For details visit www.aquacultureassociation.ca/ac05/.

MI will also hold its Underwater Robotics camp July 18-22 for students who want to learn the basic concepts to design, build and test their own small remotely operated vehicle (ROV).

Instructors will guide participants along every step of the way. In the process of researching, designing, building, testing and using a ROV, participants will become familiar with the design process; materials science; physics of water and aquatic environments; mechanical and electrical equipment; underwater propulsion and streamlining; video camera use; robot piloting; scientific sampling and more.

For details contact Gordon Delaney at 709-7780475 or toll free at 1-800-563-5799, ext 475. You can also view the Web site at www.mi.mun.ca/marinepursuits.

For the first time ever, MI will host the International Marine Simulator Forum (IMSF) September 20-23 in St. John’s. The IMSF, which includes 60 organizations from 15 countries, promotes the use of ship handling simulators for training and research by encouraging high standards in design, construction and operation.

MI’s Centre for Marine Simulation, together with partners from Memorial University, are planning a full agenda of workshops, presentations and facility tours to showcase the university’s simulation facilities. For further details visit www.imsf.org.

MI launches Scuttlebutt Join “Scuttlebutt”, MI’s new International Maritime Forum. It’s a free, moderated forum designed as a global home base for people who work in the wide-ranging, international maritime community. This moderated forum serves as a global home base for individuals eager to discuss educational programs, debate issues, chat about available jobs and employers, and to stay connected. MI encourages postings concerning post-secondary maritime institutions, major employers, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and job opportunities. Register at www.mi.mun.ca/scuttlebutt.

Hosting the C3 Conference MI, the Faculty of Science and the College of the North Atlantic are hosting the 32nd College Chemistry Canada (C3) Conference in St. John’s June 15-18. C3 is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of the teaching of chemistry at the senior high school, college and first and second year university levels. MI’s Peter Fisher and Ed Durnford are helping to plan the conference that will include presentations on neutraceuticals and biochemicals from plants or fish waste, and other topics related to chemistry teaching. For more information, visit www.mun.ca/c3.

The Bridge c/o The Marine Institute Office of Marketing and Business Development P.O. Box 4920 St. John’s, NL Canada A1C 5R3 Public.Relations@mi.mun.ca www.mi.mun.ca

ROGERS TO BROADCAST MI GRADUATION The Marine Institute is pleased to team up with Rogers Television this year to broadcast our graduation ceremonies. You can watch the entire event Sunday, June 19 at 12 p.m. in St. John’s and at 5:30 p.m. in Corner Brook, Grand Falls-Windsor and Gander.