DECEMBER 2010
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the Legend
UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE
Fitzpatrick earns ASTech honour ASTech award presenter Dr. Robert Haché of the University of Calgary, left, presents to the U of L’s Dr. Dennis Fitzpatrick
BY BOB COONEY
D
r. Dennis Fitzpatrick the U of L’s former vice-president (Research), and now a professor of chemistry and biochemistry, recently received the Alberta Science and Technology (ASTech) award for Outstanding Contribution to the Science and Technology community. When Fitzpatrick arrived at the University of Lethbridge in 1999 as the new VP Research, he had a mandate to create nationally recognized programs. He recognized the small university had a modest research profile and a pool of good researchers. He also knew that the University of Calgary and the University of Alberta had a long history of research that overshadowed the U of L’s limited resources.
IUNCTUS A FIELD LEADER Building strong academic and public institutions is fundamental to fostering innovation that will lead to a successful and sustainable technology sector. As well, strong business communities and research hubs are required to create a viable technology economy to provide jobs for graduates and skilled professionals. In that regard, Lethbridgebased Iunctus Geomatics Corp. is leading the way. The company, which was founded by U of L alumnus Ryan Johnson (BSc ‘98, MSc ‘00) and employs a significant number of U of L graduates, was recently an ASTech
“It was like opening up a corner store beside a major retail chain,” says Fitzpatrick. Because the U of L was low on resources, Fitzpatrick says he had to find ways to build them. “This was challenging in Alberta because of the province’s history of funding primarily meritorious institutions,” he says. “We had to find leading-edge programs to get the funding. It was like the chicken and the egg. Which comes first?” Under Fitzpatrick’s research leadership, the University of Lethbridge evolved into a comprehensive research and instructional university with strong ties to the provincial technology community. During the last 10 years, the university’s research budget has grown from $2 million to almost $24 million in 2010. “The money increases the
kinds of opportunities that impact the lives of people in Alberta, and especially southern Alberta,” says Fitzpatrick. His ‘think big and shoot high’ philosophy is fundamental to the University’s success, as is his vision to deliberately focus on developing specific areas with programs of instruction and research in tandem. Fitzpatrick’s strategic, thematic approach was instrumental to the University’s ability to develop expertise and become a centre of excellence in the following areas: neurosciences, water resources in semi-arid ecosystem, biotechnology, genomics biochemistry, earth imaging applications for integrated resource management and imaging technology and the study of demographics and population. “When we built the research infrastructure, we
looked beyond the individual researcher’s needs to see if we could create a toolbox to serve many people,” says Fitzpatrick. “When developing resources in the emerging field of neuroscience, the university department included biochemistry, biology and behavioural sciences because the field has such a broad-based focus.” “We didn’t build only one lab, we built 10, opening up a whole new area of expertise,” adds Fitzpatrick. “These are the kinds of things that pay off. People get involved in creative research partnerships that allow them to do research in better, more sophisticated ways. We’re providing bright people with a whole new set of tools so they can now do remarkable research. And we’re training a new generation of scientists in ways we never anticipated.” Paramount in Fitzpatrick’s mind was, and is, providing opportunities for students. “The primary product of research and the value of a university education is highly trained students and the opportunities it creates for them,” he says. “Because of our system, the University of Lethbridge has become a launching pad for students to go to graduate school and on to the rest of their careers.”
winner in the Outstanding Achievement in Applied Technology and Innovation category. Since the company was founded in 2000, Iunctus (a Latin mathematical term meaning “to bring together”) has developed leading remote sensing products. Among them is the TerraEngine, which facilitates the storage and transmission of large files of digital imagery over the Internet. Additionally, their remote sensing data is used to create geographical maps and other data for industries including agriculture, disaster management, forestry, telecommunications planning and oil exploration. Iunctus has two sister companies, BlackBridge, a
data centre company, and PrioraNet Canada, a joint venture with the Swedish Space Corporation which operates ground stations. The company currently employs more than 50 people who support the satellite operations of the German Space Agency (DLR), French Space Agency (CNES), as well as manage all the data over North America for SPOT Image. Iunctus supports the operational requirements of clients across Canada in all segments of land management from commercial to government. Iunctus is also a partner with the University of Lethbridge in a separate business called the Alberta Terrestrial Imaging Corp. (ATIC) that focuses on developing more commercial applications for
remote sensing technologies. True to its name, Iunctus is literally bringing together the geomatics industry in Lethbridge. Iunctus recently invested $1 million into a partnership with the City of Lethbridge to sponsor tecconnect – an Alberta centre for new commerce in a new facility designed to attract, incubate and develop technology companies through commercialization of their products and services. “We hope to make a big difference in the community by attracting other technology businesses to our city,” says Johnson, the Iunctus president. “We are helping young entrepreneurs by building a hub for technology companies to grow and stay in Lethbridge.”
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SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT MINOR HITS MARK The Faculty of Management recently announced the establishment of a new minor in Supply Chain Management (SCM) to serve a fast-growing group of people whose enhanced skills will be critical to purchasing and moving materials and merchandise in a global economy. The new program was established in response to the increasing need for supply chain professionals in a wide variety of industries. “There are more than 85,000 people employed in supply chain management in Alberta and the average salary is $80,000 to $90,000 per year,” says Faculty of Management dean, Dr. Bob Ellis. “There is very strong job growth for well-trained professionals in this field, so there are great opportunities for the students who choose this minor.” Darren Caines, executive director of the Alberta Institute of the Purchasing Management Association of Canada (PMAC), says that supply chain management is a vital piece in business strategy. “This is a fast-growing field with lots of opportunities – in the next three years, more than 80,000 graduates will be needed annually in Canada to meet employment demand.” Caines adds that students can also become accredited as Certified Professional Purchasers – a designation offered through PMAC. “Those with the designation earn about 20 per cent more, on average, than those without,” he says. In the local and regional business community, people with skill sets that include managing materials and their movement can bring value to their employers. “The courses being offered by the U of L give all management students the basic insights into supply management. It also exposes them to additional career possibilities through the Purchasing Management Association of Canada,” says Alvin Kolibar, the logistics manager at Lethbridge-based Haul-All Equipment Ltd., which manufactures and ships its innovative waste management and recycling equipment systems across North America. “The PMAC-supported courses will be a welcome addition to the University of Lethbridge in the coming years. Haul-All currently has one person involved with PMAC courses, and at this time, these courses are only available by correspondence for the Lethbridge area.” Students are already enrolled in the new minor, now offered on the Lethbridge campus. The program will also be offered to students on the Calgary and Edmonton campuses in the near future.