Malaspina student named top presenter at Western Canadian Universities Undergraduate chemistry conference

Malaspina University-College Biology student Skye Creba is well on her way to a promising career in science.

She won the "best presentation" award at the Western Canadian Universities Undergraduate Chemistry Research Conference, beating students from some of Canada’s top universities.

"We’re extremely proud of Skye," said Malaspina chemistry professor Dr. Erik Krogh. "Her success is terrific exposure for Malaspina students and for the institution as a whole."

It was the first time Malaspina students participated in the conference. Creba and students Alexander Thompson, Robyn Ferguson, Janet Nelson and Michael Lynch presented results of their research conducted in Malaspina’s Applied Environmental Research Laboratory (AERL) under the guidance of Krogh and Dr. Chris Gill.

The AERL is a highly sophisticated multi-million dollar research laboratory on the Nanaimo campus where students and faculty conduct pure and applied research in environmental sciences and environmental chemical analysis. The lab is fully equipped for air, water, soil or biological analysis by both traditional and emerging methods.

Krogh and Gill oversee a research program aimed at the development of a powerful new technique in the identification and quantification of an important class of environmentally relevant contaminants.

"We involve our undergraduate students with innovative, real and relevant research," said Krogh. "Their work, which is significant on the national and international level, will lead to new methods to measure chemical contaminants and monitor their transformations in the environment."

Over the past three years, Krogh and Gill have employed more than 30 Malaspina students as full and part-time research assistants in the AERL. Ten of these students received the prestigious Undergraduate Summer Research Awards from the Natural Sciences Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), including four this year. The awards foster scientific research at the undergraduate level in nationally recognized research facilities.

"The AERL is strengthening research initiatives of Malaspina’s biology, chemistry, fisheries and aquaculture, forestry and horticulture departments," said Malaspina president Rich Johnston. "The lab provides terrific opportunities for students to gain hands-on scientific research experience, which enhances their learning and will lead them forward into promising careers."

Students working with Krogh and Gill have presented their research at major conferences in Victoria, BC; London, Ontario; Nashville, Tennessee; and Portland, Oregon.

Creba first worked in the AERL last summer as an NSERC Undergraduate Summer Research Award recipient. She was hired back this year as a summer research assistant, and now trains students in how to use lab equipment and analytical techniques.

She is also continuing research on an air toxicology study she began last year with Gill measuring a specific molecule in woodsmoke. Together, they developed a new method of detecting larger biological molecules using a technique called "membrane introduction mass spectrometry."

"Using highly specialized equipment, we’ve expanded the range of what we can look at," explained Creba. "We can now directly measure contaminants in water, air, human fluids, waste streams, etc., and see what’s there minute-by-minute in real time. It’s the first time anyone has tried this technique and been successful."

Creba graduated from Nanaimo District Secondary School in 2000 and will complete her degree in Biology at Malaspina next year. "This kind of resarch experience at the undergraduate level would be difficult to get anywhere else," said Creba, who plans to attend medical school. "I’ve learned so much (in the AERL) and am extremely grateful for the opportunity."

The AERL was established in 2002 with the assistance of the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the BC Knowledge Development Fund and the Science Council of BC, and Weyerhaeuser Canada. The lab receives operational support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Malaspina University-College and various project-specific operating grants and/or research collaborators.