Air Quality Improves Across the Province During the COVID-19 Crisis
May 26, 2020
Vancouver Island University (VIU) student researchers see a dramatic decrease in air pollution levels due to reduced car and plane traffic.Restrictions imposed to help save lives during the COVID-19 pandemic have led to less people driving and flying, which has created a rare opportunity for Vancouver Island University (VIU) researchers and students to study the impacts of automobile and plane... Read more
Research Project Studies Impacts of Climate Change on Local Plant Species
May 14, 2020
Researchers are examining how plant life cycles are impacted by climate change in an effort to better inform land, resource and conservation management decisions.Many animal and insect species rely on the life cycles of plants budding, blooming, bearing fruit and seeding at specific times of the year for survival, and if the natural cycle changes it can have devastating effects.To determine if... Read more
VIU Receives $300,000 to Research Norovirus Contamination of Oysters
January 17, 2020
Research project focuses on helping the BC shellfish industry to forecast, manage and prevent risks to human health and multi-million-dollar losses associated with outbreaks.Dr. Tim Green, Vancouver Island University’s (VIU’s) Canada Research Chair in Shellfish Health and Genomics, is developing new tools to help forecast and prevent norovirus contamination of farmed oysters thanks to $300,000 in... Read more
VIU Biology Professor Pens Paper About Insect Apocalypse Myth
January 9, 2020
Scientific paper sheds light on the damage sensationalist language can have on public opinion and conservation efforts of insect populations.Insectageddon. The insect apocalypse. A global crisis of insect extinction. These sensationalist words and phrases used in media coverage can lead to public apathy and hinder conservation efforts and research about insect populations worldwide, says Dr.... Read more
Assessing Creative Tourism in Rural BC and Yukon
November 21, 2019
Two Vancouver Island University (VIU) researchers are heading north to analyze a relatively new economic driver ̶̶ creative tourism and its impact on rural communities.Two Vancouver Island University (VIU) researchers are leading a study into the role the cultural sector and creative tourism play in the sustainability of smaller, rural cities and towns in northern British Columbia and... Read more
Overcoming Barriers to Active Transportation With E-Bikes
October 8, 2019
A VIU student research project aims to help cities formulate cycling plans that include electric bicycles.Vancouver Island University (VIU) Masters of Community Planning student Eleni Gibson used to enjoy cycling. That was when she lived in Victoria, but after moving to Nanaimo to pursue her post-secondary education, it became a grueling activity.“I was trying to cycle but it's a 35-minute bike... Read more
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Grant Provides Boost so VIU can Enhance Efforts
September 16, 2019
In the spring, Vancouver Island University was awarded the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Capacity Building Grant, a joint initiative of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), collectively known as the Tri-Agencies.The $400,000 grant, which will be... Read more
Introducing ROMEO: The New Research Application Portal
September 12, 2019
Are you tired of running hard copies around campus for signatures for your research applications or wondering at what stage of approval your application is? Ever feel like there must be an easier way to do things?The Scholarship, Research and Creative Activity Office has some fantastic news for you. The paperwork and cumbersome processes required to submit and review research grants, ethics,... Read more
Students Conduct Research for Local Non-Profits
July 29, 2019
Students in the Community-Based Applied Interdisciplinary Research course delve into issues facing local community groups. A unique interdisciplinary program that allows Vancouver Island University (VIU) students to design and carry out a research project over eight months is helping community groups solve real-world problems. From exploring how to increase public awareness of... Read more
VIU Research Will Study Rising Stresses on Fragile Mountain Ecosystems
July 22, 2019
VIU researchers launch far-reaching study on Mount Arrowsmith in collaboration with The Canadian Mountain Network. A team of Vancouver Island University (VIU) researchers is ascending to new heights for an in-depth analysis that will project 100 years into the future to get a better understanding of what is happening in our mountain environments. One-quarter of Canada’s land mass is made... Read more