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
Action on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals at VIU
May 8, 2019
Note: This if the first of a two-part look at Vancouver Island University’s involvement in the the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In this article, we will explore what the goals are and why they matter to VIU. In part two, we will examine how VIU has contributed to them and how we might do more in the future. In 2015, countries around the world adopted the United Nations 2030... Read more
VIU Researchers Awarded $25,000 In Health Canada's Drug Checking Technology Challenge
April 25, 2019
VIU researchers developing a breakthrough opioid drug testing system using new equipment provided by Thermo Fisher Scientific – were declared semi-finalists in Health Canada’s Drug Checking Technology Challenge. Researchers at Vancouver Island University (VIU) developing a drug-testing system that could one day save lives are getting some much-needed help from Health Canada and a... Read more
Raising a Pint of Ale to Build Links to Ancient Cultures
March 29, 2019
A VIU Ethnoarchaeology research project brings the past to life through the re-creation of ancient-inspired ales hailing from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia and Scandinavia. Digging up centuries-old artifacts to study human activity may not appeal to everyone, but a Vancouver Island University (VIU) Professor and an undergraduate student have found an engaging way to bring the ancient past to life.... Read more
VIU Announces Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Recipients
March 20, 2019
Five Vancouver Island University (VIU) students will have the opportunity to make a difference internationally this spring thanks to the Canadian Queen Elizabeth ll Diamond Jubilee Scholarship (QES) program. “The QES gives our students the opportunity to collaborate with international partners on pressing issues facing coastal communities around the world,” says Jennifer Sills,... Read more
Exploring the Importance of Snow to Vancouver Island Water Supplies
February 15, 2019
VIU researchers are helping devise new methods of assessing the quality and quantity of water sources in coastal mountains using drones. Vancouver Island University (VIU) researchers are taking a deeper look at snow packs in unique alpine forested watersheds on northern Vancouver Island, with the aim of using drone technology to fill a science knowledge gap on stream flows. VIU... Read more
VIU Researchers Aim to Develop Improved Mapping Methods For Canada's North
January 15, 2019
A Vancouver Island University (VIU) research project will provide a unique opportunity to examine the glacial landscape of Canada’s North, leading to new mapping methods that will help people identify sources of sand, gravel or minerals. Canada’s North is rich in natural resources and a major driver of economic growth in the region. Large mineral deposits could include diamonds, gold,... Read more
VIU Graduate Student Researches How Libraries Impact People's Quality of Life
January 7, 2019
The value of public libraries goes well beyond the multitude of books lining the shelves. Assessing the role that libraries play in contributing to community completeness and increasing? quality of life, and how this can, in turn, help marginalized urban groups is what Vancouver Island University (VIU) Master of Community Planning student Dylan Thiessen aims to determine. Thiessen... Read more
VIU’S MABRRI Researches the Importance of the French Creek Estuary Area
December 5, 2018
As communities continue to expand on Vancouver Island, creating a balance between development and natural spaces is even more crucial to ensure the protection of the environment and wildlife. The Friends of French Creek Conservation Society (FFCCS) sought out the expertise of VIU’s Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region Research Institute (MABRRI) to help support their efforts to... Read more