Save our bogs
Two professors from the Dept. of Geography received Mer Bleue Wetland Conservation Awards in Ottawa on Sept. 26. Tim Moore and Nigel Roulet were among eight researchers honoured in recognition of their significant contributions to wetland conservation and research. The awards coincided with the 15th anniversary of the designation of the Mer Bleue Bog as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. The Mer Bleue peat bog is located on the outskirts of Ottawa. The 28-square kilometre wetland is fairly unique in Canada because it is so far south and, as a result, easily accessible to researchers year-round. A permanent research station at the centre of the bog measures the amount of carbon dioxide and methane that is released by the wetland.
Trio to attend UN Summit
Three McGill students have been selected as members of the Canadian Youth Delegation for this year’s United Nations Climate Change Summit to be held in Cancun, Mexico Nov. 29 – Dec. 10. Maggie Knight (Environment and Economics), Amara Possian (Political Science and Middle East Studies) and Audrey Yank (Bioresource Engineering) will join 26 other young Canadians from 18 to 29 years of age to represent the voices and views of Canadian youth at the meetings. The Summit’s mandate is to continue the task of reaching an international agreement on climate change before the 2012 deadline, the date when the Kyoto Protocol, in its current iteration, will be retired.
Three’s a charm for Schulich Music students
Pianist Charles Richard-Hamelin (student of Sara Laimon) was awarded the $10,000 first prize at last weekend’s Repentigny Provincial Music competition along with a $1,500 prize as the best competitor from Lanaudière. The $5,000 second prize went to cellist Vanessa Hunt-Russell (student of Elizabeth Dolin). Third prize, and $3,000 was awarded to recorder player Vincent Lauzer (student of Matthias Maute). All three winners are students at the Schulich School of Music.
MNI researcher honoured
Amit Bar-Or, a neurologist at the Montreal Neurological Institute, received the Physician of Distinction Award from the Accelerated Cure Project for Multiple Sclerosis for his contributions to research on Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The Accelerated Cure Project aims to facilitate the work of researchers like Bar-Or and to speed the search for the causes and a cure for this debilitating disease.