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(Wolfville,
NS) - Acadia University today formally launched
its multi-disciplinary Arthur Irving Academy for the Environment. A
new logo, representing the Academy’s focus on environmental issues
of local, national, and international scope was also unveiled.
“The Arthur Irving
Academy for the Environment is an important vehicle for breaking
down the traditional barriers between faculties and encouraging the
multi-disciplinary study of environmental issues,” said Dr. Gail
Dinter-Gottlieb, President and Vice-Chancellor of Acadia University.
“The Academy represents a campus-wide state of mind, one that
focuses on a broad, non-traditional approach to solving
environmental issues from economic, political, and social
perspectives. This frame of reference will impact students, both
inside and outside of their classrooms.”
The Academy is part of
the University’s plan to build on its reputation in environmental
responsibility and integrate this awareness into every aspect of
teaching and campus life. The Academy’s contemporary approach to
environmental challenges is represented by a project being conducted
by history professor Dr. David Duke, along with earth sciences
professor Dr. Ian Spooner, as well as, computer science scientists
and economists. Dr. Duke is studying weather events affecting the
Annapolis Valley over the last 200 years. He will then pass his
findings along to earth scientists and economists to help predict
future weather, its economic or geographical impacts, and possibly
help municipalities and government agencies create action plans for
dealing with severe storms and the effects of global warming. An
article describing this work can be found in the latest issue of
Progress Research & Discovery.
The Academy includes a
council of 36 members, representing 20 per cent of Acadia’s
full-time faculty, spanning all disciplines. This group is
responsible for the delivery of numerous events and seminars,
training sessions and conferences, while linking business and
community with academic experts and researchers. There are also
plans for an advisory board with representatives from provincial and
federal government agencies, educational institutions or
foundations, industry, aboriginal and community groups and
non-government organizations.
The Arthur Irving
Academy for the Environment will host a number of events to
highlight environmental issues, and bring together the community and
academics. The first of such opportunities is the Greening of
Industry Network (GIN) Conference, October 20-22. The international
conference will examine the intertwined issues of energy,
agriculture, and finance. To learn more about the Greening of
Industry Network Conference at Acadia University or to register
visit
http://www.acadiau.ca/academy/2005GIN/GIN2005Index.html
Friday’s noon-hour
celebration also included the opening of the Woodland Trails with a
guided tour. The mulch wood trails, located south of the Harriet
Irving Botanical Gardens, run through the old pastures and fields of
the Acadia University farm that have now become covered with forests
of trees and shrubs. The approximately two-kilometre trail was
designed for walking in a natural forest setting, but will also be
used by Acadia students for research purposes. The Arthur Irving
Academy for the Environment is a recognized centre of scholarship on
environmental issues, generating new knowledge and applying it to
the resolution of environmental problems; to develop and disseminate
holistic, trans-disciplinary approaches to environmental management,
conservation, and sustainability of human communities.
For more information
visit
http://www.acadiau.ca/academy/index.html Acadia University, in
Wolfville, Nova Scotia, has long been recognized as one of Canada’s
premier undergraduate institutions. With its nationally and
internationally recognized research initiatives, small class sizes
and technology-rich teaching and learning environment, Acadia offers
students an experience that includes academic achievement combined
with personal growth and development. For more information about
Acadia, visit our website at
www.acadiau.ca
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