February 23, 2005 | News Page 3

Geographical Research Unravels the Future NEWS

By EvizsaBETHU FYLES
STarKF WRITER

Research is constantly in progress at
UNBC in all of its faculties, and the
Geography Department is no excep-
tion. UNBC geomorphologist Brian
Menounos is using his expertise to
enable him to predict the future by
looking at the carth’s past.

It is not common knowledge outside
of the geography faculty exactly what a
geomorphologist docs and what a their
rescarch entails. In his work Menounos
studies the carth’s surface and land-
forms and how they change over time.

Mcnounos looks backwards, trying
to discover information about what
geographical events may have hap-
pened in the past. He specializes in
reconstructing glacial fluctuations,
which he does by studying sediment
cores from lakes. These sediment cores
help to predict extreme runoff cyents
such as large floods, landslides and
glacial retraction and extension.

This rescarch information may help
him decipher what could happen in the
future - a proccss similar to using tree
rings to learn how past conditions
affected the growth of the trec, and
how trees will be affected by similar
conditions in the future.

When asked whether he thought that
UNBC gets the attention it deserves
from outside Universities and
researchers, Mcnounos answered “we
do get deserved attention [even
though] it is such a small school. It is
hard to compete with the larger schools
like UBG and SFU because there are so
many more people doing research in
those schools.” However, he also noted

Puo1o BY Ron VAN ADRIGHEM

Brian Menounos is a geography professor at UNBC whose research into the glacial fluctuations of the

past may help uncover the future.

that because of our small size, rescarch
grants are increased in proportion to
the larger schools, which makes it a lit-
tle easicr to get the research started.
Menounos has been at UNBC. for
two years, coming from previous posi-
tions at UBC and SFU. When asked
how he liked UNBC, he said that he
was impressed with the caliber of
rescarch done here. He liked the fact

that so many different departments can .

come together for research purposcs.
“A multi-disciplinary approach is
uscd a lot here at UNBC because there
are many problems which necd exper-
tise from many different areas of

study,” said Menounos.

“Often larger schools do not have
the small departments that make this
approach as feasible as at UNBC,” he
added. “Working tegether on a preb-
lem that requires solving is a better
approach than having specific faculties
working on a problem by themselves
and not sharing information.”

UNEC also offers plenty of opportu-
nitics for students to participate in the
research process and get their informa-
tion out into the world so it can be used
for further research and study, accord-
ing to Menounos.

“Tt is very important to get the stu-

GRAPIC PROVIDED
An architectural rendition of the new teaching and learning centre, which is scheduled to open for
classes in January 2007.

$31.8 million from provincial government for
library expansion and new building on campus

CONTINGED FROM COVER

“One of the goals we have sct for
B.C. over the next decade is to have
the best educated population in North
America, and investing in the future
of UNBC is critical to achieving that
goal,” said the Premicr during the
press conference. “This imestment

will further improve
UNBC’s excellent

access to
programs for

young people across the proyince.”

“The government's investment will
provide UNBC with the infrastruc-
ture it necds to continue growing,
especially in high-demand programs
like business, nursing, education and
computer science,” said Dr. Charles
Jago, University President and Vice
Chancellor.

“This expansion will touch every
student and program at UNBC and

enable us to grow in areas that are key
to our mandate of being a university
that is responsive to the North.”

MLA Shirley Bond, Minister of
Health and Deputy Premicr, MLA
Pat Bell, Minister of Mines and
Energy, Dr. Charles Jago, Mayor
Colin Kinsley, Premier Campbell,
and two UNBC students spoke at the
press conference.

dents involved because they may soon
be starting their own research. There
are ways that the pivlessors and
rescaicthers try and get students
involved, [such as when they] incorpo-
rate their research into their lectures
aud assignments,” said Menounos.

“There are pester sessions held
where students at both graduate and
undergraduate levels can present their
own research projects. These outlets for
research discussion are an important
part of tlic research process and should
not be ignored.”

Tuition Promises
Receive Mixed

Reviews from
CFS

CONTINUED FROM COVER
When asked how the CFS felt

about university administrator’s con-
cerns over the legislation, Mealey said.
“We don't buy their argument, and
we're disappointed that administra-
tors aren't pushing for more accessible
education in B.C. First of all, it docs-
nt take into account where the fees
are now.”

“Tuition fee levels are too high as is,
the government has essentially, frozen
university funding since they took
office - that is what is responsible for
the funding shortfall. University
Administrators should jom students in
fighting for more funding. These
shortfalls shouldn't be made up with
tuition fees,” he said.

Mealey was also skeptical about thie
Liberals announcement for increased
university funding,

“For entire system; $132 million is
an absolute jokc, when you consider
that students in B.C. paying $400 mil-
lion morc this year than they were in
2001,” said Mcalcy. “The increase in
funding is inadequate.” .

“Our stance on the Throne Speech
is this; if the government jis scrious
about access, immediatcly reduce
tuition fees to 2001 levels, and
increase funding,” said Mcaley.

New Aboriginal Teaching
Program

UNBC will be starting a new
program in Terrace this May
that is aimed at increasing the
number of aboriginal school
teachers in northern BG. The
Aboriginal Teacher Education
Bridging program (ATEB) will
be offered at UNBC’s Terrace
campus.

Currently, only about 2% ef
the school teachers in BC are
aborivinal, despite the fact abo-
riginal stucents make up.7% of
the BC student population.

NBC helps to expand

UArctic

UNBC has. created an
International Academic Office
for the University of the Arctic,
whitch will serve to enhance
UNBC’s role in the unique
UArctic partiership.

The International Academic
Office (FAO) at UNBC will
coordinate all of the student
records for the UArctic, regard-
tess of where the students arc
studying. The Office will also
keep track of which courses at
the partier colleges or univer-
sities are transferable to the
Bachelor — of
Studies.

The UAretic is a partnership
among more than 70 nerthern
colleges, whiversitics, and
research institutes. Although: it
lacks its own physical campus,
the UArctic offers courses
through its partners - either on
the campuses of those institu-
flons or via the Internet.
Credits are carned towards .
completing. a Bachelor of
Circumpolar Studies. There —
are currently -students’ in
Scandinavia, Russia, Fmland,
Canada, and the United States.

Circumpolar

Students Create
Sustainable Landscaping

The School of
Eimironmental -Planning at
UNBC is partnering with the
City of Prince George and
REAPS to ercate nearly $2 mil-
lion dollars worth of sustain-
able landscaping around the
city over the next five years.

The project will involve a
mix of test planting and seed-
ing on various sites, trial plots,
demonstration gardens, and
laboratory research, all aimed
at discovering the most sustain-
able, cnvironnientally friendly,
and cost cffective landscape
treatments for Prince Gcorge’s
climate.

The partnership is expected
to result in 30 aeres of City
property. being converted to
lew-mow grass and ‘wildflower
mixes in place of higher main-
tenance lawns, as well as yari-
ous combinations of native and
north-hardy shrubs and peren-
nials,