Canadian Network for Global Environmental Measurement and Monitoring

Name of Project:

Canadian Network for Global Environmental Measurement and Monitoring

Team Members:

Leader: Nobel laureate Dr. Donna Strickland (University of Waterloo). Investigators: scholars form Canadian universities, including Dr. Arzu Sardarli (FNUniv)

Partners:

Numerous Canadian universities

Funding Institution/Grant:

Government of Canada within the Support to Canadian Think Tanks & Academic Institutions program, $1,000,000. Proposal is under review.

Summary of the Project:

The overall objective of this proposal is to increase the environmental measurement and monitoring capacity of Canada. If we are to reach greenhouse gas net-zero by 2050, all sources and sinks, whether they are artificial or occur naturally must be measured. To reach this objective, our major goal is to create the Canadian Global Environmental Measurement and Monitoring (GEMM) network, where we will bring together environmental scientists with photonics researchers developing sensor technology. Environmental scientists are typically limited to using commercially available sensors. We will also work with the First Nations People, Metis and Inuit. The dialogue with the First Nations will be aided by the participation of the First Nations University in the network. The University of Waterloo’s Office of Research will create a new Indigeneity Advisor position to support research project with meaningful engagement of Indigenous communities, knowledge and perspectives.