1989-09-21. MUN Gazette, vol. 22, no. 03

              Gazette
Memorial
W University of Newfoundland
Volume 22        Number 3
September 21, 1989
Memorial president
to retire next year
Dr. Leslie Harris, president and
vice-chancellor of Memorial
University of Newfoundland, has informed the university's Board of Regents of his wish to retire on Aug. 31,
1990, the end of his current term. Dr.
Harris was first appointed president
and vice-chancellor in 1981 and was
reappointed to the position in 1987.
Prior to his appointment in 1981,
Dr. Harris served at Memorial in a
number of academic and administrative capacities. He first joined the
faculty of the university as an assistant
professor of history in 1963. He was
named associate professor in 1964, and
in 1965 became head of the history
department. In 1966 he was appointed full professor and acting dean. In
1967 he was confirmed as dean, and in
1974 he became vice-president (academic) and pro vice-chancellor.
Dr. Harris was born in St. Joseph's,
Newfoundland and graduated from
Memorial with BA(Ed.) and MA
degrees. He received his PhD from the
School of Oriental and African
Studies, University of London.
The members of the board reluctantly acceded to Dr. Harris' request and
unanimously expressed their continu-
Dr. Leslie Harris
ing appreciation for the outstanding
leadership he provides to Memorial.
Dr. Charles White, chairman of the
university's Board of Regents, announced that the board will, in the
near future, commence a search to find
a new president for Memorial.
Vessel would increase
ocean research benefits
Marine-related research at Memorial University has generated over
$8.5 million in the Newfoundland economy in the past year but according to
Dr. David Strong, vice-president (academic), this amount could be significantly larger if not for serious
limitations in infrastructure, the most
serious being inadequate ship-time.
Dr. Strong was commenting on the
economic benefits that would be generated by the acquisition of an oceangoing research vessel for Memorial.
Such a vessel will put the university at
the forefront of what Dr. Strong says
must be a national effort to better understand and protect the nation's ocean
environment and properly develop sub-
sea resources. He said, "Canada has the
world's longest coastline and second-
largest continental shelf, and yet we understand little about the waters and the
resources within our jurisdiction. To
correct this situation we must initiate
and sustain the highest quality of programs both in long-term research and
advanced education. Newfoundland is
strategically located for access to both
the Atlantic and the Arctic oceans and
would be the ideal center for such activities, which would have a tremendous
spin-off impact on the entire provincial
economy."
Feasibility confirmed
A group of representatives from the
university, government and industry has
assessed the feasibility of purchasing a
research vessel and has determined that
such a ship could pay for itself through
contracts and charter research work in
a very short time. "The appropriate vessel can be purchased and put to sea for
the first two years at a cost between
$15-$25 million. It is entirely possible
that this purchase price could be
returned each year just bv tV"» increased
value of research funds generated by the
ship," says Dr. Strong. "The present
level of $23 million a year for Memorial's research, $8.5 million being marine-
related, represents new money that is
spent in the province and enters the
Newfoundland economy. This figure
would significantly increase and so
would the direct benefits to our economy if we had our own vessel."
Dr. Strong said that other universities
in Canada would welcome the addition
of ocean-going research facilities at
Memorial. "This kind of initiative becomes part of the national capability in
research and development. Other
universities would like to have it, but
most agree that it is more appropriate
to Memorial. Just as the aerospace industry has developed around Ottawa
..
C-CORE engineer and ice forecasting system designer, Mona El-Tahan (L), and
student assistant Shirley Oue (R), check out model ice
C-CORE to develop ice forecast system
Offshore petroleum exploration and
production activities on the Grand
Banks of Newfoundland will be made
safer as a result of research being undertaken at Memorial University.
The Centre for Cold Ocean Resources
Engineering (C-CORE) at the university is developing an integrated sea ice/iceberg forecasting system which, when
completed will greatly enhance forecasting pertaining to iceberg trajectory, iceberg drift and sea ice edge drift.
Government funding
The system involves computer models
for regional and site-specific forecasting
which were developed and evaluated by
Mona El-Tahan, an engineer at
C-CORE.
To further develop the system, C-
CORE will undertake a three-phased
study funded through a grant of
$220,000 from the federal and provin
cial governments. The first phase of the
study will involve upgrading the sea ice
edge model. In the second phase, improvements will be made to the iceberg
model, and the third phase will involve
development of the conceptual design
and implementation of the integrated
sea ice and iceberg forecast system.
Judith Whittick, group leader, administration and information, C-
CORE, said the three-phase study will
also be conducted by Ms. El-Tahan. Ms.
Whittick said the work is scheduled to
be completed by mid-1991 and commercial development will follow shortly
thereafter. "There is definitely a demand for better ice forecasting technology here in Newfoundland, but there is
also commercial potential for the system
internationally, particularly in areas like
the Soviet Union and in other countries
engaged in cold oceans resource exploitation," said Ms. Whittick.
and Montreal with all the accompanying employment and economic benefits,
marine-related research in Canada must
have a focus. Given our location as the
gateway to the Atlantic and the Arctic,
given the expertise already resident at
the university, other Newfoundland institutions and the private sector, and
given the addition of a world class,
ocean-going research vessel, Newfoundland would be that focal point. The
world would benefit from the
knowledge generated and Newfound-
INSIDE
Business students win writing
award 2
Ocean studies research supported by
scholarship 3
Microbiologist,     entomologist,
virologist to lecture on campus.. 3
FMA student chapter honored... 3
Oceans 2000: its early
successes	
landers would be the main economic
beneficiary," he said.
The university can make a significant
contribution to developing economic
opportunity in the province, said Dr.
Strong, through a better understanding
of the marine environment. "The acquisition of this vessel will ultimately have
a direct, positive impact on how we utilize the resources in our waters and under the seabed and that is essentially
where the economic future of Newfoundland lies."
Research 6
Alumnus of the Year is William
"Bill" Rompkey 8
Meet  Memorial 8
 4-5
Earth   scientist   participates   in
international drilling program... 5
Sciencefare 6
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UNIVERSITIES*
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