University of Regina professor awarded more than $600,000 to study climate modeling

News Release Release Date: January 16, 2013 11:45 a.m.

New funding provided to the University of Regina will help researchers to better understand, and prepare for climate change.

Gordon Huang, Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Energy and Environment, and Professor in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Regina, has been awarded $662,873 by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to study climate modeling.

“We have witnessed unprecedented changes in weather conditions in Western Canada in recent years,” said Huang. “From droughts to floods, these events are all occurring with more regularity. The severity of these is expected to increase in the future, and we need to be informed on how to deal with these issues.”

Huang is also the executive director of the Institute for Energy, Environment and Sustainable Communities (IEESC) at the University of Regina, a research and demonstration institute that  integrates the existing energy, environment and sustainability research expertise and undertakes thematic research to address the impacts and challenges of climate change.

Huang’s new research project, the Western Canadian Climate Modeling and Environment Analysis System (CMEAS) is Canada’s first multi-disciplinary effort for the analysis and mitigation of regional water stress under changing climate conditions within a Prairie context.

“The importance of this research cannot be overstated,” said University of Regina Vice-President (Research), Dennis Fitzpatrick. “Climate change is now widely recognized as one of the most important and urgent environmental issues facing the globe. Dr. Huang’s research will help to develop long-term risk management strategies.”

The CFI gives researchers the tools they need to think big and innovate. By investing in state-of-the-art facilities and equipment in Canada’s universities, colleges, research hospitals and non-profit research institutions, the CFI is helping to attract and retain the world’s top talent, to train the next generation of researchers, to support private-sector innovation and to create high-quality jobs that strengthen the economy and improve the quality of life for all Canadians.

“Research and innovation is a forceful driver of growth in our communities,” said Gilles G. Patry, president and CEO of the CFI. “Today’s funding will allow a talented group of researchers and students to create the solutions, products and ideas Canada needs to prosper.”