Research
Dynamic, Creative Research
Grenfell Campus, Memorial University, is a dynamic and creative research community. Scholars are active in all areas of research, innovation, scholarship and creative activity, and the campus is poised for research growth. Grenfell Campus is recognized for its rich record of engagement with community partners and research collaborators, in Newfoundland and Labrador and around the world.
Grenfell Campus Research Committee
As outlined in its terms of reference, the Grenfell Campus Research Committee supports and provides advice to the Associate Vice-President (Grenfell) Research and Graduate Studies and Research Office staff regarding the planning of regular events, as well as longer term strategic planning, to foster improvements in research at Grenfell. The committee also recommends procedures and evaluates applications for the Vice-President’s (Grenfell Campus) Research Fund. In addition, the committee serves as a liaison between the Schools, Library Council and the Grenfell Office of Research and Graduate Studies. Current membership includes:
- Dr. Mumtaz Cheema, non-voting chair
- Prof. Larry Weyand, School of Fine Arts
- Dr. Benjamin Barootes, School of Arts and Social Science
- Prof. Crystal Rose, Ferriss Hodgett Library
- Ms. Ulrica Pye, Nurse Educator, Western Regional School of Nursing
Grenfell Campus Research Ethics Board
- Dr. John Bodner (Chair) (July 2017-present)
- Dr. Kelly Warren (September 2018-present)
- Dr. Roza Tchoukaleyska (November 2020-present)
- Dr. Garrett Richards (September 2020-present)
- Dr. Katherine Pendakis (November 2020-present)
Campus Research Facilities
Boreal Ecosystem Research Facility (BERI)
This 500 square-metre facility provides high-level research resources to support federal, provincial, university and private sector research priorities in forestry, agriculture and the environmental sector. The facility, with its three interconnected analytical research laboratories, builds capacity in analytical research with a particular focus on soils, plants, air and water.
Functional Foods Lab
The Functional Foods Sensory Laboratory examines "functional foods" – natural or processed food products with known health benefits beyond basic nutritional needs, such as the antioxidants in blueberries, eggs enhanced with omega 3 fatty acids or the probiotics associated with yogurt.
Terrestrial Biogeochemistry and Ecohydrology Research Group (TBERG)
The "Terrestrial Biogeochemistry and Ecohydrology Research Group (TBERG)" is primarily dealing with carbon cycling, greenhouse gas emissions and ecohydrological feedbacks in boreal ecosystems, but my research is more focused on boreal peatland ecosystems. The facility that my lab has includes Greenhouse gas GC (for CO2, CH4 and N2O measurement), TOC/TN analyzer (for dissolved organic carbon and total nitrogen measurement), CO2-C isotopic analyzer (for CO2-C isotope analysis), field spectroradiometer for measuring the spectral reflectance of vegetation and other materials, photosynthesis analyzer ( for measuring leaf photosynthesis), portable greenhouse gas analyzer (for measuring CO2, CH4 and water vapor flux simultaneously). In addition, I have two eddy-covariance (EC) systems installed in the field measuring the ecosystem-scale flux of CO2, CH4 and water vapor. Moreover, I have other sensors that can measure soil moisture, soil temperature, solar radiation and water table levels.
Research Award
The purpose of the annual Grenfell Campus Research Award is to recognize an academic staff member (ASM) who has demonstrated outstanding research accomplishments and has made significant contributions to advance the Grenfell Campus's reputation for research excellence.
Past recipients
Past recipients of the Grenfell Campus Research Award:
- 2015 - Dr. Ian Warkentin
- 2019 - Dr. Paul Foley
- 2020 - Dr. Telex Ngatched
- 2021 - Dr. Erin Fraser