Researchers earn NSERC grants
A pair of researchers and a graduate student at Nipissing University have earned $137,500 in grants from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC) for work that contributes to a better understanding of our forests, provides tools for optimizing nanotechnology applications, and studies nitrogen application for field crops.
Dr. Jeff Dech, Associate Professor of Biology, received $20,000 ($10,000 per year for two years), for his research project, titled Landscape physiology: using dendrochronology and stable isotope analysis to examine broad-scale patterns in tree functional attributes
Dr. Ali Hatef, Assistant Professor of Physics in the department of Computer Science and Mathematics, received $100,000 ($20,000 per year of five years) for his research project, titled Fundamentals and Design of Metal/Semiconductor Nanostructures for Plasmon-Enhanced ApplicationsMaster of Environmental Sciences student Stephanie Rhude received a Canada Graduate Scholarship – Master’s Program worth $17,500 for her research, Exploring hyperspectral data and nitrogen application levels for two field crops located in the West Nipissing agricultural region of northern Ontario.“The success of our faculty members and students securing these very competitive grants is a testament to the high quality research that is being conducted at Nipissing University. This is leading-edge research with the potential to improve the lives of all Canadians, said Dr. Harley d’Entremont, Nipissing’s provost and vice-president, academic and research. “Thank you to NSERC and the Federal government for this investment in Nipissing University and our researchers.”
NSERC investments in discovery are backed by a highly-functional quality control process. Panels of world-leading researchers review and evaluate research proposals submitted by their peers. The $341 million total support for NSERC’s flagshipDiscovery Grants Program will foster research excellence in the full range of science and engineering disciplines. These grants, which are subject to rigorous quality assurance, support ongoing research programs with long-term goals and build the foundation for innovation.
The more than $82 million inScholarship and Fellowships will launch a new generation of scientists and engineers, with support at levels of study from graduate to postdoctoral.
Background
Dr. Jeff Dech, Associate Professor of Biology
Landscape physiology: using dendrochronology and stable isotope analysis to examine broad-scale patterns in tree functional attributes
This research will examine the stable carbon isotope composition of wood cellulose from samples that span a gradient of presumed soil moisture availability (and therefore growth , stability and wood quality) and develop a program of research that directly links the broad scale variation in soil moisture to growth and stability in Ontario forests. Stable carbon isotope analysis of wood cellulose provides a clear and reliable method to reconstruct the physiological responses of forest trees to past variation in water availability, providing crucial insights into the spatial and temporal impacts of soil moisture availability as a driver of growth and yield across landscapes. The isotope data will provide an unambiguous link to water relations that cannot be established through growth-based approaches, and will provide a stronger link to landscape-level indicators used in planning and management.
This project will collect stable carbon isotope data from the wood cellulose of trees already organized into an existing archive of high-quality samples to create a record of past water relations resolved on an annual basis for important tree species of the Boreal and Great Lakes - St. Lawrence forest region. The carbon isotope data will be used to assess two hypotheses; (i) spatial patterns in forest growth and wood quality can be predicted by variables related to landscape-level variation in water relations, and (ii) temporal patterns in the resistance and resilience of forest tree assemblages to periodic drought can be predicted from population or community-level variation in water relations driven by stand diversity or composition. The scaling up of growth/quality relationships to landscape level factors represents a relatively new approach to forest modeling, which could be applied to improve management decisions in Canadian forestry. Climate model projections suggest an increase in growing season drought frequency in central Ontario, therefore, the results of this research program could provide useful information to anticipate and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Dr. Ali Hatef, Assistant Professor of Physics in the department of Computer Science and Mathematics
Fundamentals and Design of Metal/Semiconductor Nanostructures for Plasmon-Enhanced Applications
Nanostructures, which have dimensions comparable to the wavelength of light, provide a unique setting to enhancing light-matter interaction. This enhancement can be utilized for introducing new highly performant tool in a broad range of applications including solar energy harvesting, sensing, and biomedical applications.
In the awarded research proposal we pursue several objectives towards developing and validating efficient 3D numerical methodologies for light-matter interactions within nanoscale systems.
The primary objectives of the proposal are:Modelling hybrid tandem plasmonic-enhanced photovoltaic cellsDeveloping quantum dot – gold nanostructure hybrid nanosensorsInvestigating plasma-mediated photoacoustic response from gold nanostructures irradiated by an ultrashort pulsed laserStephanie Rhude, Master of Environmental Sciences studentExploring hyperspectral data and nitrogen application levels for two field crops located in the West Nipissing agricultural region of northern Ontario.
The over application of nitrogen fertilizer can result in unnecessary expenses to producers as well as cause adverse impacts to adjacent lands. In this study we hope to determine whether hyperspectral remote sensing techniques can be used to help curb this potential problem by focusing on two experimental plots located in West Nipissing, Northern Ontario. Specifically, four separate nitrogen applications (0, 50, 100, 150 kg N/ha) were applied to a wheat (Triticum aestivum) and canola (Brassica napus L.) field and in situ hyperspectral readings were taken over the growing season. Using these data we wish to determine the earliest growth stage at which hyperspectral data can be used to distinguish between the various nitrogen applications. We also wish to determine the optimal hyperspectral vegetation indices (VI’s) for separating the different treatments at various growth stages during the entire growing season. It is anticipated that these data can be useful for producers who are interested in assessing the potential yields of their crops.