Fires are "Just the Tip of the Iceberg" of Climate Change's Impact on Forests
EXPERT COMMENTARY: As wildfires continue to rage across parts of Western Canada and the United States, we were curious about some of the other impacts climate change is having on forests and what forest management tools are being taught in classrooms today to address these issues.
Biology Professor Investigating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Genes in Nanaimo Region
VIU’s Dr. Mercedes Hernandez is researching how common antibiotic-resistant genes are among bacteria from urban environments.
Antibiotic resistance in bacteria is a worldwide problem and where previously these bacteria were more commonly found in hospitals, now they can be found in everything from the food we consume to the soil beneath our feet, says Dr. Mercedes Hernandez, a Vancouver Island University (VIU) Biology Professor.
VIU Researcher Investigates Eco-Evolutionary Process of Bog Orchids
VIU Biology Professor Jasmine Janes has received a Discovery Grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) to help her research bog orchid hybridization.
Bog orchids are hybridizing naturally in the wild even though there are multiple barriers that should prevent this process from occurring, says Jasmine Janes, a Vancouver Island University (VIU) Biology Professor, who is researching the phenomenon.
Students Learn about Sustainable Food Production at Aquaculture Greenhouse
VIU Fisheries and Aquaculture students learning in the aquaponics greenhouse gain knowledge about economic, environmental and socially sustainable food production.
A state-of-the-art greenhouse at Vancouver Island University (VIU) is giving students hands-on experiences while they learn about the environmentally sustainable method of growing food through aquaponics.
Aquaponics is a local, organic way to grow food. It combines aquaculture, the cultivation or rearing of fish or aquatic animals for consumption, and hydroponics, water-based plant production.
Air Quality Improves Across the Province During the COVID-19 Crisis
Vancouver Island University (VIU) student researchers see a dramatic decrease in air pollution levels due to reduced car and plane traffic.
Restrictions imposed to help save lives during the COVID-19 pandemic have led to less people driving and flying, which has created a rare opportunity for Vancouver Island University (VIU) researchers and students to study the impacts of automobile and plane traffic on the environment.
VIU Researchers Awarded $25,000 In Health Canada's Drug Checking Technology Challenge
VIU researchers developing a breakthrough opioid drug testing system using new equipment provided by Thermo Fisher Scientific – were declared semi-finalists in Health Canada’s Drug Checking Technology Challenge.
Researchers at Vancouver Island University (VIU) developing a drug-testing system that could one day save lives are getting some much-needed help from Health Canada and a leading scientific instrument developer.
VIU Student Makes an Impression at UBC Undergraduate Research Conference
VIU undergrad Melynda Bergen took home an award from the University of BC (UBC) Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Research Conference on March 16, 2019.
NANAIMO, BC: Vancouver Island University (VIU) biology student Melynda Bergen made history at the University of BC’s Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Research Conference last month.
Exploring the Importance of Snow to Vancouver Island Water Supplies
VIU researchers are helping devise new methods of assessing the quality and quantity of water sources in coastal mountains using drones.
Vancouver Island University (VIU) researchers are taking a deeper look at snow packs in unique alpine forested watersheds on northern Vancouver Island, with the aim of using drone technology to fill a science knowledge gap on stream flows.