What do sea urchin divers, stevedoresand marine security personnel have

in common? Yes, they all call the oceantheir workplace, but now these professionswill also be able to look to a single source– the Marine Institute – for industry-driventraining in their respective fields.

In each of these careers, newregulations andemerging marketshave placedincreased demandson workers to updatetheir training. MI has launched severalnew programs this fall in response tocompanies looking for the latest skills.

Diver trainingMI introduced its first occupational diverprogram in 2001 on the heels of newprovincial standards legislation, and has

continued to evolve its suite of underwatertraining ever since. That initial offeringfocused on the seafood harvestingindustry, and was geared towards seaurchin divers. It was a joint effort of theMarine Institute, the Department ofLabour, and the Workplace Health, Safetyand Compensation Commission

(WHSCC).MI went on to

incorporate furtherrequirements from theCanadian Standards

Association and WHSCC to developseparate courses for the different depths inwhich divers work.

In September of this year, MIintroduced its first occupational scubadiver training in conjunction with anindustry partner, Pro Dive Marine ofMount Pearl. The course was delivered to

27 divers, and MI diving instructor GregHarvey says he is pleased with theresponse.

“Occupational divers that work in theindustry know there will always be a needfor continued training and skillsdevelopment to ensure the safety of alldive team members,” says Harvey. Henoted that divers can now benefit from thistraining without having to leave theprovince.

Mark Unsworth, a graduate of the firstcourse offering, underlined the need fortraining. “This course solidified my skillsand knowledge, two things needed as adive professional,” says Unsworth.Fellow diver Mike Philpott agrees: “Themost current information on dive tablesand dive medicine is always an asset.”

Successful graduates from theprogram can work in the occupational diveindustry in seafood harvesting,aquaculture, underwater engineeringinspections, archaeological investigations,police operations, underwater filmproduction and emergency services.

Dave Bonnell, head of MI’s School ofFisheries, says he is pleased the Institutewas able to work with the provincialgovernment, the WHSCC and the FFAWto offer this new program in the province.

Continued on Page 3

N E W S F R O M T H E M A R I N E I N S T I T U T E

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1, FALL 2004

MI launches new programs this fall

Autumn Additions

Divers can now benefit from this training without having to

leave the province.

The first class of the Occupational Scuba Restricted Bridge course get ready for an assessmentdive in Tappers Cove, Torbay.

2

IN THIS ISSUEAutumn Additions.............................1

Executive Director’s Message ...........2

Message from the Editor ..................2

New Software Developments............3

Trainer of the Year ............................4

MI on the Move ................................4

International Opportunities ...............5

MI and BCIT Training Agreement......5

MY.MUN.CA......................................5

Memorial Teaches the World ............6

FPSO Model Comes Ashore .............6

OSSC Research Benefits...................7

Installation of FPSO Simulator .........7

New Research Units .........................8

Firefighter Combat Challenge ...........8

SERT Centre Firefighting Program....9

Alumni Updates ..............................10

Alumni Profile.................................11

MI in the News ...............................12

The Bridgeis published twice a year by the

Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial

University. We welcome submissions,

story ideas, photographs, letters and,

of course, your comments.

Get in touch with us!

Kimberley ThornhillEditor

P.O. Box 4920St. John’s, NL, Canada

A1C 5R3Tel: (709) 778-0372Fax: (709) 778-0672

Public.Relations@mi.mun.ca

066-185-11-04-4000

Contact Us

Vision 2020Update

Hitting the 400

E X E C U T I V E D I R E C T O R ’ S M E S S A G E

M E S S A G E F R O M T H E E D I T O R

This year is quickly coming to a close, asis the Marine Institute’s 40th

anniversary. And while we’ve had a goodtime looking back at where we’ve been, ourefforts have been focused on where we’regoing — as a post-secondary educationinstitution and as a contributor to the oceansindustries in this province and around theworld.

As we move into 2005, we will besharing our Vision 2020 paper with ourstakeholders and beginning the challengingwork to bring about the infrastructure,people and resources to achieve our goals.

The New Year will also bring someexciting events. Right now, we’re planningfor our 3rd annual Career Fair to take placeFebruary 9-10. We invite you to come meet

the best and the brightest studentsNewfoundland and Labrador has to offer;hear how MI graduates are succeeding intheir fields; and raise your company’sprofile on campus.

In the meantime, we continue to evolveour programs and capabilities. In this issue,we look at what’s new at MI including threeindustrial training courses, our expandingfirefighting campus in Stephenville and ourlatest training partnerships. We lookforward seeing you in 2005 and sharing ourstories of your Institute once again.

People are talking – 400 people to beexact – and the Marine Institute’s

Vision 2020 team is listening. The responsethis spring to our call for input into MI’sstrategic direction was extremelyencouraging, with 400 individualsparticipating in several rounds ofconsultations. So far we have met withstakeholders from our industry sectors:fisheries, aquaculture and marinebiotechnology, marine transportation,

marine recreation, oil and gas and oceanstechnology. We have met withrepresentatives from Memorial Universityand Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, and heldregional sessions in Labrador and on theBurin Peninsula. We have talked to MIstudents, and we have conducted planningworkshops with our faculty, staff andmanagement. The results of some of thesesessions are now available atwww.mi.mun.ca/vision2020.

The participation levels have beenimpressive; the pride we share in ourInstitute, overwhelming; and the insightsyou have been sharing with us, invaluable.Let’s keep the momentum going!Consultations with alumni, students, and MIemployees took place in October, andvalidation sessions are scheduled forNovember, during which time we willrevisit stakeholder groups to report on theproposed vision and look for feedback.Please check the Vision 2020 Web site fordates and times of our upcomingconsultations and make plans to getinvolved. This is your Institute. Help uscraft a vision for your future that respondsto emerging needs in education, industrialtraining, applied research and development;a vision that will meet, and perhaps evenexceed, the needsand realities of life in 2020.

3

Autumn Additions Continued from cover

“And with our industrial partner, Pro Dive Marine,” hesays, “we were able to deliver a top-quality trainingprogram.”

Cargo Handler (Stevedore)This fall’s cargo handler (stevedore) program is theresult of a partnership between MI and the Voisey’s BayNickel Company (VBNC).

Recognizing growing workplace complexities forits marine terminal workers, VBNC came to theInstitute looking for a comprehensive training packagethat included operation of loading equipment, properpacking and unpacking techniques, and handling ofhazardous materials.

The result is a 10-day program that provides theskills necessary to safely load and discharge a ship’scargo, and to safely operate, refuel and performoperator-type maintenance on forklifts, tow-motors andsimilar machinery. It was created with the assistance ofMI instructional designers.

The program was delivered in July in Happy Valley-Goose Bay for 12 employees with funding from the JointVoisey’s Bay Employment and Training Authority(JETA). That group co-ordinates employment andtraining for members of the Labrador Inuit Association,Labrador Métis Association and the Innu Nation.Graduates will put their skills to use on ships currentlyproviding supplies to the Voisey’s Bay construction siteas well as on tanker vessels that will transport oreconcentration to secondary processing facilities oncemining begins.

Maritime SecurityThe last of MI’s new fall offerings is a particularlytimely one. The Institute has developed two newcourses in maritime security - a ship and companysecurity officer course and a port security officercourse. Both were developed in accordance with thepost-9/11 security regime adopted by the InternationalMaritime Organization (IMO).

Port facilities and shipping companies have beenmoving quickly to develop and implement securityassessments and plans, and arrange training for theirship and land-based personnel. The MI courses eachdeal with identifying the security responsibilities of aport facility or vessel; outlining the development,implementation, maintenance and updating of thesecurity plan; and reviewing the IMO code andassociated regulations.

To date, the Institute has delivered the courses over15 times with various companies at its St. John’scampus and on-site throughout the province. MI is alsoensuring that the curriculum and its instructors are keptup-to-date as the IMO continue to refine and enhancethe new maritime security regulations.

A one-day marine security familiarization for vessel,company and port facility personnel is also available.

MI brings new software on board

MInaval architecture and marineengineering systems design

students have a new training tool attheir disposal. The Institute hasintroduced the use ofShipConstructor software into bothits three-year diploma programs.

Developed by AlbacoreResearch Ltd., ShipConstructor is aneasy-to-use, AutoCAD-based 3Dproduct-modeling software for thedesign and fabrication of ships andoffshorestructures. Thesoftware iscurrently usedby theUniversity ofNew Orleans, as well as by morethan 100 shipyards and designersworldwide.

“Since the near global adoptionof computer aided drafting began, wehave seen a continuing evolution inengineering graphics as it has movedtoward three dimensional pictorialrepresentations,” says MarkWareham, chair of the marineengineering systems design program.“We have integrated ShipConstructorinto our program in an effort toremain a leader within the marineindustry.”

Powerful training toolProgram students already utilizeindustry relevant software for lines

fairing, power prediction, stabilityanalysis and drafting. With theaddition of ShipConstructor, studentswill now gain experience in powerful3D production-based software.

Initially, second year navalarchitecture students will useShipConstructor to define basicstructural components as part of theprogram's ship structure andshipbuilding courses. In their finalyear they will build on this

foundation byapplying theirknowledge tothe structuralelements of amajor ship

design project. The marineengineering systems design studentswill then design and model all themajor engineering systems to suit theconceptual design started by thenaval architects.

In implementingShipConstructor, the Marine Institutehas partnered with local design firmGenoa Design International Ltd., aShipConstructor user, to providesupport and guidance. Both partieswill benefit from the association inthat MI will strengthen its presencewithin the local marine industry, andGenoa Design (as well as otherdesign offices and shipyards) willhave access to trained graduatesproficient with ShipConstructor.

With the addition of ShipConstructor students will now

gain experience in powerful 3D production-based software.

4

By Gerald Anderson

The National Seafood Sector Council(NSSC) held its 9th annual general

meeting and first annual awards night inSt. John’s in September. The MarineInstitute was honored with the EducationalTrainer of the Year Award.

Established in 1995, the NSSC is anational body that brings togetheremployers, employees, unions,associations, regulatory agencies andtraining institutions to ensure Canada has astrong and prosperous seafood processingindustry with a well-trained workforce.

Dave Bonnell, head of the School ofFisheries, said, “MI is very pleased to havebeen recognized by the NSSC this way. Itcertainly speaks to the quality of the MIinstructors and staff involved in deliveringNSSC courses.”

MI has delivered NSSC coursesthroughout the province to hundreds ofprocessing employees. They include firstline supervisor, factory clean up, sanitationand hygiene, and northern shrimp handlingand processing.

“Early on MI took the decision not to

develop any more of our own seafoodplant worker courses in favor of usingthose developed by the NSSC,” Bonnellsaid, “and to use their courses in servingthe needs of MI clients. We look forwardto the NSSC playing an even larger role including the certification of plant workers

and the accreditation of all MI seafoodprograms.”

Bonnell was elected as an ex-offico(education) member to the NSSC Board ofDirectors at the annual general meeting.MI has been a member of the NSSC sinceit was established.

David Bonnell, head, School of Fisheries and Ron Hyde, instructor, accept the NSSC's Trainer of theYear award from board member Marg Werseen.

MI NAMED TRAINER OF THE YEAR

WaterWorks ©

Captain Anthony Patterson, director of MI’sCentre for Marine Simulation, chaired amaritime simulation workshop in Victoria,BC on October 27. CCMC hosted the eventas part of its WaterWorks© workshop seriesin conjunction with the Ocean InnovationsConference. Patterson led a panel of nationaland international trainers and corporations indiscussing Canadian know-how in training,engineering and commercialization inmarine simulation and modelling.

CMAC Annual MeetingMI participated in the national CanadianMarine Advisory Council (CMAC) meetingNovember 22-25 in Ottawa. CMAC is aforum for consultation with and information

sharing among marine communitystakeholders on matters of safety, navigationand marine pollution. MI has been a long-standing member of the council.

CAMTI in OttawaThe Canadian Association of MaritimeTraining Institutes (CAMTI) held itsmeeting in Ottawa in November. CatherineDutton, MI’s head of maritime studies, is thepresident of the association.

IAMU in TasmaniaMI attended the 5th Annual GeneralAssembly & Conference of the InternationalAssociation of Maritime Universities(IAMU) at the Australian Maritime College

in Tasmania November 8-11. MIinstructional designer Coreen Breendelivered a paper on emerging technologiesfor online course delivery. Two studentpapers were also featured.

Marine engineering student Garrett Duncan,who worked with fellow students BenHarpwood and Matthew Stares to evaluatefuel cells for ship application, presented thefirst paper to the international audience. Thesecond paper, by nautical science studentsMelissa Hopkins, Andrew Wakeham, DavidIngram and Adam Holwell on the effect ofthe automatic identification system on theshipping industry in the Great Lakes and theSt. Lawrence Seaway, will be published bythe IAMU.

Garrett Duncan also had the opportunity tospend three days on the island state at theIAMU student conference meeting hundredsof his fellow nautical science and marineengineering students from around the world.

5

Two outstanding departmentsfrom the Marine Institute

and Memorial University haveofficially joined forces. MIInternational and DistanceEducation and LearningTechnologies (DELT) will lookinto ways to combine theirexpertise in an effort to seek outinternational opportunities ininformation andcommunications technology.The announcement was made inOctober.

“MI International isconstantly looking for newopportunities, partnerships andways to expand its serviceoffering to internationalmarkets. Our alliance withDELT will bring additionalskills and expertise to the tablewhich will allow us to target abroader range of projects,” saidMI executive director LeslieO’Reilly.

Over the next six months,Glen Penney of DELT will beworking with MI International

to conceptualize and quantifythe nature of the relationshipand the opportunities. Penney’sfirst project will be to co-ordinate marine engineeringand nautical science studentexchanges with other maritimeuniversities in Canada and theEuropean Community under theCentre for InternationalMaritime Education andTraining (CIMET) this fall. Thestrategic partnership is expectedto be fully operational by April2005.

DELT director Ann MarieVaughan called the alliance “anexcellent opportunity tocombine the internationalreputation and experience of MIwith the e-learning capabilitiesof DELT for mutual benefit.”

“We are very happy tohave Glen working on thisproject. His years of experienceand knowledge will no doubtassist us in moving thispartnership forward.”

Distance PartnershipTargets International

Opportunities

By Angie Clarke

Marine Institute students will soon beable to join their peers at Memorial

University in accessing the student Webportal my.mun.ca. The portal connectsstudents to a variety of Web services—student notices, a new student e-mailsystem, Student Banner and WebCT—through one convenient interface. It willbe available later in December.

Memorial’s Department of Computingand Communications (C&C) officiallylaunched my.mun.ca in April 2003. MI’sstudent portal committee was formed in

the spring of 2004 and has beencollaborating with C&C to tailor thetechnology to meet the specific needs ofMI students.

“Our goal,” says MI portal committeemember John Smith, “is to deliver to ourstudent body customized, hassle freeaccess to their online services. Theexpertise and enthusiasm of the C&Cteam has been invaluable in helping usintegrate into this system.”

Smith says one of the biggestadvantages of my.mun.ca is convenience.The single sign feature allows students toenter one username and password and

have access to a variety of serviceswithout entering any new information.

The official launch of my.mun.ca forMI students will be in late fall, butmarketing and promotion of the portal isalready underway and will continue untilstudents are fully aware of what the portalproject has to offer.

“We’re very impressed with theprogress so far,” Smith says. “We’relooking forward to maintaining the portalwith the most current information andannouncements. We encourage students tocheck out my.mun.ca and make it part oftheir daily online routine.”

GET READY FOR my.mun.ca

BCIT and MI signtraining agreement

MI and the BCITSchool of

Construction and theEnvironment signed apartnership agreementin November to jointlydevelop and delivernational trainingprograms for theoffshore petroleum andnatural gas energy,fisheries, oceantechnologies, and theenvironment sectors.

The BritishColumbia Institute ofTechnology (BCIT) isCanada’s premier polytechnic institute, and its School ofConstruction and the Environment is recognized as aninternational centre for training excellence.

In the agreement, the two institutions will work througha joint working committee to identify national training andtechnology transfer initiatives in each sector and developappropriate curriculum. The partnership also enhancesopportunity for student and faculty exchanges between theinstitutions.

John English, dean of the School of Construction and theEnvironment, said, “This partnership allows each of us tofocus on and develop what we each do best and yet be able todeploy a full palette of services for our clients. This is goodbusiness for everyone.”

(Left) Bill Bradbury, BCIT’s projectmanager for the School of Constructionand Environment, and MI executivedirector, Leslie O’Reilly sign theagreement during the Oceans IndustriesBC conference.

SeaRose FPSOComes Ashore

Presenting the SeaRose FPSO. From left Leslie O'Reilly, Executive Director, Marine Institute,Walt DeBoni, Vice-President of Canada Frontier International, Husky Energy, Ruud Zoon,General Manager, East Coast Development, Husky Energy, Dr. Christopher Loomis, Vice-President (research), Memorial University, Dr. John Lau, CEO, Husky Energy and HeatherLau, wife of Dr. Lau.

Dr. John Lau, president and CEO ofHusky Energy, visited the Ridge

Road campus in October to present theMarine Institute with a model of thatcompany’s SeaRose FPSO. The 1:200scale model was built at the Samsungshipyard in South Korea, and completedthe 14,000-mile sea journey toNewfoundland and Labrador withoutdamage, loaded aboard its full sizecounterpart.

Dr. Chris Loomis, Memorial’s vice-president (research), and MI executivedirector Leslie O’Reilly accepted themodel on behalf of the university.O’Reilly noted that the model accuratelyreproduces the FPSO hull, propulsionsystem, topsides, turret structure, flareand offloading system. The hull lines arefaithfully produced from the vessel linesplans. The model is also exceptional inthat the Samsung team, working fromdrawings supplied to them, was able toaccurately model the topsides oil and gasprocessing equipment.

It is a shipbuilding tradition forowners to have scale models built of their

ships for display in their headquarters. MIwill use the model as a study tool for itsnaval architecture and marine engineeringsystems design programs and will alsomake it available for scheduled publicviewing.

In 2003, MI was awarded a contractto develop and deliver courses to trainoperations personnel for the SeaRoseFPSO. The exclusive training program isspecifically designed for thecrewmembers who will work onboard.In total, the Institute will deliverapproximately 4,500 training days at itsSt. John’s, Foxtrap and Southsidecampuses. MI will also house theFPSO’s process control simulator fortraining.

The Marine Institute will beresponsible for managing Maersk’straining program, including theadministration and logistical co-ordination of subcontracted trainingpartners, facilities, equipment and otherresources that will be used during thetraining program. 6

Memorial teaches the

worldCourtesy of The Gazette

Memorial University is again proving that itsexpertise is available to the world. The

latest example came in July when Irish andNewfoundland fishing gear was tested in theflume tank of the Marine Institute, and broadcastusing videoconferencing technology to fisheriestraining centres in Ireland.

Richard McCormick, marine servicesmanager with the Irish Sea Fisheries Board(BIM), brought over two scale models of Irishfishing trawls, which were tested in the flumetank and viewed live on screen 2,000 miles awayin Ireland, supported by technical commentary tohighlight their underwater performance based onvisual observation.

To facilitate this world-first trial, the MarineInstitute rigged up cameras inside and outsidethe flume tank so that the fishing gear could beviewed from the side and top, with the additionalfacility of zooming in on critical areas.

“Everybody on the (Irish) side wasextremely impressed with the quality of thepictures,” said Mr. McCormick of the three-hourvideoconference.

BIM and the Marine Institute planned thisproject as a logical extension to a highlysuccessful trans-Atlantic partnership, which ledto the joint development of a unique distancelearning navigation and stability training coursespecially designed with inshore fishermen inIreland and Newfoundland in mind. Thisinnovative e-learning course, which will beavailable to Irish fishermen over the Internet,courtesy of a specialist distance learningsoftware package situated in LetterkennyInstitute of Technology in Ireland, came tofruition through the combined expertise of theMarine Institute’s specialist LearningTechnologies Group and BIM, supported byfunding from the Ireland NewfoundlandPartnership.

According to Mr. McCormick, BIM and theMarine Institute of Memorial University intendto build on the outstanding success of these twoprojects by co-operating further to develop morefishing and aquaculture e-learning trainingcourses and also by intensifying the use of theflume tank’s excellent facilities and professionalstaff to improve fisheries conservationtechnology on both sides of the North Atlantic.

“The relationship with Memorial willcontinue,” he said. “I see no reason why itshould not.”

7

By Rob Brown

The offshore safety research unit at theMarine Institute’s Offshore Safety and

Survival Centre (OSSC) has been involvedin a wide range of projects at the local,national and international levels since itsrecent formation. From human behaviourstudies in simulated evacuation situationsto full-scale trials of life raft towingperformance, OSSC and its collaboratorshave been adding to the knowledge base ofoffshore safety and providing useableresults to clients and partners.

Two local companies have beeninvolved with OSSC in the developmentand testing of their safety products – anarea of interest to the research unit underits AIF funding for applied research inoffshore safety. Cathexis Innovations Inc.and Mad Rock Marine Solutions Inc. haveboth grown their business with support

from Memorial and NRC’s Institute forOcean Technology business incubators.Now with research support from OSSC, thecompanies are growing to new levels ofsuccess.

High tech evacuationsCathexis Innovations specializes in thedevelopment of radio frequency identification(RFID) technology. They have been workingon a system that can be installed on ships andoffshore installations to provide valuableinformation about crew member positionsonboard. In the event of an emergency, oncethe crew has mustered at the lifeboat stations,the RFID system will automatically provide ahead count and give the positions of missingindividuals onboard the vessel. Search timesfor missing crew members can be reducedsignificantly, allowing for faster evacuationsfrom vessels in peril. OSSC has providedfinancial support for the project as well as

expert knowledge of offshore and marineoperations. A full-scale ship mock-upstructure for testing of the electronics andsoftware in a realistic environment was alsosupplied. Following the system shakedownthis fall, Cathexis hopes to make aninstallation onboard a vessel for offshoretesting.

The Mad Rock Marine Solutionsproject will improve another crucial aspectof onboard safety: the hooks that release alifeboat from the falls during launch. Todate, numerous accidents have occurredworldwide during drills and trainingactivities with conventional systems thatsometimes release prematurely, often withdevastating results. With support fromOSSC’s research unit, Mad Rock MarineSolutions has been successful in working todesign, manufacture, test and market animproved lifeboat release hook design thatcannot release prematurely.

OSSC RESEARCH PROVIDES REAL BENEFITS TO LOCAL INDUSTRY

Siemens Canada Limited, an internationaltechnology company known for

innovations in health care, communications,energy, automation, transportation, andlighting industries, has custom-built aFPSO process control simulator for theMarine Institute. Siemens will install thesimulator early next year, in time fortraining personnel for the SeaRose FPSO.The SeaRose team will depart for the fieldin June 2005.

Due to short project times and limitedspace on deck, FPSO vessels require theuse of compact, flexible, high-performanceprocessing modules. MI, together with itstraining partner, ODL Canada, will deliverthe process control simulator training infive different modules to members of themarine and process crews on the FPSO,

following a general familiarization courseon the operations of the simulator. Anengineering workstation will be used in thecommissioning of the FPSO itself and willallow workers to test and verify processchanges that may become necessary duringinitial operation.

Leader in Simulation TrainingMI has dedicated two rooms at its maincampus to house the simulator and providestudy space for students, according to thehead of the school of Maritime Studies,Catherine Dutton. "We’re alreadyinternationally known for our simulationtraining and development," Dutton says."Developing our experience in processcontrol training will only add to our overallsimulation capabilities."

Simulation training offers manyadvantages. For the company, it ensuresreliability in project planning and planttesting - even for highly complex processes.For the student, procedures becometransparent; operational efficiencies areachieved; and reaction times are increased.In a safe environment, students learn howto guide operational systems out of criticalsituations quickly and correctly.

The simulation training is onecomponent of MI’s contract to provide andmanage the SeaRose’s overall trainingprogram, which in addition to providing amajor component of the safety andsimulation training, includes theadministration and logistical co-ordinationof subcontracted training partners, facilities,and equipment. Dutton says MI’s trainingexperience in the oil and gas field will payoff in the long run.

"Having access to this simulatorcoupled with our capabilities to customizetraining courses will hopefully attract otherFPSO training opportunities from aroundthe world to MI."

MI to install FPSOtraining simulator

8

New research units attract early

attention

Protecting our fishery resources andmaximizing their potential are the

driving factors for MI’s newest appliedresearch units. The Aquatic Health andBiotechnology Unit (AHBU) and theFishery By-Products centre will open inNovember and already the demand forresearch and development projects is strong.

Aquatic HealthMI officially introduced the AHBU unit tothe national stage at the Aquaculture Canada2004 conference in Quebec City in October.The unit offers fish and shellfish services inhealth assessment, product testing (e.g.,vaccines, immunostimulants), educationaltraining and alternative speciesdevelopment.

Project co-ordinator, Dr. Duane Barker,has studied parasites and diseases offreshwater and marine fish for over 15years. He leads a team of well-respectedresearchers and aquaculture technicians thatspecialize in fish husbandry, finfish andshellfish nutrition, culture biology andquality assurance protocols.

“We’re taking a proactive approach tohealth assessment and biotechnologyproduct development to complement thediversification and expansion of our localaquaculture and fishing industries and helpensure sustainability of these sectors,” saysBarker. “We want to do that by being acentral resource for commercial, scientificand government clients.”

The unit is bringing that capability tothe market with a number of specializedfacilities on campus including a newlyrenovated, artesian-well supplied, flow-through quarantine/level II containmentfacility. Clients are already lining up to usethe quarantine facility, as it is ideal forrigorous experimental design with 24, 120Ltanks and viral disinfection capabilities. TheISO 9001 registered unit also comesequipped with a freshwater/saltwater

recirculation system for research and ahistology lab with image analysiscapabilities; microbiology and chemistrylaboratories and CFIA registered food-processing plant for nutritional studies. The next step is to promote thosecapabilities beyond the local region.Already the unit is working with a client inScotland and is in discussions with apharmaceutical company based in Maineand British Columbia.

Fish By-ProductsThe Atlantic Canada Fishery By-ProductsResearch Centre is a $5.3 million, three-year fishery initiative. That includes $2.3million capital for a research anddevelopment pilot plant in St. John’s, andstate-of-the-art research technologies for sixuniversity research partners including labsat Memorial, Dalhousie, St. Francis Xavier,and McGill Universities. The MarineInstitute, guided by an industrial advisoryboard, will manage and direct the projectand be the hub for pre-commercialdevelopment of extraction, isolation andconcentration processes for marine bioactivecompounds.

“We’re bringing together a host of pan-Atlantic Canada experts that will create newproducts and industrial processes with ournew infrastructure,” says Nigel Allen whowill direct the by-products centre and lead ateam of biochemists, process engineers andlab technicians.

Allen believes the centre will yieldsignificant benefits for the region, includingenhancing waste management, controllingproduction costs and creating stableemployment.

“Our goal is to build our knowledgeand put it to work for biotechnology,nutraceutical and food companies,” he says.“And by reducing the waste in fishery andaquaculture sectors, we all benefit in havinga better environment.”

FIREFIGHTERTEAM

CAPTURESHARDWARE

The MI team of Craig Harnum, StephenHarnum, Brad Dunn and newcomer

Mike Murphy had a great showing at theScott Canadian Firefighter CombatChallenge this past Labour Day weekendin Sherbrooke, Quebec.

The team first travelled to Halifax tocompete at the Atlantic Regional eventwhere they took home bronze medals inthe relay competition with a time of 1:24seconds. All team members had very goodindividual runs with Craig leading theway with a 1:47, Brad with a personalbest of 1:55, Mike with a time of 2:08 andStephen with a time of 2:46. The overallteam time worked out to 5:50, placingthem sixth overall. Those times qualifiedthe team to move on to the Canadiannational competition.

Again the relay team preformed verywell and ranked high amongst some of thetop teams in the country, consistentlyrunning a time of 1:19. Individually, allteam members preformed extremely well,all running personal best times. Craig rana solid 1:41, Mike came in with a 1:56and Stephen with a 2:24, knocking offover 20 seconds from his time in Halifax.Brad was unable to attend the nationalevent.

The team will now focus on off-season training at local fitness facilities inStephenville and St. John’s in preparationfor next year’s competition.

9

SERT Centre to Deliver FirefightingTraining Program

The Marine Institute announced inOctober that it will expand the Safety

and Emergency Response Training Centre(SERT Centre) in Stephenville to offer itsfirefighting and recruitment certificateprogram beginning in January 2005. The26-week program prepares graduates,through classroom and practical trainingand certification, to work with municipaland industrial fire departments. Theexpansion will allow MI to move theprogram from its Offshore Safety andSurvival Centre (OSSC) to accommodateincreased demand for marine and offshorepetroleum related safety training at thatfacility.

New facilities and positionsThe SERT Centre was officially opened inNovember 2003 with $1.04 million infunding from the Atlantic CanadaOpportunities Agency (ACOA) to delivercertified safety and emergency training forthe aviation, oil and gas, fish harvesting,

and marine transportation sectorsin the Atlantic region. A $250,000purpose-built firefightingsimulator will be constructed thisfall that will enhance the aviationcrash training field, emergencyresponse and crash vehicles aswell as student facilities andclassrooms. Two positions will beestablished in Stephenville by theSERT Centre expansion.

MI executive director LeslieO’Reilly says the expansion willbenefit all partners in the project.

SERT partners welcomeexpansion

“The SERT Centre has beenin operation for less than a yearbut has already proven itsexceptional expertise to a numberof municipal, aviation andindustrial clients who have trainedat this campus. Our students andclients will find that this expandedfacility will greatly enhance theirtraining experience as future firefightingprofessionals,” said O’Reilly.

“The Town of Stephenville and ourpartner, the Stephenville AirportCorporation, will also benefit from furtherspin-off activity as a result of increasedtraining.” O’Reilly also explained that theinstitute will work with the Stephenvillecampus of the College of the NorthAtlantic to enhance its administrative andstudents services at the SERT Centre.

Mayor Cec Stein welcomed theannouncement. “We’re very proud to havethis state-of-the-art training program andfacility in our town. The expansion willattract more local, national andinternational students to the area andincrease opportunities for our businessesand services.”

Pamela Walsh, president of the

College of the North Atlantic, welcomesthe opportunity to collaborate on theimplementation and operation of the firefighting program at the SERT Centre.“We’re confident that the enhancedpartnering between the Marine Instituteand the College will lead to excitinggrowth at the SERT Centre.”

The Institute will focus its OSSC inFoxtrap to deliver training programs forthe marine transportation and offshorepetroleum sectors. This includescompleting the $2.5 million contract totrain the SeaRose FPSO operationspersonnel. In May 2004, the Institute alsoannounced its intention to construct amarine base in Holyrood to broaden itscapability in environmental response andsmall craft operations training.

10

U P D A T E S

B. Craig Adams (Diploma of Technology – Mechanical’95) recently took over all engineeringand design build operations for Canadaand the U.S. for Ocean Park Mechanicalin BC.

Frank Antle(B. Tech. ’03) is working withNewfoundland Power.

Tony Bambury (Marine Engineering Technology ’03) is an engineer withAlgoma Central Marine in St.Catharine’s, ON.

Rob Freake(Diploma in Naval Architecture ’93) works with Transport Canada in Ontario.He is married to Christine and has "threekids": Joey and Payton (Rottweilers) andMissy (Beagle).

Jonathon Lee (Naval Architecture ‘01, MarineSystems Design ’02) works with E.Y.E.Marine Consultants. He lives in NovaScotia.

Nancy Murphy (Naval Architecture Technology ’02) is in British Columbia,where she works with Robert Allan Ltd.

Ross Patten (Nautical Science ’96) lives in Aberdeen, Scotland where heworks with Tidewater Marine. He waspromoted to captain in February 2004.

Greg Tilley (Naval Architecture ’01) works withOceanic Consulting Corporation. He is anaval architect, health and safety co-ordinator, quality assurance co-ordinator and designer on the Alinghimodel test team.

Fraser Walker (Nautical Science ’01) is workingworldwide as a third officer with P&OPrincess Cruises.

Karl Whelan(B.Sc. ’95, Advanced Diploma inAquaculture ’96) has been living inNew Brunswick since graduation. He isthe manager of Stolt Seafarms.

Al Rose(Advanced Diploma in FisheriesDevelopment ’95) works with Fisheriesand Oceans Canada in Peterborough, ON.

Lloyd Short(Commercial Refrigeration Certificate ’72) retired in 2003. He lives inChilliwack, BC.

David Stirling (Advanced Diploma in Aquaculture ’02) works with HeritageSalmon Limited in British Columbia.

Chad Stuckless(Diploma in Electrical EngineeringTechnology ’91) works with Weldwood Canada in Alberta.

By Gerald Anderson

Lisa Ausum’s career path has taken her,quite literally, out of the kitchen… and

into the laboratory of one of AtlanticCanada’s leading aquaculture companies. A2004 graduate of the Marine Institute’s FoodTechnology program, the former restaurantcook is now technical manager with CookeAquaculture’s Atlantic Fish SpecialtiesDivision in Charlottetown, Prince EdwardIsland.

New program fit the billAfter graduating from Holy Heart of MaryHigh School in 1994, followed by a two-year stint at Memorial University, Lisaattended culinary school on Prince EdwardIsland. She then began a successful three-year career as a cook in the restaurantbusiness.

“But I needed something more,” sherecalls. “I saw an advertisement in thenewspaper for the Marine Institute’s newthree-year Food Technology program and Idecided to pursue a career in food science orfood technology.” That program wasintroduced in 2001. Graduates have theoption of completing 12 additional universitycourses and earning their Bachelor ofTechnology degree. Lisa is halfway throughher degree program and will continue towork on it next semester.

“The degree option is very important.The good thing about the B. Tech program isthat you can complete 100 per cent of theprogram through distance learning. I canwork here in PEI and at the same time earn adegree from Memorial University.”

Excellent employment rateThis is a good time to be agraduate from MI’s FoodTechnology program. Everymember of Lisa’s 2004graduating class has foundemployment.

“There are lots of jobs in this field,” shesays. “I had several job offers even before Igraduated. I started my job here with CookeAquaculture the day after I graduated fromthe Marine Institute and had job offers fromtwo other facilities at the same time.”

Married for over three years, Lisa feelsshe has finally found her niche, and shecredits her enrollment at the Marine Institutefor preparing her for the demands – andrewards – of her new job.

“Cooke Aquaculture is a great place to work.I am responsible for about 60 employeesincluding responsibility for the company’squality program and supervision of allquality assurance and plant employees. I doall of the companies product development aswell. I really enjoy it.”

“Enrolling in the Food Technologyprogram is one of the best decisions I’veever made.”

What’s Happening with Marine Institute Alumni?Send us your news. Information provided on this form will be used in the alumni section

of The Bridgeand will help maintain accurate home and business address records.

Name:___________________________________

Year of Graduation and degree/diploma/certificate(s) granted: _____________

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Bonnell named to boardDavid Bonnell, head of MI’s School ofFisheries, was elected to the NationalSeafood Sector Council’s Board ofDirectors as the ex-officio educationalrepresentative at their Annual GeneralMeeting in St. John’s on September 16.

Premier meets with studentsDuring a recent industry study tour,graduate students in the Advanced Diplomain Sustainable Aquaculture programdiscussed aquaculture training and theimportance of sustainable aquaculturedevelopment with Premier Danny Williams.From left to right: Michelle Bachan

(Trinidad & Tobago), Kristine Steffensen(Norway), Sherry Power (NL), PremierWilliams, Ryan Legge (NL), MelanieMcLaughlin (New Brunswick), NadiaMacPhee (Nova Scotia), Cyr Couturier(Chair, Aquaculture), Natasha Hynes (NL).

Aquaculture Canada 2004Cyr Couturier of MI’s School of Fisherieswas the program chair for AquacultureCanada 2004, the national forum fortechnology, science, and business ofsustainable aquaculture, held in QuébecCity October 17-20. Couturier and otherMI faculty members, including Dr. DuaneBarker and Dr. Laura Halfyard, wereinvited to present the findings of theirresearch projects and chair sessions at thenational conference. MI also promoted itsindustrial training and applied researchservices at the trade show and introducedits new Aquatic health and BiotechnologyUnit.

Aquaculture scholarships

Marine Institutestudents Cris Jenkins(M.Sc. Aquaculture),Keith Sullivan andStephanie Synard (both AdvancedDiploma in SustainableAquaculture) wereawarded national travelscholarships of $500each to attend the Aquaculture Canada 2004conference in October in Quebec City.Jenkins presented work on his M.Sc projectwhile Sullivan and Synard presented thefindings of their independent research optionprojects. Only 12 such scholarships wereawarded across Canada this year.

MI’s Advanced Diploma in SustainableAquaculture program has the highestenrolment of all advanced programs for2004-2005. Students for this year's cohortoriginate from three countries and acrossAtlantic Canada.

Cris Jenkins

Keith Sullivan

Stephanie Synard