A trio of University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) professors received some early Christmas gifts from the provincial government in the form of funding to purchase equipment to continue their research projects.
Biology professor Russell Dawson will receive $30,116, forestry associate professor Dezene Huber $27,842 and environmental studies associate professor Stephen Dery $11,021.
Huber, who was previously at the University of California, is examining the cold tolerance of bark beetles and resistance to toxins in host trees.
Although the process of applying for the money began more than a year ago, Huber said he still felt a bit like a kid on Christmas day.
"The fact of the matter is, the province is giving a fair chunk of change to UNBC to keep research going for the next few years," Huber said.
Dawson is focusing on issues of evolution and ecology in northern forests.
In particular, he's studying birds such as swallows, bluebirds and kestrels. The reproductive success of these birds may provide an indication of the overall health of the environment.
His fieldwork is in mostly in northern B.C. but also in northern Saskatchewan.
Dery, an atmospheric scientist from Princeton University, is studying the effects of climate change in the north, where it's predicted the temperature will increase at a higher rate than any other region on Earth.
Dery's research focuses on effects of rising air temperatures on the water cycle, including such matters as precipitation, snow, river flows and evaporation.
The money will help pay for such high-tech items as a spectrometer, a DNA analyzer and a micro-centrifuge and a freezer capable of preserving specimens at -80 C through the B.C. Knowledge Development Fund.
The money will cover about 40 per cent of their total equipment costs. The federal government's Canada Foundation for Innovation will contribute another 40 per cent and equipment vendors often provide discounts to help out.
Overall, the provincial government provided $2.9 million for 21 research infrastructure projects at seven universities.
