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Learning that Innovates

NSCC's Applied Geomatics Research Group (AGRG) enjoys an international reputation for excellence, so it was no surprise to Research Scientist Dr. Chris Hopkinson when Ohio State University came to AGRG for help with a research project in Peru.

Funded with a grant from NASA and National Geographic, Ohio State needed help getting images of glaciers high up in the Peruvian Andes. NSCC is one of only three post-secondary institutions in North America with the Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology required to capture the effects of climate change on this remote landscape. Chris and his team were ready for the challenge.

"It was a wonderful acknowledgement of the quality of research that a small group in the Annapolis Valley is capable of," he says. "We can now use what we've learned from our work in Peru to help advance student learning here at home."

AGRG is also putting its skills to work a little closer to home - in the vineyards of Nova Scotia. Research Scientist David Colville has spent the last five years mapping temperatures in the Annapolis Valley, to help identify where the best conditions exist for grape growing.

"Having the right temperatures and weather conditions is critical for growing certain types of grapes," says David. "This research is helping a booming industry better focus its efforts."

Hans Christian Jost owns a vineyard and a winery in Malagash, Nova Scotia, and is a member of the Grape Growers Association of Nova Scotia. He says the data generated by Colville is invaluable. "We have so many people interested in growing grapes in our province. Now we can help new growers choose the best locations to help ensure success for their businesses and our industry."

That kind of collaboration is often the key to innovation. NSCC is proud to collaborate with other post-secondary institutions to create never-before-seen learning opportunities for students, like the Joint Masters in Applied Geomatics. This unique articulation agreement lets graduates of the Advanced Diploma programs at NSCC's Centre of Geographic Sciences (COGS) finish their Masters with just one additional year of study at Acadia University.

Koreen Millard is the first graduate of this program and proof that college and university education can go hand-in-hand. Koreen is already applying her learning as an Aquaculture Geographic Information System (GIS) and Licensing Officer for the Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

"At university, my learning focused more on the question of why - while the results-based learning at COGS focused on the how. When it comes down to it, the combination of conceptual thinking and hands-on learning truly gave me the best of both worlds."