Environment, agriculture, and education research receives more than $1 million in federal funding
University of Regina researchers were awarded more than $1.2 million in federal funding announced on August 29, 2023, for work focused on the environment, agriculture, and education – work that will influence and benefit society (a list of all the funded researchers and their projects are listed in the backgrounder).
Dr. Leslie Robbins is a geobiologist who received $382,744 from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF) and Saskatchewan Innovation to help him to create the Environmental Geochemistry and Interfaces (EGI) Lab.
The assistant professor says the EGI Lab will help his team explore new ways to develop critical mineral resources, measure the environmental and human impacts of climate change, and examine how the Earth's surface and the biosphere have evolved together over time.
“Infrastructure supported by this CFI funding is critical to research success and will aid in providing a better understanding of the availability of metals, like lithium, in modern environments and how the availability of other nutrient-like trace metals have varied over the geological past,” said Robbins. “Looking at changes in the availability of trace metals like zinc, nickel, and copper over geological time will allow us to examine how they may have contributed to major evolutionary changes, helping to piece together the puzzle of our biosphere."
JELF is a critical strategic investment tool designed to help institutions attract and retain the very best of today’s and tomorrow’s researchers. The fund’s name pays tribute to the outstanding contributions of John R. Evans, the first Chair of the CFI’s Board of Directors.
Suggested cutline for photo (see Media Resources sidebar for higher resolution photo): Dr. Leslie Robbins working with a microsensor system. Photo credit: U of R Advancement and Communications
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Set in the heart of the Canadian prairies we are a comprehensive, mid-sized university where the opportunities are as limitless as the horizon. Our campuses are on Treaty 4 and 6 - the territories of the nêhiyawak, Anihšināpēk, Dakota, Lakota, and Nakoda peoples, and the homeland of the Michif/Métis nation. It is our responsibility to strengthen relationships with Indigenous communities to build a more inclusive future for all. Our three federated colleges, 10 faculties, 25 academic departments, and 18 research centres foster innovative research with practical and theoretical applications. We are committed to cultivating the potential of our 16,700 students and supporting their health and well-being. We take learning beyond the classroom through work and volunteer experiences to develop career-ready graduates.
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