THUNDER BAY — The University of the Arctic (UArctic) has appointed two members of the faculty of Lakehead University to international research chairs.
UArctic is an international network of 200 universities, colleges, research institutes and other organizations concerned with education and research in and about the circumpolar region.
Sudip Rakshit of Lakehead is the new Chair in Integrated Sustainability Analysis and Circular Bioeconomy, while Chris Southcott was named Chair in Resources and Sustainable Communities.
In an announcement Tuesday, Lakehead said the pair will lead initiatives to advance knowledge and strengthen international partnerships in the Arctic for the next five years.
As a professor in chemical engineering and Canada Research Chair in Bioenergy and Biorefining Processes, Rakshit works on critical environmental challenges with a focus on resource recovery, waste reduction and materials reuse.
"In the Arctic region, there are lots of marine and terrestrial resources available, but how do we use them in a manner that is technically, economically, environmentally and socially sustainable" while limiting climate change?, he asked.
With international collaborators, he's investigating the potential use of products such as algae and grasses to produce biofuels and other bioproducts.
As a professor of sociology with close to four decades of research experience in Canada and other Arctic countries, Southcott is studying how resource development – including mining, forestry and oil & gas – affects northern communities and how local residents can have more influence on development.
"There have been negative impacts from resource development in northern communities," Southcott said. "My research looks at how to lessen those negative impacts and enable communities to gain more control ... and reap the benefits from the development to help make them sustainable."
Andrew Dean, vice-president of Research and Innovation at Lakehead, said having two international research appointments is a testament to the high quality of research happening at the university.
"It shows that Lakehead is a leader when it comes to research on and for the North," he said.
