Two new labs in the Faculty of Science & Technology at Mount Royal University will enable cutting-edge research in areas making a real difference to the lives of Albertans: environmental forensics and foot and ankle injuries, showing the breadth and depth of scientific inquiry at MRU.
The Environmental Forensics & Arson Lab will support the work of Dr. Gwen O'Sullivan, PhD, a professor in and chair of the Earth & Environmental Science department at MRU, focusing on what she calls environmental "crime scene investigations."
O'Sullivan and her team conduct analysis of complex organic contaminants at low levels in liquid, gaseous, and solid samples to complete research on arson, biomonitoring, occupational exposure, risk assessment and liability. Already the lab has completed litigation and case work in Canada and the U.S., investigated pipeline and off shore oil spills, and supported reclamation and remediation projects.
The Foot-Ankle Stability Lab (FASt Lab), meanwhile, will support the research program of Dr. Michael Asmussen, PhD. Walking and running seem simple but in reality are complex and for some, difficult given the coordination required across the nervous, muscular, and skeletal systems. When people experience a musculoskeletal or neural impairment that affects the foot and ankle, their ability to walk or run is severely impacted. Asmussen's research seeks to understand the structure, function, and neural control of the foot and ankle during locomotion in healthy, injured, and diseased states.
"As part of the growth and evolution of research at MRU, we are proud to open these labs, which will serve as transformational spaces for discovery and collaboration," said Dr. Jonathan Withey, Dphil, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology. "The work undertaken in these labs will strengthen relationships with industry and government partners, as we mobilize knowledge, solve problems, and improve lives. At the same time, these spaces will create bold learning, engagement and training opportunities for our students, which is very much a signature of the MRU experience."
