June 28, 2005 for immediate release

TheUniversity of Northern British Columbia has attractedfederal funding for two new Canada Research Chairs, bringing the total numberof CRCs at UNBC to eight. Among small universities in Canada, only TrentUniversity in Ontario (nine) has attracted more CRCs todate. Even larger and older universities such as LakeheadUniversity in Ontario(five), the University of Lethbridge (five), and the University of Winnipeg(three) have attracted fewer candidates to these prestigious researchpositions. Even last year’s top-ranked small university in Maclean’s – St.Francis Xavier, with 1000 more students than UNBC – has five CRCs to date.

Thenewest Canada Research Chairs at UNBC were announced yesterday. Englishprofessor Kevin Hutchings willexamine the historical basis for present-day views of the environment andenvironmentalism by studying European writings from the Romantic period(1780-1850).

Michael Murphy is coming to UNBC from New Zealand to continue hisresearch on indigenous self-determination. He will be exploring differentmodels of aboriginal self-rule that are in practice around the world.

“Our universities are vital centres of cutting-edge research andinnovation,” says the Honourable David L. Emerson, Minister of Industry andMinister responsible for the Canada Research Chairs Program. “The ideasgenerated at these institutions extend the frontiers of knowledge and create adeeper understanding of the complex world in which we live. Communities allover the country will see the benefits of the work done by the more than 1500Chairholders who conduct research at Canadian universities.”

UNBC’s other Canada Research Chairs are specialists in rural andsmall-town studies, climate change, soil science, forest pests, and wildlifehabitat.

Contact:

Rob van Adrichem, Director of Media and Public Relations, UNBC - 250.960.5622