Grant: Collaborative Research and Training Experience

Algal blooms are increasing in frequency and intensity in Canadian freshwaters and globally. These blooms are often harmful, producing noxious and toxic metabolites with potentially devastating consequences. The key response to Canada's challenge of the widening ecosystem health issue should be the creation of a knowledge-rich and skill-ready workforce to take leadership roles in defining strategies to solve the emerging freshwater Harmful Algal Bloom (fHAB) crisis. We need a knowledge class, where academics, governments and industries work together with trainees to develop key research questions related to factors that (1) lead to algal blooms in freshwaters; (2) result in shifts in bloom dynamics favouring dominance by potentially harmful species; and (3) trigger the production of these metabolites; and to then adopt a transdisciplinary approach to finding answers to these key questions and work with end users to translate the scientific findings into actions that change policy and practice to prevent, mitigate or adapt to fHABs. The ""Algal Bloom Assessment through Science, Technology and Education (ABATE)"" training program is designed to create this new knowledge class. A collaborative training team including academics, government and industry from Canada, the U.S., Europe, Asia and Africa will help guide trainees formally on research project committees and informally through components specific to this training program. These include lectures contributed by leaders in the field, interactive webinars, field schools and excursions to see first-hand fHAB problems facing communities-at-risk, real world experiences through academic exchanges and government and industry internships, workshops to translate scientific findings into policies and practices and an annual showcase and networking forum with potential employers. The curriculum is designed to provide scientific excellence and professional skills through the implementation of science components and specialized professional courses or certificates that will make trainees ""job-ready"" leaders in academic, public or private sectors. The ABATE training program falls within NSERC's priority area of Environmental Science and Technologies.