Institutes, Centres and Groups

The Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre (BMSC) is a shared campus of the Universities of Victoria, British Columbia, Alberta, Calgary and Simon Fraser University.

Perched on the outer west coast of Vancouver Island, BMSC provides access to a remarkable diversity of marine, terrestrial, freshwater and cultural sites of the North East Pacific Basin. With 3000 square metres of modern laboratory space, it can support research in almost any field of study.

The primary mission of the Biogeoscience Institute (BGS) is to provide and support high quality science through independent research or research clusters and to promote professional practices in the Canadian Rockies and adjacent areas. Informed natural resource and environmental polices can then be used to maintain ecosystem processes and services.

The BGS has four primary goals:

1. Improve understanding of ecosystem processes in the Canadian Rockies through research studies that take into account spatial and temporal variations.
2. Provide innovative, robust and accessible information services and tools.
3. Cultivate a diverse and creative workforce and a scientifically literate and engaged community.
4. Provide state-of-the-art facilities and services conducive to environmental research and education.

Advancing Canadian Wastewater Assets (ACWA) is a partnership between the University of Calgary and the City of Calgary. ACWA's main goal is to develop wastewater treatment technologies that will remove existing and emerging contaminants to improve ecosystem and human health. It is a place where researchers, practitioners and industry can work together to solve important problems facing cities everywhere.

Faculty in our department work collaboratively with the Calgary Zoo’s Centre for Conservation Research. The CCR works in Canada and across the world to help endangered animals once again thrive in the wild. They focus on species recovery and through the Husky Energy Endangered Species Program, are recognized as a North American leader in the science of species reintroduction.

Working with governments, non-profit organizations, specialists, industry and communities, our researchers conduct groundbreaking scientific research. They focus on:

• Studying conservation needs and sustainability of species reintroduced back into the wild.
• Developing, implementing and evaluating strategies that benefit biodiversity and local communities. In some cases the expertise of our staff working in the field with local communities is the most valuable contribution we can make, other times our support is purely financial.
• Conducting research, advocating and disseminating information on behalf of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Reintroduction Specialist Group, North American and Caribbean Section.