Faculty positions open as U of S adds new program

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The University of Saskatchewan has turned its attention to the province's north and is hoping to establish a program that will measure the environmental effects of industrial and municipal development in northern communities.

Last month, university counsellors named the establishment of the Northern Ecosystems Toxicology Initiative (NETI) one of the top priorities at the university.

When established, the initiative will be the first undergraduate toxicology program in Western Canada. It will study toxicology issues related to industrial development and will evaluate the health risks posed to Aboriginal people and other residents living in the province's northern regions.

Karsten Liber, director of the university's toxicology centre and NETI project leader, said the program will establish the U of S as a world leader in the study of northern environmental issues. The university already has a reputation in the study or northern biology and geology.

Focusing on toxicology and environmental issues is a natural next step in the university's evolution, he said. The program will focus initially on forestry, mining, oil and gas exploration and land reclamation projects. The university is hoping to attract some of Canada's best undergraduate and graduate students who specialize in northern environmental issues.

Northern communities and a number of Native residents have already inquired about the program.

Funding for the new initiative is expected to total about $250,000 a year. A total of four new faculty positions will be created in veterinary pathology, soil science, biology and geology.