May 26 , 2010
Imperial Oil donates $250,000 to help spark interest in geology, mining
A ribbon cutting ceremony was held this morning to officially open the Imperial Oil 3D Imaging Laboratory, which will allow students and instructors to examine problems in a 3D environment.
It is one of only two in Ontario that incorporates geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing and geophysical software packages.
“The possibilities for this technology are remarkable and we are very fortunate to have the support of Imperial Oil,” says John Capone, dean of Faculty of Science. “This is a big boost to our longstanding commitment to public education and outreach. With facilities of this calibre, we can attract young, bright high school students interested in the sciences to our campus, who may someday become undergraduates. ”
“At Imperial, we're strong believers in giving back to the community through programs that can make a difference to young people and their education, especially in the areas of science and technology,” says Monica Samper, president of the Imperial Oil Foundation. “We’re pleased to support this program that will help high school students and teachers incorporate the hands-on component of GIS education. We hope it will strengthen an interest in geography, geo technologies and spatial thinking in high school students and encourage them to become life-long learners of the sciences.”
Led by Bill Morris, a professor in the Department of Geography & Earth Sciences, the program will include a series of comprehensive, one-day workshops—the Imperial Oil Learning Units on Remote Sensing—that will give students from high schools throughout Hamilton and the surrounding area the chance to learn about remote sensing, a key of GIS analysis.
In the lab, the high school students will have the opportunity to build a 3D model of downtown Hamilton, and use aerial photographs to map changes in Hamilton since 1945.
“Recent advances in the availability of satellite imagery, and our ability to interrogate this imagery using laptop computers, has dramatically changed the way we perceive our earth,” says Morris. “Aspects of geology and physical and urban geography that we used to examine by looking at photographs in textbooks can now be directly studied using the new imagery.”
McMaster University, one of four Canadian universities listed among the Top 100 universities in the world, is renowned for its innovation in both learning and discovery. It has a student population of 23,000, and more than 140,000 alumni in 128 countries.
About Imperial Oil: With a goal to being an active member of the community and to building a life-long learning system in Canada that ranks among the best in the world, Imperial Oil has been contributing to communities across Canada for over 127 years.
In 2009, Imperial Oil contributed more than $22 million to support various programs across Canada. The Imperial Oil Foundation contributed $6.4 million of this total to more than 300 charitable organizations across Canada. Supporting organizations where we live and work, the company emphasizes investment in education of math and sciences, environment, and civic and community programs.
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For more information, please contact:
Michelle Donovan
Public Relations Manager: Broadcast Media
McMaster University
905-525-9140 ext. 22869
Jane Christmas
Manager, Public & Media Relations
McMaster University
905-525-9140 ext. 27988
Monica Samper
President
Imperial Oil Foundation
403-237-2710