Four students and their teacher from Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School in Sudbury recently attended a “Green Mining” program at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario to learn about the root causes of water quality issues at mining sites.The students then developed environmentally-friendly mitigation strategies, many of which would be financially beneficial to the companies located in their hometowns.For the 11 students who attended from mining communities - four from Sudbury, three from northern Manitoba and four from Newfoundland -- it was a chance to perform lab work and research that they would otherwise never experience.The five-day program also gave students the opportunity to experience university life and exposed them to the many options available to them after graduation.The Sudbury students attending were Christopher Ahrbeck, Loran Ellero Dionne, Carter Smith and Jessica Smith. They were accompanied by teacher Fiona Lawrence.
The group’s participation in the program, including travel, accommodation, meals and activities, was funded through a research grant awarded to Dr. Lesley Warren by the RBC Foundation’s Blue Water Project and a donation by Vale.
Dr. Warren is a professor at McMaster’s School of Geography and Earth Sciences. Bioscience Education Canada worked with McMaster to recruit the students and teachers and organize the week-long program.
