Thursday, April 12, 2007, Port Hope - Uranium isn't the only valuable commodity that Cameco mines.
On April 12, Cameco and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) in Oshawa officially announced the founding of a research chair at the university to mine the innovative minds of students and academics.
The research chair in nuclear fuel will bring together the brilliant minds of Cameco scientists and engineers with those of students and professors at UOIT. Cameco is providing $1.5 million over five years to fund the chair, which will be held by Dr. Brian Ikeda.
"This is an excellent, long-term investment," says Jerry Grandey, Cameco's president and chief executive officer, "and a great opportunity to not only help develop bright young minds but to benefit the university, our company and the region."
Cameco scientists will work closely with academic researchers, sharing experience, knowledge, laboratories and equipment. Engin Ozberk, director of business and technology development for Cameco, has been working on the project for four or five years.
"It's wonderful to see it come to fruition," said Ozberk. "The bringing together of such diverse thinking and resources will advance our industry."
A six-member "chair partnership" was formed to oversee the activities of the chair and will include Ozberk, Bob Steane, Cameco's vice-president fuel services, Andy Oliver, vice-president Zircatec, along with Dr. Ikeda, David Chambers and Dr. George Bereznai of UOIT.
There will be a two-pronged approach. Dr. Ikeda, as chair, will head up the work in nuclear fuel with a particular focus on fluorine production and conversion of hydrofluoric acid to fluorine gas. The sub-chair, Dr. Scott Nokleby will focus on the manufacture of nuclear fuel at Zircatec.
"We expect this program to make a real contribution to reducing environmental impacts and improving safety and operational efficiencies," said Ozberk.
Dr. Mike Murchie of Cameco's technology development group will be Dr. Ikeda's primary contact at Cameco while Dr. Aniket Pant will be the primary contact at Zircatec for Dr. Nokleby.
Founded in 2002, UOIT is a leader in a number of technical fields and is one of the reasons Cameco has made this investment. The payback will be significant. Our technology and research group will gain new insight from the high calibre of researchers – Dr. Ikeda and Dr. Nokleby, as well as gifted graduate and post-graduate students. And these same students will become potential recruits to meet the company's growing need for skilled people as we expand our role in the nuclear renaissance.
"It's also a good opportunity for the students because they can get their education here, work here and continue to live here," Ozberk explained. "It will have economic and social benefits throughout the region."
Also, the university, while developing its own laboratories, will have direct access to Cameco's labs and processes, providing valuable, hands-on experience for the students.
"Students will see, first-hand, our safety and health culture, which will not only benefit them but make them ‘ambassadors' in the broader community," Ozberk added.
