Released on April 18, 2001
The province's two universities are receiving $621,100 in governmentfunding for three projects that will enhance the oil and potash industries
and could have far-reaching impacts on the electronics industry.
The projects are being supported through the provincial Strategic
Investment Fund. Funding includes:
$271,100 to the University of Saskatchewan for a machine that will
manufacture and test new light-based electronic transistors. The
transistors will use a new conductive material, M-DNA, which is
currently the ultimate in miniaturization for electronic circuits.
The project could lead to new advances in global computing
technology and spin-off benefits in medical diagnostics and drug
discovery;
$250,000 to the University of Saskatchewan for an isotope
"fingerprinting" project to develop the subsurface brines found
through oil and potash drilling. Analysis of these brines could
become a useful tool in petroleum exploration and production and in
enhanced monitoring of water in-flows in potash mines. The project
will also map distribution of economically important concentrations
of rare elements found in brines; and
$100,000 to the University of Regina to buy ionic liquids equipment
for research in green chemistry. This field of science involves
the manufacture of chemical products in ways that minimize the use
and generation of hazardous substances. The research has
applications for the petroleum, petrochemical, chemical and
recycling industries through the expected development of new
synthetic processes, potential small field upgrading facilities and
expanded oil recovery in certain areas.
"These cutting-edge projects help further build the reputations of our two
universities as centres of innovation," Economic and Co-operative
Development Minister Eldon Lautermilch said. "Support to this applied
industrial research underscores our government's commitment to the 'r & d'
that is crucial to our knowledge-based economy and which ultimately creates
jobs and opportunities for all of us."
The Strategic Investment Fund encourages the development of new
technologies and research infrastructure in the province. The fund is
designed to enhance the competitiveness of Saskatchewan industries, as well
as develop new value-added products and processes to expand the
Saskatchewan economy.
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For more information, contact:
Bob Ellis
Economic and Co-operative Development
Regina
Phone (306) 787-1691