Ian Munroe
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Digital journalist with CBC News. Previous stints at newspapers, magazines and broadcasting companies in Halifax, Ottawa, Tokyo and Dubai.
Articles by Ian Munroe
Durable reactive CO 2 capture exceeding 1,000 h via self-reinforcing molecular catalysts
Abstract Electrochemical carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction using low-carbon electricity provides a means to decarbonize chemical and fuel production. However, CO2 reduction typically requires high-purity CO2 obtained through capture and subsequent energy-intensive regeneration. Reactive capture integrates CO2 capture and conversion, avoiding the desorption step, but existing systems show poor durability.
Indigenous‑led renewable energy projects offer benefits that reach far beyond reducing carbon emissions Original
The number of renewable energy projects that are fully or partly Indigenous-owned is growing quickly in Canada, and our new research suggests that their benefits reach far beyond reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The number of such projects on traditional Indigenous territories and reserve lands jumped by more than 300 per cent between 2009 and 2020.
“Q Day” Is Coming: Is the World Prepared?
While threats from phishing emails and other kinds of cyberattacks are more of a nuisance with each passing year, there’s a greater worry ahead: quantum computing is universally expected to render our most common data security methods obsolete. The only question is how soon. “As of right now, every piece of information that we have is already lost,” says Shohini Ghose, a quantum physicist and professor of physics and computer science at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario.
Why thefts of copper wire aren't likely to stop any time soon Original
When Ben Stickle set out to understand the phenomenon of metal theft, he interviewed a few dozen of the culprits to see how they operated. What he discovered was that many were relatively well-educated. Most had previously worked with metal in some capacity — perhaps at a construction job — and understood its value. They made calculated decisions about the risk of being arrested versus the amount of money they could make by selling it at a scrap metal yard.
Suzanne Fortier on leadership and learning at McGill — University Affairs
When Suzanne Fortier took the helm of McGill University in 2013, she could hardly have known the upheaval that was to come. After steering the institution through (hopefully) the worst of the pandemic, Dr. Fortier announced early in 2022 that she would be relinquishing her post as the leader of one of the country’s most well-known universities on Aug. 31. As fate would have it, she was chairing the Global University Leaders Forum at the World Economic Forum when the pandemic hit.
MRU launching community podcasting project
News The hope is to facilitate more projects involving Indigenous peoples and other racialized groups. BY IAN MUNROE | SEP 03 2021 A new-media project underway at Mount Royal University aims to amplify the voices of marginalized groups. The Community Podcasting Initiative is believed to be the first of its kind at a Canadian university, says Meg Wilcox, an assistant professor of journalism who is co-leading the project.
Researchers at University of Waterloo trial driverless shuttle
News Using campus as testing grounds, WATonoBus pushes limits of autonomous transit. BY IAN MUNROE | AUG 30 2021 A small bus that’s becoming a familiar sight at the University of Waterloo could represent a giant leap in self-driving transit. That’s what Amir Khajepour, an engineering professor and Canada Research Chair in Mechatronic Vehicle Systems, is hoping. He’s the lead researcher on the WATonoBus project, which is using the university’s main campus as a testing ground.
Where truth and reconciliation stand at Canadian universities
When Asima Vezina learned the remains of 215 Indigenous children had been discovered in unmarked graves at a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C., it set in motion a chain of events at her own educational institution thousands of kilometres away. As president and vice-chancellor of Algoma University in Sault Ste. Marie, Ms. Vezina decided the first step was to seek guidance from survivors in her community. “We needed to come together, and we did, in ceremony and prayer,” she recalls.
Academia has a harassment problem, StatsCan study finds
News The majority of perpetrators are men, while women with disabilities and Indigenous women are the most likely to be targeted. BY IAN MUNROE | AUG 13 2021 Harassment is much more common in academia than in many other workplaces, according to a recent study from Statistics Canada. Thirty-four per cent of women and 22 per cent of men employed at postsecondary institutions reported experiencing some form of harassment in the preceding 12 months, the study said.
Number of international students studying in Canada looks set to rebound
News Several institutions say preliminary figures suggest the drop in enrollment due to the pandemic may be easing. BY IAN MUNROE | AUG 04 2021 There are signs that Canadian universities will be welcoming more international students this fall, after many stayed away during the 2020-2021 academic year due to the pandemic. While it’s still too early to say exactly how significant the recovery will be, postsecondary institutions are reporting an uptick in interest from abroad.
Headlines for July 30, 2021
Media Scan BY IAN MUNROE | JUL 30 2021 Maclean’s Canada’s universities and colleges are failing science By not requiring COVID-19 vaccination like the world’s top institutions, Canada’s universities are making themselves the dunces of COVID-19. The Globe and Mail Without mandatory vaccines, more campus shutdowns are inevitable To get ahead of future outbreaks, we need to act now and make vaccinations mandatory for students, staff and faculty on postsecondary campuses.
Headlines for July 28, 2021
Media Scan BY IAN MUNROE | JUL 28 2021 CTV News Laurentian asks for more time to finalize process to deal with claims from former staff Laurentian University is asking the courts for more time to come up with a process to handle compensation claims from former staff members.
Latest settlement in CRC equity issue sets hard deadline for targets
News If participating postsecondary institutions don’t meet their targets by the end of 2029, the number of research chairs they receive will be cut. BY IAN MUNROE | JUN 29 2021 Shree Mulay says she’s noticed a change in attitude when it comes to the selection process for Canada Research Chair appointments at Memorial University, where she’s a professor of community health and humanities. Compared to years past, more attention is paid to hiring candidates from diverse backgrounds.
How lessons learned in delivering courses last year may affect the mode of course delivery this fall
News As universities prepare a return to on-campus activities, many are hoping to keep advantages of remote teaching.
Venezuela, Russia aim to dodge sanctions with cryptocurrency, but experts aren't buying it
The governments of Russia and Venezuela are turning to cryptocurrencies in an effort to dodge international sanctions, but cybersecurity analysts and former government officials say it's a long shot.
Joseph Cameron's killer met him hours before death, judge finds
A teenager convicted of murdering Joseph Douglas Cameron only met the 20-year-old hours before gunning him down on a Dartmouth sidewalk. That was the determination of Judge Anne Derrick in her written decision, which was released on Friday. The document outlines testimony that described the hours leading up to the 2016 death of Cameron, who was one of several young black men killed by gun violence in the Halifax area that spring.
Union cries foul over limited constitutional review of wage package deal
The union that represents civil servants in Nova Scotia is criticizing the province for excluding some sections of Bill 148 from a review by the courts. The province on Tuesday proclaimed the Public Services Sustainability Act on all public sector unions without a contract, effectively imposing a wage package on the province's 75,000 public sector employees. The Liberal government said the legislation would be referred to the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal to get an opinion on its constitutionality.
Muffins and slime: How some Halifax daycares are dealing with the eclipse
A number of child-care facilities in Halifax are taking precautions to keep young ones from potentially damaging their eyes during Monday's partial solar eclipse. "We're going to keep the blinds down as soon as they get up from nap at 2:30 and we're just going to make it a fun afternoon," said Tanya Dalton, owner of Little Ladybug's Child Care Center, which has children between 18 months and five years of age. "We have told them not to look at it.
Dog who died saving owners from house fire hailed as hero
A 17-year-old Jack Russell terrier who died in a house fire on Nova Scotia's South Shore is being remembered as a hero. Charlie's owner, Jeannie Swinemar, is still too upset to talk about the ordeal. But her friend Amanda Joudrey-Leblanc says the blaze started early Wednesday morning in the basement of Swinemar's home in Chester Basin. "That's where Charlie liked to sleep. So she was down there and she alerted Jeannie with some barking that something was not quite right," Joudrey-Leblanc said.
Vet warns of rise in leptospirosis cases in dogs around Halifax
A Halifax-area veterinarian is advising local dog owners to take precautions due to a spike in cases of leptospirosis — an infectious disease that's transferable to humans. "It's a bacteria that can cause some really severe illness in dogs," said Tara Riddell, a veterinarian with the Metro Animal Emergency Clinic.
Halifax motorcyclist seeks clarity from police over his purple lights
A safety-conscious motorcyclist in Halifax is looking for clarity after he was warned he could be ticketed for using glow lights on his motorbike that aren't explicitly banned under provincial law. Joe Hamilton said he was parked at a Tim Hortons in Fall River, N.S., last Friday evening when an RCMP officer pulled into the lot. He said he was informed the lights installed on his bike, which illuminate the motor and the ground below, might violate provincial law.
Parents in Antigonish say no to new female hockey association
Plans to overhaul women's hockey in Nova Scotia have hit a bit of a snag, after parents in Antigonish voted overwhelmingly against joining a new female hockey association in that part of the province. Hockey Nova Scotia is in the process of restructuring how female hockey is governed, saying it hopes the changes will boost registration and help group together more female players of similar skill levels.
Erik the Red, beloved cat on Halifax ship, dies after short illness
A well-known feline fixture along the Halifax waterfront has died. Erik the Red served as the rodent control officer aboard the CSS Acadia for more than 15 years until he retired in 2015. The ship is a permanent exhibit at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, which posted a message on its homepage Thursday saying that an era had come to an end. "Erik was the last of the four rodent control officers who so proudly served aboard ship," the message reads in part.
Province awards $2.9M contract to build long-awaited Shelburne clinic
Residents in Shelburne, N.S., are a step closer to getting a long-awaited medical clinic now that the province has awarded a Lunenburg company with a contract worth $2.88 million to build the facility. "It's been approximately, I believe, 10 years since we started this," said Penny Smith, warden of the Municipality of the District of Shelburne.
Nova Scotia businessman awarded 'bittersweet' $8.2M from province
A Nova Scotia entrepreneur has been awarded more than $8 million from the provincial government for the way in which it went about expropriating land to twin a section of the Trans-Canada Highway in Antigonish County. But Stephen Smith isn't overjoyed with the decision. "While a traumatic legal dispute spread over 19 years has finally given me what I was promised I would receive, it is still only partial reimbursement for the many business losses I suffered," he said in a statement.
Teepee contract fuels frustration ahead of Grand Pré festival
An event being held next month in Grand Pré, N.S., to celebrate the historical ties between the Mi'kmaq and Acadians is taking heat over a decision to contract the work to build 15 teepees to a company that's not Indigenous-owned. Mi'kmaq lawyer Natalie Clifford said the move runs counter to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which Canada adopted last year.
Student group criticizes Justin Trudeau for marching in Halifax Pride parade
A local student association is taking issue with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau marching in Halifax's 30th annual Pride parade, which drew a huge crowd of revellers to the city's downtown on Saturday afternoon.
Safe injection site needed in Nova Scotia, says prescription drug activist
An advocate for victims of prescription drug overdoses says the time is right for Nova Scotia to establish a safe injection site for illicit drug users. Amy Graves says the province needs a place such as Vancouver's Insite, which opened its doors back in 2003. The facility offers drug users access to clean equipment, medical care, counselling and recovery help.
Councillor wants dooring outlawed after cyclist injured
A Halifax councillor wants the province to make dooring cyclists an offence under the Motor Vehicle Act after a woman on her bike was struck and seriously injured by a truck door on a Halifax street earlier this week. Coun. Shawn Cleary is an avid cyclist who often bikes to city hall. He said he assumed that the Motor Vehicle Act had legislation to cover dooring, but learned that's not the case.
3 things to know about Halifax's twin city in Japan
A delegation from Hakodate, Japan, has been visiting Halifax this week to mark a little-known milestone. It's been 35 years since the two cities were twinned. To celebrate, Hakodate Mayor Toshiki Kudoh made the long journey here and spent Tuesday and Wednesday taking in the sites, often accompanied by his Halifax counterpart, Mayor Mike Savage. Here are a few things you may not know about the two cities.
Argyle Street tea shop owner issues plea for help to stay afloat
The frustrated owner of a small business negatively impacted by construction in downtown Halifax has taken to social media in a bid to drum up business and help save his shop. On Tuesday morning, World Tea House owner Philip Holmans posted a photo on Facebook and Twitter of the closed street, torn up and littered with construction vehicles, outside his storefront. "Week 6 out of 17-20... PLEASE help us survive and come in for tea, sales down 50% and we are already struggling to stay open.
Wait list for family doctors in Nova Scotia hits 33,216
The number of patients on the wait list for a family doctor in Nova Scotia has soared to 33,216, from 25,000 in March, according to figures released by the Nova Scotia Health Authority. The authority hopes to whittle down that number by 12.5 per cent. That's the number of patients whose names it has sent to physicians in the province, spokesperson Kristen Lipscombe said in an email. But it doesn't mean that all 4,150 people will be successful in getting a family doctor, she said.
'I don't know what they were doing': Tenant trashes Cape Breton home
A homeowner in North Sydney, N.S., says he's out tens of thousands of dollars after discovering the tenant he had been renting to trashed the building. Stuart Peters and his wife originally planned to sell the home, but after six months on the market they decided to find a tenant so they could move to Yarmouth, which is a decision that has cost them dearly. After failing to pay rent, the tenant vacated this spring, saying she left the house in pristine condition.
Online classes limiting potential of rural students, teen says
A teen who says she's being put at a disadvantage because she attends a small school in rural Nova Scotia has sent a letter to her regional school board, pleading for access to more classroom courses. ?Kaitlyn Kavanaugh is among just a dozen students going into Grade 11 this fall at Fanning Education Centre/Canso Academy (FECCA) in the Municipality of the District of Guysborough, which has a population of around 4,670.
Girl's quest to clean up LaHave River nets $15.7M in funding
Three levels of government jointly pledged more than $15 million on Thursday to help clean up the LaHave River along Nova Scotia's South Shore, thanks largely to the efforts of a determined teenager. "This is an amazing step in the right direction. It really is a gift to future generations along this beautiful river," Stella Bowles, 13, said at an event on the riverbank in Dayspring, N.S., to announce the agreement.
Drivers passing stopped school bus run up against frustrated mom
Tired of watching cars blowing by her daughter's stopped school bus, a Halifax-area mother has taken matters into her own hands and drivers are paying the price. "They're putting the kids' lives at stake," she told CBC's Maritime Noon. So she decided to record videos of the incidents and began to post them on Facebook, hoping to raise awareness about the dangers of failing to stop in such a situation.
Is Japan leaving the Rohingya out in the cold?
It all began when Zaw Min Htut learned he was on a list. Back then, however, he had a different name: Luk Man Hakim. For three years he had been studying at Yangon University — not law or political science, like he dreamed of, but zoology, one of the subjects he was allowed to enrol in as a noncitizen. Although he was born and raised in Myanmar and could trace his family history in the country back several generations, Zaw Min Htut was stateless.
Who's watching whom in Japan? It's a state secret
About 200 people gathered in a subterranean auditorium on the University of Tokyo’s Hongo campus earlier this month to hear from one of the world’s most well-known fugitives. Edward Snowden spoke via video linkup from Russia, where he was granted asylum after revealing the U.S. National Security Agency’s controversial mass surveillance programs three years ago.
Growing Chorus Of Experts Raising Ethical Questions About The Future Of Robotics
Growing Chorus of Experts Raising Ethical Questions About the Future of Robotics Japan supports robotics development to overcome labor shortage, but engineer urges ethical reviews; robots could replace half of Japan’s workers by 2035 Crowds filter through a darkened corner of Tokyo’s National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation on a recent Saturday, seeking to catch a glimpse of what the future may be like.
Growing chorus of experts are raising ethical questions about the future of robotics
Crowds filter through a darkened corner of Tokyo’s National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation on a recent Saturday, seeking to catch a glimpse of what the future may be like. One of the attractions is a child-like creature that sits perfectly still, and occasionally bursts into speech.
Victims seek redress for 'unparalleled massacre' of Tokyo air raid
It was among the deadliest wartime events in history, killing an estimated 100,000 people, injuring tens of thousands more and leaving a million homeless. So why has the Great Tokyo Air Raid never been properly memorialized in Japan? That question has haunted Katsumoto Saotome for much of his life. Unable to view this article? This could be due to a conflict with your ad-blocking or security software. Please add and to your list of allowed sites.
Victims seek redress and recognition for 'unparalleled massacre' of Tokyo air raid
It was among the deadliest wartime events in history, killing an estimated 100,000 people, injuring tens of thousands more and leaving a million homeless. So why has the Great Tokyo Air Raid never been properly memorialized in Japan? That question has haunted Katsumoto Saotome for much of his life.
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