Off on some Scientific Adventures!

So as some of you may have noticed, I’ve been unfortunately delinquent in my blog postings this month, due in part to the fact that I have been kept quite busy here on the ground.  Not to worry, I have a few tidbits that will be finding their way to this site in the near future!  Among them:

Winterlude in Ottawa – The Adventures of Robert Culshaw of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS)

Including a videoblog by the Deputy Director himself – discussing BAS, their research as well as how they’re looking to work with Canadians, as well as a longer video of his presentation for us at our Science Salon.  I will also endeavour to assemble a bit of a play by play of the events we had him involved in as our guest (albeit briefly) for the Ottawa Winterlude festivities!

A Meeting of the Minds – The UKs North American Science Officers Meeting

Here we will have the opportunity to speak to the North American SIN team (our network of Canadian and US SIN Officers) , and what we learned at our regional meeting that took place in Washington. 

Gut Health – The Canada/UK Collaboration on Food Sciences Begins!

This is where I am at now (well obviously we’re on a break period – and I have internet access…Yay!), participating  in what has been named the Canada/UK Gut Health workshop that is taking place in Guelph, ON, and St. Hyacinth QC today and over the next 3 days.  During this time the group of Canadian and UK researchers, assembled from AFMnet, AAFC, BBSRC and IFR (among others), will be talking about their respective research and looking to initiate long term Collaborations with their counterparts across the pond.  Today has demonstrated to me that there is an incredibly dynamic group of researchers present and I look forward to what our final roadmap (way forward for increased collaborative activities) will be at the end of this workshop. Sadly I neglected to bring my video camera with me (and with such dynamic speakers, it really is a pity!), but I have had some of the key organising parties to agree to put together a guest blog for me, so you’ll be able to hear first hand about the fascinating plans that come out of this endeavour.

There are of course other things on my agenda, which will undoubtedly make their way to the blog, but here is a sampling of what you’ll have to look forward to in the weeks to come.

From Guelph (where it is much colder than it was in Washington DC) – this is Nicole, signing off!