Julie Payette, the Governor General of Canada, met with students and toured research facilities at the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University during her first official visit to the province.
During her 90-minute visit, the Governor General also toured the Hibernia Offshore Operations Simulator, and the Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Resources’ flume tank where members of the Eastern Edge Robotics team tested their custom-designed remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).
Research experiences
She arrived at the Marine Institute (MI) campus with Judy Foote, Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador.
They were greeted by Dr. Susan Dyer Knight, Memorial’s chancellor; Iris Petten, chair of the Board of Regents; Dr. Gary Kachanoski, president and vice-chancellor; and Dr. Robert Shea, associate vice-president, Marine Institute.
The Governor General met with seven MI students to discuss their recent field and research experiences:
- Michaela Barnes, ocean mapping student from Clarenville, N.L.;
- Daniel Amirault, ocean mapping student from Middle Sackville, N.S.;
- Adena Peters, marine environmental technology student from Sussex, N.B.;
- Tanya Prystay, doctoral student in fisheries science from Ottawa, Ont.;
- Claudine Beaudoin, nautical science student from, Montreal, Que.;
- Lucas Hillier, nautical science from Gander, N.L.; and
- Jacob Jones, marine engineering student from Barrington, N.S.
Following her tour at MI, the Governor General led a hike at the Signal Hill National Historic Site in St. John’s as part of her initiative, GGActive, to promote health and fitness.
1/ MI visit
Governor General Julie Payette and Lieutenant Governor Judy Foote arrive at the Marine Institute and are greeted by Dr. Gary Kachanoski, Ms. Iris Petten and Dr. Susan Knight.
2/ Greetings
The Governor General greets faculty, staff and students gathered in the Marine Institute main lobby.
3/ Meet and greet
The Governor General meets students at the Marine Institute.
4/ Friendly welcome
Left to right: Capt. Chris Hearn, director of the Centre for Marine Simulation and Dr. Heather Carnahan, professor with the School of Maritime Studies, with Governor General Julie Payette.
5/ Flume tank demo
Dr. Paul Winger, director of the Marine Institute’s Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Resources, in the flume tank observation deck for a demonstration on fishing trawls.
6/ ROV demo
Members of the Eastern Edge Robotics team meet the Governor General for a demonstration of their remotely operated vehicle (ROV) at the flume tank.
7/ Seafloor mapping
Michaela Barnes and Daniel Amirault, ocean mapping students in the School of Ocean Technology, discuss their summer seafloor mapping expeditions.
8/ Coastal restoration
Tanya Prystay, a Marine Institute doctoral student in fisheries science, discusses her work on coastal restoration in Placentia Bay for the Centre for Ecosystems Research.
9/ Students on Ice
Adena Roberts, a marine environmental technology student with the Marine Institute School of Fisheries, spoke of her recent participation in the 2018 Students on Ice Arctic expedition.
10/ Research cruise
Nautical science students Claude Beaudoin and Lucas Hillier describe their experience aboard the research vessel RRS Ernest Shackleton, which escorted the Crystal Serenity cruise ship through the Northwest Passage.
11/ Conference presentation
Marine Institute marine engineering student Jacob Jones gives an overview of “Improved control circuits for the operation of water tight doors," a paper he will present at the International Association of Maritime Universities conference in Spain.
12/ Farewell
Marine Institute students, staff and faculty with the Governor General at the end of her tour.
