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 South African Graduate Student Spends Six Months Researching at Trent UniversityFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship Program allows Gunther Frantz to Continue Research on Pesticides at Trent’s World Renowned Facilities Tuesday, August 14, 2007, Peterborough
Mr. Frantz’s research project involves evaluating the transport and absorption of pesticides in an experimental catchment in the Western Cape region of South Africa. Since arriving at Trent in February, Mr. Frantz has been working alongside Dr. Chris Metcalfe, professor of environmental and resource studies, in his lab and in the state-of-the-art Worsfold Water Quality Centre. “It has been a great opportunity to come here and to experience a different lifestyle and to see another country,” said Mr. Frantz, who had never been to Canada before coming to Trent. “Having access to the facilities here at Trent has also been great. It is a pleasure working with the other researchers as well.” The CCSP, which is designed to provide opportunities for students of other Commonwealth countries to pursue advanced programs in Canada, is funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT) and coordinated through the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC). Mr. Frantz’s exchange marks the first time Trent University has taken advantage of the grant. The Trent International Program, and in particular Program and Systems Manager Cindy Awe, were heavily involved in organizing the exchange. In speaking to the experience Mr. Frantz has gained at Trent, Prof. Metcalfe said: “Overall, Gunther has gained valuable experience in chemical analysis, environmental chemistry and applications of predictive modeling, which will serve him well in completing his MSc project. There are very few locations in the Commonwealth, other than Trent University where there is sufficient expertise and instrumentation to complete this kind of research. Gunther will be able take the expertise gained at Trent back to his home institution, and the work that he completed in Canada will make a positive contribution to the research project on the experimental watershed in South Africa.” Mr. Frantz’s last day at Trent University is Monday, August 20. -30- For more information, please contact: |
For the past six months, Gunter Frantz, a graduate student from the University of the Western Cape in Capetown, South Africa, has been conducting research related to his master’s degree in Environmental Science in the world-class facilities at Trent University as part of the federal government’s Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship Program (CCSP).