Media Advisory: Waterloo and Bordeaux to Launch Canada's First Bachelor of Bio-Based Chemistry Program at Conference


WATERLOO, ON--(Marketwired - May 16, 2014) - Media are invited to attend as researchers from Waterloo and Bordeaux gather to create a bio-chemistry program that will support research into sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels.

The University of Waterloo and Université de Bordeaux also begin a longer conversation about combining strengths with a joint conference, taking place May 19 to 21 in Waterloo.

The conference, which aims to showcase research for the two institutions and explore challenges they might take on together, will introduce Canada's only Bachelor of Bio-based Chemistry program to be jointly managed by Bordeaux and Waterloo.

Bio-based chemistry looks for sustainable alternatives -- trees and algae, for example -- to replace fossil fuels as the prime raw material for polymers, surfactants and other chemicals. 

Waterloo president Feridun Hamdullahpur will be joined Tuesday by Jean-François Casabonne Masonnave, France's consul general in Toronto, and Laurent Servant, Bordeaux's vice-president, international, to sign a letter of intent to set up the bio-based chemistry program.

The conference covers a wide range of interests: Aging, nanotechnology, energy consumption, smart resource management, biotechnology and maintaining a safe and sustainable water supply. The Waterloo-Bordeaux conference is expected to draw about 100 researchers and other delegates. 

Date: Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Time: Media may attend from 8.45 a.m. until 12.45 p.m.
Location: Mike & Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano Centre, Seminar Room 0101, University of Waterloo

Event details:
9 a.m. - 9.45 a.m. - Launch of the Bachelor of Bio-based Chemistry program
9.45 a.m. - 12.45 p.m. - Science workshops led by Waterloo and Bordeaux professors on critical materials:
10:15 - 10:35 a.m.: Chemical industry and renewable resources: a necessary revolution
10:35 - 10:55 a.m.: Rare Earth Elements: true critical materials in our daily life
11:15 - 11:55 a.m.: Methods exist to address challenges in resource management
11:55 - 12:15 a.m.: Product reliability and life cycle: the example of energy management

Further details are available online.

Attention broadcasters: Waterloo has facilities to provide broadcast quality audio and video feeds with a double-ender studio. Please contact us for more information.

Contact Information:

Media Contact
Nick Manning
nmanning@uwaterloo.ca
University of Waterloo
519-888-4451
226-929-7627
www.uwaterloo.ca/news
http://www.twitter.com/uwaterloonews