Inspirational Minds

Faculty

CSEE faculty work together in a collaborative environment, supported by Research Chairs in several key areas. These Chairs are:

• Dr. Dale Keefe, Canada Research Chair in Molecular Spectroscopy
• Dr. Habil. Christian Wolkersdorfer, Industrial Research Chair in Mine Water Remediation and Management
• Dr. Bruce G. Hatcher, Research Chair in Marine Ecosystem Management and Director of the Bras d'Or Institute

Dr. Dale Keefe
Canada Research Chair in Molecular Spectroscopy

Dr. Dale Keefe, Professor of Chemistry at Cape Breton University holds a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Molecular Spectroscopy.

Dr. Keefe’s research team is studying the interaction between molecules in hydrocarbons and organic compounds that are key components in the petrochemical industry with a goal to better understand how these interactions affect their fundamental physical and chemical properties.

The integrity of the environment demands that these petrochemical products be used in as efficient a manner as possible and in some cases replaced with new products that have similar properties and function.

Dr. Keefe and his team’s research will be critical to informing scientists and engineers as they move towards more sustainable practices in both the energy and environmental sectors.

In addition to better understanding both the short and long-term impacts of these molecular interactions, this research will have global applications. Understanding the processes that control chemical and physical properties will ultimately give rise to industrial and commercial applications – and that is part of what the CSEE is all about.

Dr. Keefe has authored or co-authored more than 45 publications presented at major conferences and has received numerous awards during his career. He holds professional memberships in the Chemical Institute of Canada, Canadian Society for Chemistry and the American Chemical Society.

Dr. Habil. Christian Wolkersdorfer
Industrial Research Chair in Mine Water Remediation and Management

Dr. Habil. Christian Wolkersdorfer serves as the Industrial Research Chair in Mine Water Remediation & Management, a position developed by CBU in collaboration with its industrial partner Cape Breton Development Corporation (CBDC).

A world leader in mine water remediation and management projects, Dr. Wolkersdorfer has conducted and initiated several projects related to mine water and hydrogeology in Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Brazil, the United Kingdom and Turkey before he came to Cape Breton University.

"CSEE research will focus primarily on mine water remediation and mine water management applications with hydro-geochemical, biological and modeling bias," said Dr. Wolkersdorfer. "We will also advance geothermal energy research, guided in part by my experience with the world's first mine water geothermal project (located in Nova Scotia).”

Dr. Wolkersdorfer is also the Technical Editor for the Journal Mine Water and the
Environment, as well as the Secretary General of the International Mine Water Association (IMWA) and he is a member of the Global Alliance.

Dr. Bruce G. Hatcher
Research Chair in Marine Ecosystem Management
Director of the Bras d'Or Institute

Dr. Bruce G. Hatcher is committed to building capacity for marine research and ecosystem-based management of natural resource use.

As Director of the Bras d’Or Institute, Dr. Hatcher’s partnerships with the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, private industry, non-governmental organizations, community and fishing groups has improved understanding of land-ocean interactions in the coastal zone of Cape Breton and the Bras d'Or ecosystem. These partnerships have also enhanced the reconciliation of ecologic and economic sustainability of marine resource management throughout the region.

The Bras d'Or Institute’s significant research contributions have strengthened partnerships with organizations including the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, Nova Scotia Research and Innovation Trust, NSERC, ECBC, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Centre for Fisheries Innovation and the Sydney Harbour Marine Group.