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By Ryan McNutt - May 16, 2008
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| Federal Industry Minister Jim Prentice talks with Kimberley Hall, assistant professor in the Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science, before the news conference gets underway. (Nick Pearce Photo) |
Trying to explain quantum mechanics to an audience of journalists, administrators and politicians isn’t always easy, but Kimberley Hall and Jordan Kyriakidis have a knack for communicating its implications.
“The leap from modern computing to quantum computing is like that of the abacus to the computer itself,” said Dr. Hall, Canada Research Chair in Ultrafast Science at Dalhousie. She says the ability to process exponentially more computations at once makes quantum computing the wave of the future.
Federal Industry Minister Jim Prentice was on hand for the news conference in the Rowe Management Building on Friday, May 16 to announce an agreement between the university and Lockheed Martin Corporation valued at $2 million.
"This investment is further proof that our Canada First defence procurements are generating significant benefits for our industries and scientific community," said Mr. Prentice. "It's about new money being injected into the economy, new jobs being created, and new resources being allocated for scientific research and development."
The money will support the two physicists’ quest into this new scientific frontier, research with broad implications in fields such as encryption, data processing, defence and business technologies. Dr. Kyriakidis and Dr. Hall, both professors in the Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science, bring complementary skill sets to the task, balancing the theoretical foundation of the work with practical testing and application.
“Dalhousie is pleased to be a member of the Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Nova Scotia,” said Ronald Layden, executive director of Industry Liaison and Innovation for the university. “We welcome the opportunity to attract research attention from Lockheed Martin, one of the world’s top aerospace companies, to the region.”
Not everyone was so welcoming – a small handful of protesters were in attendance, one of whom stood to the side of the room while the announcement ceremony took place. Dalhousie President Tom Traves, in answering a question from the audience, stated the university welcomes open debate on its operations and agreements.
The funding is part of Lockheed Martin's commitment to place work in Atlantic Canada as a result of the federal government's purchase of 17 Super Hercules aircraft from the company.
Based in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin has 140,000 employees worldwide, including 500 in Canada.
Readers Say
May 16, 2008 8:35 PM
Just because we buy military hardware from Lockheed-Martin does not mean that we should invite them into our schools.
Nova Scotia Voice of Women and Halifax Peace coalition staged a peaceful demonstration of this announcement
May 17, 2008 2:09 PM
May 18, 2008 1:24 PM
I encourage everyone to question Dalhousie administration on their lack of social responsibility. How is this in line with Dalhousie's "Sustainable University" vision? Where is Dal's ethics policy with respect to grants and contracts?
I'd much rather see stories of Dal being involved in efforts to reduce climate change. I don't doubt that such research goes on. Why not have press coverage of that? Why not put more efforts and attention to such projects, not to greed and war-mongering! You can try to paint Lockheed with a positive brush of being an "aerospace" company - but they are responsible for mass destruction of lives and of the environment, plain and simple!
May 19, 2008 10:38 AM
This statement contradicts the Canadian Press release which bluntly stated Lockheed Martin would own the research.
This giant squid of a deathdealing weapons manufacturer trying to hide under the sheepskin of "aerospace industry" does not do charitable giving. The "gifts" to Dal and UNB are necessary token gestures in order to acquire contracts with the federal government. Dalhousie's Business Ethics component should be taking a hard look at the implications: some of those contracts involve the Canadian Census and border security. Lockheed Martin is certainly not interested in Canadian independence, or in making peace.
A sustainable future without peace is not possible.
I'll be sending my yellowed and faded degree back to Dalhousie as I can no longer be a proud alumna.
May 19, 2008 1:20 PM
May 19, 2008 9:07 PM
As professionals and human rights defenders working to eliminate relational violence especially torture inflicted by non-state actors, contracts with a military context are extremely troubling. Warfare can/does cause pre- and post-conflict spill-over relational violence such as increasing partner violence and violence against children including abuse, murder, and forms of torture. As well, soldiers can suffer traumatic stress responses including flashbacks, they can/do engage in destructive Self-harming responses, i.e., Self-cutting, drug and alcohol abuse, and suicide. There are also social/community impacts when families/individuals go into crisis, when they cannot cope, work, and provide for themselves. This places demands on social systems.
In summary relational violence is a major public issue that increases with warfare. It is disquieting and distressing that the issues of warfare are coming to Dal and will infiltrate the Nova Scotian and Canadian society.
May 20, 2008 10:52 AM
First off, it hasn't been granted on the express condition that we do weapons research.
Therefore, it is $2 million that is not being used by L-M to directly fund weapons research or production.
If we don't accept it, someone else will get it, likely under said condition above.
With regards to the previous remark about inviting L-M in to our schools, I hardly see how we are doing that by accepting research money.
May 20, 2008 4:46 PM
May 20, 2008 11:53 PM
The technologies L-M develop and the context in which they are employed are independent. Furthermore, the subtle and complex subjects of personal conflict, geopolitics or even homeland security are not directly relevant here.
Clearly many people have earnest misgivings about L-M, but please note that this grant should be seen as a small positive step forward. Funding for research into the fundamentals of light and matter by an organization such as L-M is something to be applauded. In fact, it is the most conscientious act one could hope for by a organization such as L-M.
Finally, let it be known that the academic research funded by this grant money is in no way whatsoever related to weapons, aerospace or military infrastructure of any kind; by analogy, this grant might have just as easily been given to a school for contemporary arts.
May 21, 2008 2:49 PM
Now, could somebody PLEASE explain HOW our accepting a grant from L-M is considered to be selling out??!? (That statement has been made at least twice already... A full explanation and a basis for such a claim lend it some more credibility)
If somebody makes a donation to a charity, are they therefore selling out to that charity?? By the previous reasoning they would appear to be, but we all know that this isn't the case.
May 23, 2008 4:14 AM
Politics and History—UWO 63
This important Dal announcement was passed to me by a Dal friend. As a concerned Canadian, I hope you may permit me to comment on this ‘heart of matter’ issue.
Dal could make a vital, world-wide contribution to addressing these issues—perennial ones for all universities—were it to convene a Conference of World Specialists across the academic-intellectual spectrum, from hard and theoretical science, to the disciplines of modern economics and Philosophical Value Systems. Canada has World Leaders in all these disciplinary fields.
The theme would be simple: ‘How best can "the dominant" act responsibly in accord with their interests?’
The point is: all of us in the Western World currently enjoy the benefits of around 90% of the world’s exploitable resources. Most of us would not wish to relinquish all of our attendant benefits and comforts; and certainly not to the levels of the starving millions we see and read about.
What such a Dal Conference could help establish is: Whether we Westerners do wish to retain our lion’s share of World Resources, with deployment of means, legal/ economic/ military, to ensure this? And if perhaps we are prepared to relinquish some of these comforts/ benefits, and moderate the means we currently deploy; then which resources and which means are these, and how much are we prepared to relinquish and moderate?
As for the likes of Lockheed-Martin, one can then get on to the debate of whether there is a reasoned consensus that involvement with L-M is, or is not acceptable; followed by the question ‘Why?’
The university is ‘the ethical heart’ of the community, the ‘guardian’ of its values and conscience. And it is within the university that such debate can be fostered, and appropriate action recommended, often duly launched.
For Dal to take on such a Conference addressing Western World Issues of ‘Value and Conscience,’ is surely the very best way of fulfilling what the University itself, its President Tom Traves, its Administration and Faculty, regard still as its primary responsibility; indeed its very raison d’etre?