As one of its last decisions before dissolving the Foundation, the BIOCAP Board of Directors has approved a $70,000 contribution towards the establishment of a new bioeconomy initiative at Queen's University. The Sustainable Bioeconomy Centre (SBC) will continue and expand BIOCAP's role in promoting and encouraging sustainable bioeconomy research at Queen's University. Andrew Pollard, from the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering and a Queen's University Research Chair, in will lead the Centre. Dr. Pollard has worked actively with BIOCAP to build the university's capacity in areas such as biomass crop development, forest management systems for carbon and energy, biomass handling and processing technologies, and the integration of science and technology into policy and investment decisions. The SBC will complement a new Advanced Research & Innovation Park (ARIP) that will also be located at Queen's. Supported by the province of Ontario, ARIP will serve as a convergence centre for university and industry partnerships with a focus on the bioeconomy. Janice Mady, currently Director of Operations of BIOCAP, has been chosen to head up the new research park. "BIOCAP has fostered considerable expertise among researchers at Queen's in many key areas related to a sustainable bioeconomy. The University's efforts in this area are poised for success," said Mady. David Layzell added, "I am delighted that Queen's University will be leveraging the BIOCAP legacy with these two initiatives."

This article originally appeared January 15, 2008 in BIOCAP.