2009 SHADS Challenged To Innovate with Natural Fibres

(June 29, 2009 -- Thunder Bay, ON) Lakehead University is once again hosting some of the brightest young minds in Canada during Shad Valley 2009. The official welcome of the Shad Valley students took place on Monday, June 29, at 9:30 a.m. in Lakehead's Senate Chambers. The group of 65 Shads is the largest among all participating institutions.

Running until July 23, Shad Valley is a program geared to developing innovative leaders of tomorrow. Shads (participants) are Grade 11 and 12 students from across Canada and abroad. They are selected based on rigorous criteria that include academic performance and community involvement. Shad Valley puts Shads through a rigorous academic program with a focus on Engineering, Entrepreneurship, Information Technology, Medicine, and Science. During the month-long program, students attend presentations on various topics, participate in workshops, and complete projects in different areas.

Shad Valley is held at 10 university campuses across Canada. This year, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has declared 2009 the International Year of Natural Fibres. Cotton, cellulose, hemp, flax and silk are a few common natural fibres used as clothing, food, paper, rope, and insulation, among other useful products. The Shad Valley theme "Looking to Nature and Natural Fibres" will challenge participants to find an innovative way to use natural fibres: through first use (manufacture with new materials); repurposing (reuse of existing material in a new manner); recycling (creating new product from old); or retirement (converting existing natural fibre materials to a final use).

Innovating using triple bottom-line principles of creating economic value while considering social responsibility and environmental sustainability, participants will explore the boundaries between science, design, and art by Looking to Nature and Natural Fibres. At the end of the month, all participants will display and share the experiences of their major projects.

Shads will be exposed to local businesses in Thunder Bay and will live in residence at Lakehead through the duration of the program.

Lakehead University has participated in the Shad Valley program since 1999.

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Media: For further information and a schedule of events, please contact Shad Valley 2009 organizer Dr. Sultan Siddiqui, Program Director, Faculty of Engineering, at 343-8794 or on his cell phone at 251-2162. Media inquiries can also be directed to Mary Dever, mary@shad.ca, 519-884-8844 ext. 223.

About Lakehead
Lakehead is a comprehensive university with a reputation for innovative programs and cutting-edge research. With a main campus located in Thunder Bay, Ontario and a campus in Orillia, Ontario, Lakehead has over 7,900 students and 2,250 faculty and staff, and is home to the west campus of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. In 2006, Research Infosource Inc. named Lakehead University Canada's Research University of the Year in the undergraduate category. For more information on Lakehead University, visit www.lakeheadu.ca.