A benefit to the Fraser Valley as a whole, funding was announced in late March for Trinity Western University (TWU) to be applied to its new advanced analytical laboratory.

Combined grants of $1.1 million consist of $465,000 in federal funding from Western Economic Diversification Canada, $398,251 from the Canada Foundation for Innovation and additional in-kind contributions from Bruker Corporation and Thermo Fisher.

"Innovation is an important engine of economic growth and job creation," said Mark Warawa, Member of Parliament for Langley, on behalf of Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification Canada.

TWU will purchase two new powerful spectrometers and a Fourier Transform InfraRed (an instrument for chemical research) as the first of these devices in the Fraser Valley region.

Ultimately, the equipment will boost the applied research role in chemical manufacturing TWU plays.

It is hoped that this also translates to better training for students and researchers in the advance of green chemistry - a field which helps minimize the risks of hazardous substances.

"The acquisition of new equipment will raise the university's capacity to contribute new scientific knowledge to the world," said TWU president Jonathan S. Raymond.

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