1.5 million dollars for new laboratories puts Vanier College Science facilities among the best in the province

The new Organic Chemistry lab is the jewel in the crown of the 10 Science labs at Vanier that are used by all students in the various Science Programs. These all incorporate hands-on experiments done by students and not only demonstrations by teachers. The new lab which cost one million dollars is a large, bright workspace with the latest in lab design options, including all new utilities, new work benches with Ducron epoxy resin work surfaces resistant to damage caused by accidental spills, and new cabinetry consisting of cupboards, drawers, equipment lockers and glass cabinet. “Without question Vanier now has one of the best Organic Chemistry labs anywhere,” says Barrie Benton, from the Chemistry Department.

Big ticket items include the new polymerase chain reaction - PCR Cycler, a dissolved oxygen sensor to study photosynthesis in aquatic environments, and DNA electrophoresis chambers to separate and analyze DNA fragments. Using new SDS-PAGE chambers students separate and analyze protein molecules from different animals. With their results they can determine evolutionary relationships among the animals studied and construct a genetic tree.

The new equipment also includes various physiological sensors for the Human Physiology course that’s part of the Science Major in Biomedical Science. Different sensors analyze urine, study muscle activity, and measure blood pressure; electrocardiography (EKG) sensors and heart rate sensors measure heart activity, and spirometers measure lung capacity.

Vanier College is one of the few Cegeps in the province equipped with its own Observatory, used extensively in the Astrophysics course. The observatory is equipped with a brand new telescope hooked up to a camera and a new GPS star tracking system. Key in a star identifier and the fully interfaced computer will rotate the telescope and automatically locate the star. Students can then make images of stars and planets.

The Vanier Physics Department also does joint activities with the Royal Astronomical Society of Montreal - RASC. The Department runs a series of astronomy lectures with invited guests from leading space institutions and universities. It also organizes public astronomy parties in the field behind the college where students and interested members of the public can interact with professional astronomers and use the telescope to view directly the night sky. (Source: Vanier College)