Award-winning project used 3D tools to develop waste decontamination method

Toronto, ON – A 17-year-old high school student from New Liskeard is presenting his award-winning science project – a method of naturally decontaminating wood waste – at the Ontario Research and Education Summit in Toronto.

The winner of the first annual EXTREME Virtual Reality Science Fair is presenting his findings to an audience of senior scientists, researchers, educators and senior officials at the MaRS Collaboration Centre.

Grade 12 student Alexandre Harvey used open-source 3D modelling software to illustrate the results of his research in developing a method to naturally decontaminate wood waste at a recently closed forestry processing facility. The owners of the plant are proceeding with a detailed design phase to implement his findings, eliminating the need to ship wastewater to southern Ontario for decontamination.

The science project makes use of the new, state-of-the art Timmins Virtual Reality Studio, an innovative visualization space established and managed by Sudbury’s Mining Innovation, Rehabilitation and Applied Research Corporation.

“This has been an incredible pilot year,” commented Jane Djivr, EXTREME VR project coordinator, “We saw kids enthused about learning and exploring new technology to interpret and communicate their findings – it opened our eyes to the potential of using VR and open source software, not only for geological interpretation and mine planning, but also as a tool to educate and interest youth in scientific research.”