Laurentian to allow some researchers back on campus

Laurentian University says it's working to reopen some on-campus labs to researchers and students.

The campus has been closed since mid-March due to the pandemic, but the province is in the process of reopening.

The university says the pilot project to reopen the labs will include programs in the Vale Living With Lakes Centre, the Harquail School of Earth Science and the Perdue Central Analytical Facility.

"Research activities are at the core of our university and we are now certain that some of these activities can resume safely," Robert Hach, president and vice-chancellor of the university said.

"We are pleased to begin implementing step one of our plan to reopen campus."

Laurentian's Dean for the Faculty of Graduate Studies: Science, Engineering and Architecture, David Lesbarrres says researchers are looking forward to getting back on campus.

"They are anxious to start, especially the grad students where they have a degree to complete," he said.

He says some topics need to be studied sooner than later.

"Whether it's related to fish or plants or other animals that will only be present and maybe active for another couple of months before they go dormant," he said.

But researchers will have to follow new safety rules.

"We're going to increase the number of washing stations in those buildings for the time being," Lesbarrres said.

"We'll make sure the students, faculty or anyone who comes to do research has a time. Some people will be early mornings, some will be afternoons and no more than one person per room."

The university says it's working on a process for researchers not in those departments to be able to request access to get back on campus or resume field work.