Project Overview:
The Advanced Technology & Academic Centre (ATAC) holds much promise for the future of education at Lakehead University.  In addition to providing more classroom space for students from many faculties, the Centre houses research and teaching laboratories for technology-intensive courses in software engineering, electrical engineering, geographic information systems, and computer science. ATAC’s state-of-the-art smart classroom technology has expanded distance education through greater access to video-conferencing and other distributed learning tools.

ATAC houses the following departments, programs and facilities:
• Northern Ontario Medical School 
• Technology Services Centre
• Computer Science
• Electrical & Software Engineering
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Laboratories
• Multi-media Production Studio
• Part-Time Studies & Distance Education
• Robotics Engineering Laboratories
• Virtual Reality Lab

Distance Education
ATAC has provided the telecommunications backbone that will allow Lakehead University to be leaders in distance education accessibility. Quality distributed learning creates multiple access points to a university with a unique and large market. With more programming and the best in telecommunications systems, Lakehead is able to link students to our campus, to their peers, to a wealth of research resources and to experts in their field of study.

The distance education connectivity in ATAC specifically benefits our Aboriginal students who are in remote geographic areas by allowing them the opportunity to earn a university degree or additional qualifications while staying in their home community. This will make a societal and economic difference to their region, as they will be able to continue to live and work as well as to enjoy their family and community support structure.

Electrical Engineering
ATAC has provided a centre of excellence for engineering at Lakehead University, particularly in the high demand fields of electrical and software engineering. Leading-edge research labs as well as faculty and graduate student workspaces are housed in the new building. In addition, the expansion of engineering into ATAC has a spin-off effect for existing campus facilities by allowing the growth of research and academic space for civil, chemical and mechanical engineering - programs that are already feeling the crunch of increased demand for programming.

Computer Science
Students and researchers from our Computer Science Department have greatly benefited from an increased capacity to conduct information technology research.  Consider the work of Drs. Sabah Mohammed and Jinan A.W. Fiaidhi who are researching image processing and image segmentation that will be optimal for medical diagnostic processes.  One of their fundamental goals is to work with hospital radiology departments to experiment with complex image processing and ATAC’s computer science research labs will enable this important academic/health care collaboration. In addition, Professor Nasser Noroozi is working in the field of artificial intelligence and he believes that ATAC’s research labs will provide him and his students with the computational power to effectively conduct their projects.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
ATAC’s GIS facilities will enable students to first learn computer-based mapping technologies and then to apply the skills to research scenarios in a number of disciplines in the physical and social sciences. The availability of GIS technology will also foster collaboration between university researchers, government researchers and the private sector.  It is widely believed by professionals in spatially oriented industries such as mining and forestry that the full applicability of GIS has not yet been realized.  The demand for GIS-based training had far exceeded the existing capacity of Lakehead.  This has been alleviated with ATAC and its large GIS teaching classroom and GIS research laboratory. 

Economic Impact on the City of Thunder Bay
Lakehead University is a major influence on the economy of Thunder Bay.  Seventy per cent of Lakehead’s students come from outside the local commuting area and new money brought into the city annually by these students is estimated to be approximately $59 million. Lakehead’s total economic impact on the City of Thunder Bay alone is approximately $181.5 million yearly.  ATAC has allowed Lakehead University to successfully compete for students and scholars who in turn drive the local economy.  In addition, the high-tech environment will foster research innovation and the patent of intellectual property through technology transfer.

Project Budget
With government funding of $30.04 million and donations totaling $5.05 million in place, Lakehead University is seeking $8.9 million to complete the $44 million Centre. The capital budget for the project breaks down as follows: $29 million for building construction costs, $13 million for equipment and $2 million for a maintenance endowment fund.

Lakehead University is at 79% of the Project Goal!