The following statement was issued today by Tom Hedderson, Minister of Education. It was also read in the House of Assembly:

I had the pleasure this morning of attending the grand opening of the Landmark Graphics Visualization Laboratory at Memorial University. Landmark Graphics Corporation, based in Houston, Texas, has provided nearly $14 million in specialized software to Memorial University. The software will be used for teaching and research in oil and gas exploration, development and production, and will assist Memorial in its ongoing initiative to become a world leader in oil and gas research and teaching.

With the creation of this Oil and Gas Development Partnership, the university continues to provide the technology that is helping to transform Newfoundland and Labrador into an international centre of oil and gas expertise. In 2000, Memorial University began its relationship with Landmark when it received its first software grant from this corporation. This grant not only enhanced Memorial�s ability to deliver programs and conduct oil and gas research, but also enabled the university to successfully leverage funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation to begin building the Decisionarium, a three-dimensional visualization centre, and the first centre of its kind in a Canadian university. This Decisionarium, equipped with software provided by Landmark, will prove to be an invaluable tool for researchers, students and industry.

As the minister responsible for post-secondary education, I am encouraged to see such an important contribution being made by Landmark Graphics Corporation to Memorial University. My department provides financial support to Memorial University to ensure it provides quality post-secondary education, undertakes diverse research activities, and serves our students and the community. Memorial University is a valuable resource to social and economic development as it serves the province�s needs in this area.

I would like to thank Landmark Graphics Corporation for its generous and continued support for Memorial University�s oil and gas research initiatives and for providing yet another valuable learning tool for students and staff of the university. I also want to thank Memorial for its efforts in pursuing this important advancement for the province.

2005 04 27                                            2:30 p.m.