November 2006 ISSUE
Inventor Shines Light on Calgary Foundation
BY KIRK THURBIDE
Schulich School of Engineering
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BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG WORLD |
A Calgary humanitarian organization that lights up the developing world has received a significant financial boost from an inventor responsible for advancing the technology of white light emitting diodes.
The Light Up The World Foundation was founded by Dr. David Irvine-Halliday, P.Eng., of the University of Calgary. The 2000 Community Service Summit Award winner has been written up several times in The PEGG for his ground-breaking work to improve living and learning conditions for the developing world — through inexpensive, long-lasting LED systems.
The contribution amount has not been disclosed, but the donor is Dr. Shuji Nakamura, who won the one-million-euro Millennium Technology Prize from Finland’s Millennium Prize Foundation, earlier this year. He confirmed the Light Up The World donation is large but wouldn’t be more specific.
The donation will be split, with 70 per cent going to the LUTW Foundation and the remaining 30 per cent supporting Dr. Irvine-Halliday’s Solid State Lighting Laboratory.
Dr. Nakamura presented the donation to Dr. Dave Irvine-Halliday at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where Dr. Nakamura continues his research.
“He sees Light Up The World doing what he wants done with his white LED in the first place,” says Dr. Irvine-Halliday.
In September 2006, Dr. Nakamura was awarded the millennium prize for his
continuing efforts to make cheaper and more efficient light sources. During his acceptance
speech he promised to donate part of the prize to organizations that promote
the use of LED lighting. This donation is proof of that.
“I hope the award of this prize will help people to understand that this
invention makes it possible to improve quality of life for many millions of people,” he
said.
Dr. Irvine-Halliday explained impact of these solid-state lighting systems in the developing world. “One SSL system costs about as much as many families spend annually on kerosene lamp lighting. As SSL systems last roughly 20 to 25 years, the impact is tremendous for families in these remote rural areas.”
Thrilled with the generosity of the donation, Dr. Irvine-Halliday also sees the relationship with UC Santa Barbara as an important one, not only for his research and LUTW but for the University of Calgary as a whole. It may, he said, open the door for numerous future collaborations.