HALIFAX – Science is about having fun, developing a unique idea and the willingness to take the risk to implement it. Those were some of the thoughts EastLink co-chief executive officer Lee Bragg shared with over 100 students and special guests during the Team Nova Scotia Showcase last week.
Bragg, who acted as keynote speaker, told the audience that science is a vital part of his family’s businesses and spoke directly to the link between the communications and entertainment business and the blueberry business (Lee’s father John Bragg owns Oxford Foods, the largest frozen blueberry producer in the world, and later founded EastLink). While stressing the importance of developing a unique idea, Lee Bragg explained being willing to take a risk is what lead to the company’s success in the local telephone market, for example.
“By utilizing the science behind fiber optics technology, and our knowledge of how video moves around the network, EastLink was able to bring the two technologies together. This enabled EastLink to launch telephone service over a network that was historically used to deliver cable television,” said Bragg.
“To those who were skeptical of our decision seven years ago, I can easily now point to our record. We were successful. We were the first cable company in Canada to launch telephone service and until recently, the only one. And it was because we understood the science behind the technology.”
Bragg who also discussed his inventive side spoke of the importance of developing an idea and implementing it. Speaking from his own experience, he highlighted his first year in the beekeeping business and the need to develop a structure that would allow for transport of four bee hives at one time to a blue berry field. The bees are used to pollinate the blueberry blooms.
Bragg said, “By modifying a standard wood pallet and using some existing technology on the farm, we were able to increase the number of bee hives that could be transported at one time. However, while the design has worked well, I have noticed similar structures on beekeeping farms across the country.” Bragg laughed as he added, “I guess I should have patented the design.”
The Team Nova Scotia Showcase brings together all students headed to the national science fair for an open house exhibit. The students will participate in a variety of educational, social and cultural activities geared to build team spirit and give them exposure to the scientific community.
