The Institute for Underwater Research (IFUR) was founded in 2005 by Raphael Nowak (BSc. Freshwater Science, 2017). Together with a small team of individuals, IFUR continues to push the boundaries of research and exploration in the Okanagan lakes. The organization was originally founded in response to a life-long passion for exploration, and learning more about our precious freshwater resources. Raphael is an innovator and explorer at heart, and has designed and constructed remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and a deep water imaging system called “DeepScan”. Together with this hardware, and many other experimental tools, IFUR has continued to pursue innovative solutions for conducting aquatic science.
At the core of our organization is a desire to explore and learn more about Okanagan Lake, and as a result, we are not a conventional organization. Where possible, we engage in pro-bono activities, and have been honoured to contribute data and footage to local professionals – free of charge.