A Canadian scientist who accepted the Nobel Peace prize for his group’s work identifying chemical weapons in Syria credits much of his success to the time he spent at an Alberta military base.

Scott Cairns spent several years working as a chemist at Canadian Forces Base Suffield, near Medicine Hat, before he joined the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

Cairns and his colleagues from that organization are now in Norway, receiving the Nobel Peace Prize for their work in finding and destroying chemical weapons in Syria.

While at Suffield, Cairns worked for Defence Research and Development Canada, primarily researching chemical warfare agents.

"It ultimately got me the position I hold now,” he said.

His former colleagues at the base say they’re happy to see Cairns use the expertise he gained in Alberta to help make the world safer — and help the OPCW win such a distinguished prize.

"It's a testament to how well Canada does in the research and training area, which is for most people, very difficult to understand,” said Scott Duncan, who has worked in Suffield for almost two decades in the chem-bio defence program.

“We’re very, very proud of this accomplishment, his accomplishment.”

In the last decade, Duncan and his team have trained over 12,000 personnel, including Canadian and NATO troops in chemical defence.

They also develop devices to identify and protect against hazardous materials.