Some say there’s been too little progress toward supporting Canadian research in fundamental science. In 2016, then science minister Kirsty Duncan convened a panel of experts to conduct a comprehensive review of Canada’s academic science and research ecosystem. Led by David Naylor, former president of the University of Toronto, it was the first such exercise […]
University Affairs
Emergency COVID-19 grants need careful follow-up
Building on the research that was done may help prepare for future pandemics. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research and its partners have so far handed out more than 550 grants worth over $250 million for research related to COVID-19. Some will undoubtedly lead to significant breakthroughs that will help us deal with this pandemic […]
Was COVID-19 research funding well spent?
Some academics argue it should have been part of regular funding programs, or more focused. A full month before the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic in March 2020, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research launched a $55 million emergency funding competition to help the scientific community learn all it could about the […]
Canada Research Chairs and Genome Canada celebrate 20-year anniversaries
The vital role these two programs continue to play in Canada’s research landscape highlights the vision of those who pushed to create them two decades ago. Although it was overshadowed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, two important institutions of the Canadian research landscape marked a significant milestone in 2020 – the Canada Research Chairs program […]
Taking stock: Canada’s research funders assess their response to COVID-19 so far
Money was disbursed quickly, researchers stepped up, but some adjustments had to be made along the way. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck Canada in early 2020, the country’s major federal research funding agencies knew they would have a big role to play in the response, and they moved quickly to coordinate their efforts through the […]
How apps and online databases are helping conservation science to thrive
Thanks to internet-enabled technologies and citizen scientists, ecologists now have access to more data than ever before. Science is not always done by experts cloistered in ivory towers. Increasingly, ordinary people are getting involved in gathering data – on local birds, insects, plants, climate and more – through citizen science initiatives. Enlisting the public in […]
Researchers scramble to meet deadline for New Frontiers research fund
Final applications are due February 7, just weeks after inaugural competition was launched. While many Canadian academics were enjoying a bit of time off over the holidays, some early-career researchers were scrambling to put together applications for the New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF), the new funding program designed to support risky interdisciplinary research. Read more […]
The benefits and challenges of international research collaboration
Working with international colleagues can provide new insights and even a career boost, but it takes patience and planning. Academic research is becoming ever more international. Whether it is to gain access to specialized equipment, develop new ideas or tap into new sources of funding, researchers are reaching out to their colleagues around the world, […]
Donna Strickland adjusts to her newfound fame as a research rock star
Canada’s newest Nobel laureate discusses the challenges of explaining her work, dealing with the attention, and what to wear to a Nobel ball. Winning a Nobel Prize is the pinnacle of a scientific career, but the unexpected early morning phone call brings with it a whole new set of challenges. For Donna Strickland, who won […]
With more than 150,000 kilometers already logged, the mobile Flux Lab keeps on trucking
From state-of-the-art research trucks to drones and satellites, Flux Lab uses an arsenal of tools in its quest to measure greenhouse gas emissions across Canada. In Western Canada’s oil and gas fields, Dave Risk’s trucks have become a familiar sight. These mobile labs, which resemble the trucks used by storm chasers and cost $250,000 each, […]