UNews - NSERC

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers awarded more than $2.3 million in NSERC, CFI funding support

trevor.kenney — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 22:07:42 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers across a breadth of disciplines have earned more than $2.3 million in funding support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), as announced by the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry, and the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health in Edmonton today.

The funding support is part of a $960-million investment by the federal government in research activities across the country.

“This funding is an integral part of the research process and supports our faculty members and their teams in multiple ways, from hiring essential personnel to training graduate and undergraduate students, to acquiring essential equipment and more,” says Dr. Dena McMartin, ULethbridge vice-president (research). “This support allows our researchers to continue to pursue the solutions to a host of issues facing society today and in the future.”

“My best wishes to all the recipients of these grants, awards and scholarships,” adds Minister Holland. “The government is pleased to invest in your diverse array of health, natural sciences and engineering research projects because we know that your ideas, passion and hard work, as well as the evidence you uncover, are instrumental in improving the health and quality of life of people in Canada, and your findings contribute to the international research effort around the world.”

In all, nine ULethbridge researchers were successful in their NSERC grant applications, which included funding for projects in neuroscience, biological sciences, chemistry & biochemistry and mathematics & computer science. As well, Drs. Majid Mohajerani and Stacey Wetmore earned CFI John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF) awards.

Among the projects are Dr. Roy Golsteyn’s (biological sciences) work investigating human cell division and utilizing beneficial chemicals in Canadian prairie plants, which was funded at $300,000 ($60,000 per year over five years). As well, Dr. Bruce McNaughton (neuroscience) receives $420,000 over five years for his study to understand the neural basis of long-term, episodic memory, and Dr. Robert Benkoczi (mathematics & computer science) is receiving a Discovery Development Grant valued at $40,000 over two years as he conducts fundamental research into finding new and more efficient algorithms for planning large scale evacuations.

“The projects our researchers are involved in cover a wide range of topics, all of which are focused on bettering society while providing excellent mentoring and training to undergraduate and graduate students,” adds McMartin. “These funding awards give just a glimpse of the breadth of research activity taking place daily across our campuses.”

Following are details on today’s grant announcements.

NSERC

Discovery Grant (5 years)

Dr. Roy Golsteyn (biological sciences) — Natural products as novel tools to investigate human cell division ($300,000) — Our research uncovers how human cells divide and seeks beneficial chemicals in Canadian prairie plants. From potential cancer treatments to sustainable practices, we are supporting scientific and economic innovation, while fostering cultural exchange with southern Alberta Indigenous communities.

Dr. Igor Kovalchuk (biological sciences) — Transgenerational response to stress in Arabidopsis ($255,000).

Dr. Marc Roussel (chemistry and biochemistry) — Delays in gene expression models: methodological developments ($225,000) — Development of methods for building and analyzing mathematical models of gene expression systems, where transcription, translation and splicing may play a significant role in the timing of events.

Dr. Bruce McNaughton (neuroscience) — Consolidation of cortical memory representations into hippocampus-independent form: neural ensemble dynamics and mechanisms ($420,000) — We are attempting to understand the neural basis of long-term, episodic memory, and its integration into generalized knowledge encoded by brain cells in the cerebral cortex.

Discovery Development Grant (2 years)

Dr. Olga Kovalchuk (biological sciences) — Exosomes - important mediators of direct and bystander radiation effects on the brain ($40,000).

Dr. Robert Benkoczi (mathematics & computer science) — Models and algorithms for facility location ($40,000) — This award supports fundamental research into finding new and more efficient algorithms for planning large scale evacuations.

Dr. Shahadat Hossain (mathematics & computer science) — Efficient computation with sparse and structured matrices – mathematical derivatives and beyond ($40,000).

Research Tools and Instruments (1 year)

Dr. Trushar Patel (chemistry & biochemistry) — Isothermal Titration Calorimetry for Studying Macromolecular Interactions ($150,000) — The installation of ITC (Isothermal Titration Calorimetry) at ULethbridge strengthens the biochemical and biophysical infrastructure as well as the research programs aimed at examining communication events that are at the heart of viral infections and cancer.

Dr. Matthew Tata (neuroscience) — Critical Refit and Upgrade to Electroencephalography Lab at ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge ($149,140) — This upgrade includes state-of-the-art electroencephalography systems to study how brain regions communicate with each other while solving the computational problems of perception and cognition.

CFI

John R. Evans Leaders Fund

Dr. Majid Mohajerani (neuroscience) — Innovative brain imaging techniques for aging-associated diseases ($563,466).

Dr. Stacey Wetmore (chemistry & biochemistry) — Tools for modeling the chemistry of modified nucleic acids ($139,702).

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers successful in securing NSERC funding support

trevor.kenney — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 16:23:37 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers from the Departments of Mathematics & Computer Science, Chemistry & Biochemistry, and Physics & Astronomy were awarded grants totalling more than $277,000 as the Government of Canada announced funding awards through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

Today, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry, along with the Honourable Mona Fortier, President of the Treasury Board, announced funding of more than $506 million — an investment in the world’s brightest minds to increase the impact of science, technology and innovation in Canada.

“Discovery is the foundation of all advancements. Through this major investment in some of Canada’s most promising and innovative researchers we are supporting scientists and students to become global leaders in their field,” says Champagne. “By helping to expand the frontiers of science, we are investing in a better society and a brighter future for Canadians.”

Researchers from across the country are receiving the funding to continue to lead world-class research programs in a wide variety of natural sciences and engineering disciplines. These include research programs focused on climate change, chemistry, biology, mathematics and statistics, computer science and artificial intelligence, and engineering.

Dr. Dena McMartin, ULethbridge vice-president (research), says the continued success of applicants from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is indicative of the innovative environment nurtured by faculty.

“When you have world-class faculty dedicated to their craft, and dedicated to their students and discovery, it fuels their own research programs and inspires colleagues to push for these funding opportunities as well,” says McMartin. “The success of these researchers continues to advance the reputation of their programs within their respective fields and opens up even greater opportunities for their students, trainees and further innovation down the road.”

The following programs are receiving NSERC funding:

Dr. Yllias Chali, Mathematics & Computer Science, Text Summarization and Question Generation Models — $24,000 (5 years)

Dr. Michael Gerken, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Donor-Stabilized Fluorido Cations and New Tungsten-Based Weakly Coordinating Anions — $62,000 (5 years)

Dr. Jean-Denys Hamel, Chemistry & Biochemistry, New Catalytic Methodologies for the Synthesis of Organofluorine Compounds — $25,000 (5 years)

Dr. Jean-Denys Hamel, Chemistry & Biochemistry, New Catalytic Methodologies for the Synthesis of Organofluorine Compounds — $12,500 (1 year)

Dr. Trushar Patel, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Understanding Communications Between Viral RNAs and Human Proteins — $40,000 (5 years)

Dr. Marc Roussel and Dr. Stacey Wetmore, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Critical Renewal of an Obsolete Computational Biochemistry Suite at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge — $90,050 (1 year)

Dr. Mark Walton, Physics & Astronomy, Phase space Quantum Mechanics and the Quantum-Classical Relation — $24,000 (5 years)

The Research Support Fund supports a portion of the costs associated with managing the research funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, such as salaries for staff who provide administration support, training costs for workplace health and safety, maintenance of libraries and laboratories, and administrative costs associated with obtaining patents for inventions.

Breadth of institutional research on display with award of $3.7 million of federal funding across disciplines

trevor.kenney — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 21:07:04 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge research projects from across the institution were supported with more than $3.7 million in funding as the Government of Canada announced a major investment in Canadian science, engineering, social sciences and humanities research.

Today, at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced investments of more than $635 million to support more than 4,800 lead researchers and their teams. This support includes more than 3,400 new grants and grant extensions through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s (NSERC) Discovery Grants program, and 1,315 research projects across Canada through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council’s (SSHRC) Partnership Grants, Partnership Development Grants, Insight Grants and Insight Development Grants. As well, there were 156 new or renewed Canada Research Chairs (CRC) confirmed at 36 institutions across Canada.

“The investment of nearly $4 million in our institution’s research activities is an investment in our people who drive innovation, spark inquiry and author solutions to some of the biggest issues facing society today,” says Dr. Robert Wood, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s interim vice-president (research). “That each of our five Faculties is represented in these funding announcements shows the depth and breadth of the research activities taking place here on campus and affirms our position as one of the country’s leading comprehensive research institutions.”

In all, 30 different projects are receiving funding support through either SSHRC or NSERC, with values ranging from small awards that support community outreach STEM activities in Destination Exploration (grants of $4,600 and $5,000) to large funding awards for projects such as Dr. Inge Genee’s SSHRC Insight Grant supporting her work in the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics/Indigenous Studies ($344,779 for Documenting contemporary and historical variation in Niitsi'powahsin (Blackfoot)) and Dr. Majid Mohajerani’s NSERC Discovery Grant supporting his Department of Neuroscience study ($720,000 for researching Spontaneous activity, memory replay and the default mode network).

“From math and computer science to neuroscience, kinesiology, physics & astronomy, chemistry and biochemistry, philosophy, education, music, business, psychology, health sciences, religious studies and English, our researchers are pushing boundaries, training students and making a real difference in society,” says Wood.

The Government of Canada says the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the invaluable contributions researchers make to our country and throughout the world.

“More than ever, this past year has shown that society cannot move forward without the strong contribution of researchers from across Canada and beyond,” says Ted Hewitt, president of SSHRC and Chair of the Canada Research Chairs Program Steering Committee. “Advancing knowledge and insight within and across all disciplines — including social sciences, humanities, natural sciences, engineering and health — is essential to tackling the challenges we face and finding the solutions we need to make Canada healthier, safer, more innovative and more prosperous.”

NSERC Discovery Grant

Amir Akbary, Math & Computer Science, Distribution problems for L-functions and number fields — $105,000

Robert Benkoczi, Math & Computer Science, Facility location optimization with applications in evacuation planning and IoT — $30,000

Chelsea Ekstrand, Neuroscience, Novel approaches for examining functional and structural correlates of naturalistic cognition using functional magnetic resonance imaging — $177,500

Daya Gaur, Math & Computer Science, Fine-grained linear programming based approximate methods for NP-hard problems — $120,000

Paul Hazendonk, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Development of characterization methods for multicomponent mixed phase materials for application in energy and environmental technologies — $120,000

Rob Laird, Biological Sciences, Evolution of senescence in plants — $355,000

Majid Mohajerani, Neuroscience, Spontaneous activity, memory replay and the default mode network — $720,000

Gongbing Shan, Kinesiology, Development of a general biomechanical model for wearables application — $30,000

Locke Spencer, Physics & Astronomy, FarInfrared technology for Experimental Astrophysics — $170,000

(Co-Applicant) Theresa Burg, Biological Sciences, Microstallite Paternity Analyses of Six years of Savannah Sparrow Field Data — $10,000

NSERC Engage Grant

Borries Demeler, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Use of Analytical Ultracentrifugation to Uncover Unique Characterization of Canola Feed Ingredients — $25,000

NSERC PromoScience Science Literacy Week

Valerie Archibald, Dean’s Office, Family STEM activities — $4,600

NSERC PromoScience Supplement for Science Odyssey

Valerie Archibald, Dean’s Office, STEM Explorers on the Go — $5,000

NSERC Research Tools & Instruments

Aaron Gruber, Neuroscience, Next-generation neural recording platform for the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience — $149,594

Igor Kovalchuk, Biological Sciences, Plant growth chambers to support a new Phytotron Core Research Facility — $148,804

Robert McDonald, Neuroscience, Assessing memory representations in freelybehaving animals with calcium imaging via miniscopes — $122,433

Majid Mohajerani, Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience Research Cores for High throughput, Automated and Longitudinal Monitoring of Rodents Behaviour and Brain Activity — $149,842

SSHRC Connection Grant

Dan O’Donnell, English, Canada-LATAM Workshop on Open and Inclusive access to research (Taller Canada-LATAM sobre acceso abierto y equitativo a la investigación científica), Santiago de Chile, November 2020 — $25,000

Paul Vasey, Psychology, The Puzzles of Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity Conference 2020 — $19,279

SSHRC Insight Development Grant

Julia Brassolotto, Health Sciences, Medical Assistance in Dying: Ethical and Policy issues in Southern Rural Alberta — $57,322

Jennifer Otto, Religious Studies, Remembering Anabaptist Martyrs — $23,050

SSHRC Insight Grant

Barbara Bordalejo, English, Canterbury Tales Project Phase 3: Analysis and Publication — $333,000

Inge Genee, Modern Languages and Linguistics/Indigenous Studies, Documenting contemporary and historical variation in Niitsi'powahsin (Blackfoot) — $344,779

Kent Peacock, Philosophy, Sustainability: The Symbiotic Hypothesis — $50,690

Sharon Pelech, Education, Agents in the Field: Exploring the Educational Value of Place-Conscious Pedagogy — $129,602

Janet Youngdahl, Music, Singing all the names of the Prairie Crocus: Building a women's vocal ensemble with an ear to the ground and a heart for relationships — $93,224

(Co-Applicant) Yale Belanger, Political Science, Organisational Changes to Address Homelessness: Lessons Learned from 3 Mid-sized Canadian Cities — U of L portion TBD

(Co-Applicant) Feng Jiao, Dhillon School of Business, Forward Premium Puzzle, International Stock Returns, and Heterogeneous Beliefs — U of L portion TBD

SSHRC Partnership Development Grant

Dan O’Donnell, English, Good things come in small packages: A grassroots Community of Practice for Open and FAIR humanities data practices — $200,000

SSHRC Partnership Engage Grant

Debra Basil, Dhillon School of Business, Communicating effectively with new Latino immigrants — $25,000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives boosted by federal grant

trevor.kenney — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 17:42:54 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is one of 12 post-secondary institutions from across Canada receiving a highly competitive two-year grant to help identify and overcome systemic barriers that impede the career advancement, recruitment and retention of underrepresented and equity-deserving groups.

The U of L will receive $400,000 over two years to support the implementation of EDI initiatives.

“We’re very pleased the granting agencies recognized the progress we’ve made towards enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community and our plans moving forward,” says Dr. Mike Mahon, U of L president and vice-chancellor. “Our success is dependent on how well we include, value and engage a diversity of students, staff, faculty, administrators and alumni.”

Today, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced the 12 institutions sharing close to $4.8 million in funding as part of the 2020 competition of the EDI Institutional Capacity-Building Grant. The U of L will receive $400,000 over two years to support the implementation of equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives throughout the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

“This vital funding will support a foundation of important initiatives that will truly move our university forward in terms of operationalizing our commitments and our responsibilities to the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion,” says Dr. Robert Wood, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s interim vice-president (research).

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, which is currently in the process of hiring its first Executive Director of EDI, strives to create a diverse and inclusive community where students, faculty and staff feel welcome, are treated equitably and can thrive in their various endeavours. Achieving this requires intentional and systemic action. This means creating policies, procedures, programs, events and interventions that work to eliminate systemic barriers and establish the conditions and culture that enable the career advancement, recruitment and retention of equity-deserving individuals.

“Guided by the expertise and leadership of our next Executive Director of EDI, and with the support of this important grant, we will look to generate a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion throughout the academic, administrative and research domains of the university,” says Dr. Dena McMartin, the U of L’s incoming vice-president (research) and the first woman to hold a full-term appointment as VPR. “A commitment to EDI and belonging in the context of creative activity, teaching and learning benefits all of us, enriching and elevating our experiences and our perspectives.”

The Government of Canada is committed to tackling challenges encountered by underrepresented and equity-deserving groups in Canadian research institutions and their impacts on the whole of the research ecosystem.

This pilot funding program is supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada(NSERC), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). NSERC is administering it on behalf of the three federal research granting agencies.

RNA Innovation program creating future scientific leaders

trevor.kenney — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 18:45:55 +0000

The practical applications of RNA research and innovation have never been more prominent than over the last year with the development of the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccines. The joint RNA Innovation program at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and Université de Sherbrooke is designed to create scientific leaders in RNA research.

“This program helps prepare the next generation for the complicated world of scientific work,” says Dr. HJ Wieden, Director of RNA Innovation. “We are teaching them not only cutting-edge RNA research but how to be critical and inclusive leaders in their field.”

This unique Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) program enables trainees to gain experience through industry-driven research and development challenges and internship placements. In addition, trainees participate in the RNA Innovation Scientific Leadership course. Developed by U of L Board of Governors’ Teaching Chair, Dr. Ute Kothe, this exclusive course brings together students from around the world.

“During the Fall 2020 semester, we had students participating from Lethbridge and Sherbrooke, as well as India and Egypt,” says Kothe. “We knew this course was going to have students from across Canada due to the unique nature of the RNA Innovation program, and because of the pandemic, we had students stuck outside of Canada still able to participate.”

In addition to the technical aspects of the course, students receive comprehensive training in leadership skills including scientific ethics and integrity, equity, diversity and inclusion as well as professional communication.

“It was shocking and surprised me to learn about the type of bias that exists in the scientific world,” says Bimaldeep Singh, a master’s student currently studying in India.

The class participated in a presentation from Dr. Sarah Viehbeck, associate vice-president, Research Programs – Strategy at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Her talk discussed issues involving equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) at granting agencies and what these agencies are doing to address unconscious bias.

“Understanding the presence of bias in ourselves, knowingly or unknowingly, helped me clear up my mind towards implicit bias,” adds Singh.

Trainees also discuss the ethics and integrity needed to make tough decisions. Dr. Michael Stingl (philosophy) and graduate students Michaela Thompson & Jodi Newman lead the discussions.

“Being ethical should be the most dominant trait not only as a scientist but as a human,” says master’s student Riya Roy. “I was introduced to a totally unknown philosophical world. The simplified presentation, along with our comprehensive discussions gave a new dimension to my current thought process.”

Teamwork and collaboration are dominant themes of the course and present students with opportunities to gain different perspectives. Most projects are designed to be completed in groups, and students frequently debate controversial topics.

“The most effective portion of this class is the collaborative aspect of the group meetings,” says Daniel Rocca, a first year master’s student. “Moving into grad studies felt like there were more expectations on me and the class has given me practice in basic professional skills that will help me succeed.”

Interested students can find information on how to apply to the RNA Innovation program at RNAInnovation.ca.

Faculty and student researchers buoyed by NSERC funding

trevor.kenney — Wed, 17 Oct 2018 18:07:49 +0000

A diverse and comprehensive group of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers was awarded $1.98 million in funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) this week, part of $558 million in total funding to post-secondary researchers and students, the largest investment in research from NSERC this year.

Projects in chemistry & biochemistry, neuroscience, kinesiology & physical education, mathematics & computer science, environmental science, biology and psychology all received funding support.

In addition, eight graduate students received $336,000 in funding, further broadening the impact of the federal government’s investment in research activities at the U of L.

“Canada supports science and our talented researchers. We are delivering on our historic investment in research and in the next generation of scientists. These remarkable researchers and students we are celebrating are working to make the world a better place and to secure a brighter future for all Canadians,” says The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport.

Dr. Erasmus Okine, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s vice-president (research) says he is impressed with the breadth of research being funded.

“It speaks to the level of activity we have going on throughout the institution, and the variety of issues our researchers and students are tackling,” says Okine. “This level of funding is a recognition by NSERC that our people are making a real difference through their research work and will continue to do so.”

Projects in chemistry & biochemistry, neuroscience, kinesiology & physical education, mathematics & computer science, environmental science, biology and psychology all received funding support. Dr. Robert Sutherland’s study in the Department of Neuroscience, Hippocampus and memory: A systems level approach, earned $285,000 over five years, the largest award of the funded projects.

Sutherland describes the hippocampus as being situated at the hub of a set of distributed cortical networks that represent movement and perceptual information. Amnesia is the most prominent effect of damage to or dysfunction of the hippocampus and most forms of human memory disorder involve the hippocampus.

“The current proposal examines, in detail, how the interactions between the hippocampus and other cortical networks establish long-term memories,” says Sutherland, director of the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience. “We will discover exactly which types of information depend on the hippocampus and how the hippocampus modifies the functioning of the cortex through long-term interactions.”

Dr. Louise Barrett, Canada Research Chair in Cognition, Evolution and Behaviour and member of the U of L’s Department of Psychology, will receive $200,000 over five years (plus an accelerator supplement of $120,000 over three years) for her project, Behavioural Flexibility, Fertility and Social Network Influences in Human and Non-Human Primates.

In her work, Barrett aims to understand how evolutionary processes influence the behaviour of human and non-human primates.

“More specifically, I am interested in exploring those aspects that we share with other primate species, and those that make us different,” she says.

Other funded researchers include:

Dr. Matthew Tata, neuroscience; Dr. Steven Mosimann, chemistry & biochemistry; Dr. Marc Roussel, chemistry & biochemistry; Dr. Athanasios Zovoilis, chemistry & biochemistry; Dr. Marc Bomhof, kinesiology & physical education; Dr. John Anvik, mathematics & computer science; Dr. Alexey Popov, mathematics & computer science; Dr. David Euston, neuroscience; Dr. Sergio Pellis, neuroscience; Dr. Stephanus Henzi, psychology; Dr. Cameron Goater, biological sciences; Dr. Majid Mohajerani, neuroscience.

Graduate students who received funding include:

Elijah Dueck, chemistry & biochemistry; Lukas Grasse, neuroscience; Samantha Krause, psychology; Kailyn Nelson, environmental science; Candace Burke, neuroscience; Serena Jenkins, neuroscience; Justin Lee, neuroscience; Conner MacNeil, chemistry & biochemistry.

U of L researchers receive $2.6 million in NSERC funding

caroline.zentner — Fri, 08 Sep 2017 16:13:41 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers in biology, chemistry and biochemistry, geography, mathematics and computer science, physics and psychology will be able to pursue diverse areas of inquiry thanks to $2.64 million in funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC).

Canada’s Minister of Science, Kirsty Duncan, announced today $515 million in support for fundamental research through the NSERC 2017 competition for the Discovery Grants program, scholarships and fellowships.

“The Government of Canada is committed to investing in fundamental research and engineering that will improve and enrich our country’s knowledge economy,” says Duncan. “We believe in encouraging scientists’ cutting-edge ideas that will lead Canada to greater social and economic growth. I am particularly proud of the support offered to postgraduate students and postdoctoral fellows who, thanks to today’s investment, will be exposed to advanced training experiences that will prepare them for the jobs and opportunities of tomorrow.”

“At the core of every research project, every laboratory and every discovery, there are people,” says Dr. B. Mario Pinto, NSERC president. “NSERC empowers these people to build an innovative, prosperous and inclusive society. NSERC Discovery Grants, scholarships and fellowships provide thousands of top researchers, students and fellows with the foundation they need to concretize their research ambitions and explore the unknown.”

“We are very proud of our researchers and this level of funding from NSERC clearly demonstrates the valuable work being done at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge,” says Dr. Erasmus Okine, vice-president (research). “The funding is also spread throughout a number of disciplines, reflecting the strength of research activities across campus.”

Thirteen faculty members will receive Discovery Grants worth $2.16 million over five years. Their research projects include topics like human cell division. Dr. Roy Golsteyn (Biology) is investigating prairie plant extracts that inhibit cell division to better understand how cell division occurs. Dr. Philip Bonnaventure (Geography) studies mountainous terrains with the goal of advancing knowledge of the relationship between climate, topography and geology in these regions. Dr. Jacqueline Rice (Mathematics and Computer Science) will conduct research into how people use artificial languages, like those used for writing software, with the goals of improving software quality and readability.

Dr. Chris Hopkinson (Geography) is the recipient of a Discovery Accelerator Supplement worth $120,000 over three years. He is using satellite data and a Dynamic Ecosystem Landcover Transitions Assessment (DELTA) program to examine how forests and wetlands respond to disturbances in the climate system.

Drs. Fangfang Li (Psychology) and Saurya Das (Physics and Astronomy) will each receive Discovery Development Grants for research projects dealing with speech production in children and Quantum Gravity theory, respectively.

In addition, four students, namely Ryan Kung, Taylor Sheahan, Douglas Turnbull (Chemistry and Biochemistry) and Matthew Robbins (Physics and Astronomy) will receive $63,000 each over a period of three years in scholarships and fellowships.

“We pride ourselves in creating opportunities for our students to excel in their research endeavours. Their ability to seize these opportunities while working under the tutelage of world-class supervisors is rewarded in these scholarships,” says Okine.

UNews - NSERC

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