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Students and researchers at Trent University to share in historic Budget 2018 funding for science
[October 09, 2018]

Students and researchers at Trent University to share in historic Budget 2018 funding for science


Canada's research community to benefit from largest investment in discovery science in Canadian history

PETERBOROUGH, ON, Oct. 9, 2018 /CNW/ - Science is about discovery. When researchers are given the tools to push the boundaries of knowledge, great things happen. These discoveries lead to the innovations that will grow the economy and help ensure Canada has a workforce capable of taking on the challenges of today and tomorrow.

Today, the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister of Status of Women, on behalf of the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport, announced an investment of more than $2 million to support fundamental research at Trent University. The funding is part of the more than $558 million announced today by Minister Duncan for institutions across Canada as part of the Government of Canada's plan to attract global talent, promote diversity, and provide nearly 4,300 researchers and students with the means to pursue world-leading discovery work.

This $558-million investment in research—the largest one this year from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)—includes $70 million in new funding announced in Budget 2018. With this investment, the Government of Canada is delivering on Budget 2018's historic commitment to science by giving more support to researchers and students.

This year, as part of the $558-million investment, the NSERC Discovery Grants program is providing more than $5 million in supplements for early-career researchers, ensuring the next generation of scientists, engineers and researchers will have the tools they need to flourish. At Trent University, that includes Dr. Christina Davy, who is studying the ecological effects of resource development on threatened wildlife, and Dr. Ian Power, who is researching carbon dioxide capture and storage in mining operations.

Quotes

"Canada supports science and our talented researchers. Today, we are delivering on our hstoric 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."



– The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport

"Canada is already a world leader in science, and the investments we are making today in Trent University will ensure researchers and students are able to pursue their dreams and come up with solutions to some of our most pressing challenges. Our investments show that Canada is serious about science. I congratulate all of today's recipients."
– The Honourable Maryam Monsef, Member of Parliament for Peterborough–Kawartha, Minister of Status of Women


"The funding commitment outlined in Budget 2018 will provide a very significant increase to the Discovery Program to support science and engineering researchers. Additionally, this investment will contribute critical supplementary funding to launch early-career researchers and to support equity, diversity and inclusion."
– Dr. Pierre Charest, Vice-President, Research Grants and Scholarships Directorate, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

"Support for the sciences and globally impactful research is more important than ever. I'm delighted to see this round of funding support three of our newest researchers at the university, among many other distinguished faculty.This NSERC funding helps emphasize our long-standing leadership in the environment and supports Trent's emerging strengths in health sciences and agriculture."
– Dr. Leo Groarke, President and Vice-Chancellor, Trent University

Quick facts

  • The $558-million research investment announced by Minister Duncan today includes $70 million in new funding from Budget 2018. The grants go toward NSERC discovery programs, graduate and postgraduate scholarships and post-doctoral fellowships, and research tools and instruments.
  • Among this year's Discovery Grants recipients is the University of Waterloo's Dr. Donna Strickland, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics, who is receiving support for her work on using lasers to better understand matter at the molecular level.
  • The $558-million investment also includes $5.4 million in funding to help more than 400 early-career researchers in the first year of their Discovery Grants launch their careers.
  • Investments in science are essential to innovation and to the economic strength of a country.

Associated links

About the Discovery Grants program 
Overview of NSERC investments across Canada

Follow @CDNscience on social media for science-related news: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook 
Follow NSERC on Twitter: @nserc_crsng  

About NSERC

NSERC invests over $1.2 billion each year in natural sciences and engineering research in Canada. Our investments deliver discoveries—valuable world-firsts in knowledge claimed by a brain trust of over 11,000 professors. Our investments enable partnerships and collaborations that connect industry with discoveries and the people behind them. Researcher-industry partnerships supported by NSERC help inform research and development and solve scale-up challenges.

NSERC also provides scholarships and hands-on training experience for more than 30,000 post-secondary students and post-doctoral fellows. These young researchers will be the next generation of science and engineering leaders in Canada.

 

SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada


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