Author: Debbie Lawes

Business lobby calls on Canada to become global champion for nuclear technology

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The head of the Canadian Nuclear Association (CNA) is calling on Canada – and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau specifically – to step up as global champions for nuclear technology, notably its civilian applications in medicine and as a low-carbon energy source. President and CEO Dr John Barrett made the comment in response to the release of a House of Commons committee report urging the government to “reaffirm its long-standing support for Canadian nuclear energy and research”.

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MPs see resource industry’s problems as potential boon for clean tech

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Clean technology and traditional resource industries like oil and gas may seem like strange bedfellows but federal politicians hope closer ties between the sectors will enable Canada to meet two of its biggest challenges: reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and creating jobs. Debbie Lawes reports

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Canada to lead council of global research funders

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Canada’s renewed efforts to raise its profile on the global stage were bolstered last week with news that Dr. Mario Pinto will take over as chair of the Global Research Council (GRC), a federation comprising the heads of 70 science and engineering funding councils from 50 countries. The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) president replaces Dr. Yuichiro Anzai, president of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, who now becomes vice-chair. As GRC chair, Pinto will represent the interests of Canada’s major research granting agencies.

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R$ talks with Dr. Rebecca Keiser — NSF international chief pursues new collaborations with Canada

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President Donald Trump intention to slash key areas of his government’s research spending is inadvertently providing an incentive for new research collaborations between the United States and Canada.
The president’s fiscal 2018 budget, unveiled earlier this year, proposed massive cuts for climate science, medical research and energy projects across government, including major granting organizations such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health and the Environmental Protection Agency. Despite a reprieve in early May when Congress voted to mostly maintain current budgets for the rest of 2017, it’s uncertain whether the axe can be avoided again in 2018.

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Quantum computing, brain research top list for new US-Canada collaborations

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President Donald Trump’s push for major cuts to research funding in the US are fueling even closer scientific ties between our two countries. Preliminary talks have begun between the US National Science Foundation and research funders in Canada to kickstart new research collaborations in quantum computing, the brain, biodiversity and the Arctic. Recent meetings held in both Ottawa and Washington are expected, as a first step, to result in a Dear Colleague letter from the NSF encouraging its researchers to identify opportunities for joint projects the rapidly evolving field of brain research.

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Supply chain collaborations underpin Bombardier’s approach to innovation

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Talking to innovators: Bombardier’s Fassi Kafyeke

Not since the heady days of Nortel Networks has Canada seen one of its own invest so much in R&D. Excluding Nortel, Canadian aerospace giant Bombardier Inc has spent more than any other company on research and technology development here over the past 15 years — just shy of $12.

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