Author: Mark Henderson

Canada’s potential to become a true energy superpower can only be realized by identifying and delivering on breakthrough technologies that are able to position the nation as a global leader in clean energy, according to experts who assembled in Ottawa earlier this month at the Canadian Science Policy Conference.

Predictability, coherence and flexibility underscore the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s recommendations to the Advisory Panel for the Review of Federal Support for Fundamental Science. The CFI is calling for more funding for the granting councils, a new Research Facilities Performance Fund (RFPF) and a Big Science strategy to guide Canada in the medium- to long-term.

Mitacs wants to boost the impact and reach of its cooperative innovation model by more than doubling the number of graduate student internships it supports to 10,000 by 2020. The target, while not new, is the cornerstone of its new strategic plan — Target 10,000: Talent, Ideas, Networks — and will require a far greater investment than it has received in previous years.

Q: Sanofi is obviously a big booster of Mitacs. What are your overall impressions of the program?
A: Overall, Mitacs is the type of program that I wish was around back when I was a grad student and postdoc.

The science, technology and innovation (STI) vision of the incoming administration of US president-elect Donald Trump is dark and opaque with few stated positions on issues ranging from federal R&D funding and support for start-ups to digital economy challenges such as open data and copyright.

More flexibility in research projects sought

The forthcoming Innovation Agenda and an assessment of the National Research Council are being welcomed by the agency’s research staff as a timely opportunity to address growing concerns over internal R&D capacity, research direction, career fulfillment and staff morale.

with minor increases in research income

The Univ of Toronto has lost its status as Canada’s only $1-billion-plus university ranked by sponsored research income. After topping the $1-billion mark for three consecutive years, U of T tumbled 4.

Scaled down with quicker turnaround

The National Research Council’s flagship algae carbon conversion (ACC) program has unveiled its first major initiative with the announcement of a pilot project to convert the CO2 emissions from the St Mary’s Cement plant in St Mary’s ON into algal biomass that could potentially be used in a wide range of products and processes.

Staff rejuvenation a priority

Recently installed National Research Council president Iain Stewart has hit the ground running, working to complete an initial stocktaking of the century-old organization by mid-November and deliver a full assessment by mid-2017.