Organization: Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council

WD supports U of A-developed lipid-to-hydrocarbon technology

Western Economic Diversification Canada is providing $970,000 to a pilot project at the Univ of Alberta for converting waste agricultural materials into fuels and other chemicals. The funding will be combined with an $892,000 commitment from the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency, with the intention of seeking private investment within two years and establishing a…

NSERC launches climate research initiative

A new $35-million, five-year program for climate and atmospheric research is being launched more than a year after it was announced in last year’s federal Budget (R$ March 31/11). The Climate Change and Atmospheric Research (CCAR) initiative will be managed by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) as a partial replacement to the…

NSERC grants $32 million to 70 strategic projects

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council has announced 70 awards worth $32 million through the latest Strategic Project Grants (SPG) competition. The SPGs are intended to encourage collaboration between academic researchers and their counterparts in industry and government in the areas of environmental science and technologies, information and communications technologies, manufacturing and natural resources…

NSERC launches college research chairs program

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council has issued the first call for proposals for its new Industrial Research Chairs for Colleges (IRCC) program. Funding announced in the 2010 Budget provides $3 million in 2011 and $5 million in future years to support up to 30 IRCC grants. Each chair will receive $100,000 to $200,000…

McMaster to undertake oil sands research project

McMaster Univ has received $2.2 million to undertake an R&D project investigating the geochemical reactions stemming from bacterial sulfur reaction in composite tailings resulting from oil sands extraction. The composite tailings are high in alkalinity and salinity and very low in organic matter. The funding is being provided by Syncrude Canada Ltd ($1.14 million) and…

NSERC funds youth science promotion across Canada

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council is providing $2.9 million to 58 organizations that promote science and engineering to youth. Delivered through its PromoScience program, the funds will be distributed to organizations like Actua (a national registered charity), Alberta Science Literacy Association, Canadian Mathematical Society, Let’s Talk Science, Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada…

NSERC announces 2011 Discovery Grants recipients

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) has finally announced the results of its 2011 Discovery Grants competition, which allocates $325.6 million in funding to 2,003 researchers. The success rates for the various categories of researchers and average grant sizes are: early-career (54%/$22,481), established researchers who held a grant (74%/$35.045) and established researchers not…

NSERC funds student training skills

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) has announced $29.6 million in awards for 18 projects through its Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) program. The program is designed to attract and retain talent by assisting postdoctoral, graduate and undergraduate students in gaining professional experience. At least 60% of CREATE program funding targets environmental…

Canada part of new G8 research funding initiative

Canadian researchers will be participating in three of six projects aimed at developing a new generation of software to exploit anticipated increases in computer processing speeds in the next 10 years. Projects funded under the inaugural competition of the G8 Research Councils Initiative on Multilateral Research Funding are worth $10 million, with $773,000 coming from…

Xogen deploys waste water treatment technology

Xogen Technologies is taking its patented waste water treatment technology to the global market following the successful deployment of a pilot plant in its home town of Orangeville ON. The company’s technology not only treats waste water to regulated requirements but it also removes pharmaceutical and personal care products to below detectable levels and generates…