Organization: University of Waterloo

The Short Report, December 18, 2019: Atlantic “sea ice” computing; Quebec’s digital wallet; post-Brexit Euro-futures for Canadian research

ACENET at Memorial University launched a regional advanced computing system. in Atlantic Canada called Siku, a word that means “sea ice” in Inuktitut. The centre is 50% more powerful than all of ACENET’s recently retired systems together and is interoperable with the national Compute Canada platform. Supported by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), Siku aims to generate economic benefits for…

The Short Report, October 9, 2019: Digital scholarship, e-commerce, astrophysics

The University of Alberta library has opened its new Digital Scholarship Centre (DSC), featuring Western Canada’s largest touch-screen data visualization wall, podcasting and webinar equipment, 3D printers and scanners, a VR room, and high-performance computers. – Folio University of Calgary alumnus Wayne Foo, the founding CEO of the oil exploration company Parex Resources Inc, has made a $3.24-million…

The Short Report, June 26, 2019: Dementia, Ontario chief scientist, AI for travel

The Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging is receiving $46 million over five years: $31.6 million from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and $14.4 million from partners, including the Alzheimer Society. Headquartered at Baycrest in Toronto, the second phase of CCNA’s research program will include a large-scale study to evaluate the effectiveness of new…

Emerging Tech: Creating a Quantum Canada

Seed-stage companies are bolstering Canada’s position as a global leader in quantum science and technology. The question of how to maintain and grow that advantage—built through sustained investment in quantum research and development—has never been more urgent and is preoccupying academics, policymakers and innovators across the country.

The Short Report, June 19, 2019 – Research chairs, cybersecurity, Strategic Innovation Fund

Science and Sports minister Kirsty Duncan has announced over $275 million for 346 new and renewed Canada Research Chairs at 52 institutions across Canada. It was the most gender diverse competition yet: 47% women, 22% visible minorities, 5% persons with disabilities, and 4% Indigenous peoples. The Canada Foundation for Innovation is contributing another $5.2 million…

The Short Report – May 8, 2019: Cannabis R&D, fuel cell demo, accelerator funding

With the goal becoming a mainstream healthcare company, Smiths Falls, ON-based Canopy Growth Corp. has spun off a new division – Spectrum Therapeutics – to oversee the company’s commercial medical and clinical research operations including Spectrum Cannabis, Canopy Health Innovations, and recently acquired Germany-based C3Cannabinoid Compound Company, which develops cannabinoid-based medical therapies. – Canopy Growth…

Waterloo tests AI for use in financial sector

The Univ of Waterloo has developed software with AI algorithms that can help financial institutions justify the decisions they make as they comply with regulations.  Waterloo’s deep-learning algorithms are able to process and analyze rich data, and detect patterns that even users can’t tell how the analyses were made, researchers say. To test the algorithms,…