University of Lethbridge research projects from across the institution were supported with more than $3.7 million in funding as the Government of Canada announced a major investment in Canadian science, engineering, social sciences and humanities research.
Today, at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced investments of more than $635 million to support more than 4,800 lead researchers and their teams. This support includes more than 3,400 new grants and grant extensions through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s (NSERC) Discovery Grants program, and 1,315 research projects across Canada through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council’s (SSHRC) Partnership Grants, Partnership Development Grants, Insight Grants and Insight Development Grants. As well, there were 156 new or renewed Canada Research Chairs (CRC) confirmed at 36 institutions across Canada.
“The investment of nearly $4 million in our institution’s research activities is an investment in our people who drive innovation, spark inquiry and author solutions to some of the biggest issues facing society today,” says Dr. Robert Wood, the University’s interim vice-president (research). “That each of our five Faculties is represented in these funding announcements shows the depth and breadth of the research activities taking place here on campus and affirms our position as one of the country’s leading comprehensive research institutions.”
In all, 30 different projects are receiving funding support through either SSHRC or NSERC, with values ranging from small awards that support community outreach STEM activities in Destination Exploration (grants of $4,600 and $5,000) to large funding awards for projects such as Dr. Inge Genee’s SSHRC Insight Grant supporting her work in the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics/Indigenous Studies ($344,779 for Documenting contemporary and historical variation in Niitsi'powahsin (Blackfoot)) and Dr. Majid Mohajerani’s NSERC Discovery Grant supporting his Department of Neuroscience study ($720,000 for researching Spontaneous activity, memory replay and the default mode network).
“From math and computer science to neuroscience, kinesiology, physics & astronomy, chemistry and biochemistry, philosophy, education, music, business, psychology, health sciences, religious studies and English, our researchers are pushing boundaries, training students and making a real difference in society,” says Wood.
The Government of Canada says the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the invaluable contributions researchers make to our country and throughout the world.
“More than ever, this past year has shown that society cannot move forward without the strong contribution of researchers from across Canada and beyond,” says Ted Hewitt, president of SSHRC and Chair of the Canada Research Chairs Program Steering Committee. “Advancing knowledge and insight within and across all disciplines — including social sciences, humanities, natural sciences, engineering and health — is essential to tackling the challenges we face and finding the solutions we need to make Canada healthier, safer, more innovative and more prosperous.”
NSERC Discovery Grant
Amir Akbary, Math & Computer Science, Distribution problems for L-functions and number fields — $105,000
Robert Benkoczi, Math & Computer Science, Facility location optimization with applications in evacuation planning and IoT — $30,000
Chelsea Ekstrand, Neuroscience, Novel approaches for examining functional and structural correlates of naturalistic cognition using functional magnetic resonance imaging — $177,500
Daya Gaur, Math & Computer Science, Fine-grained linear programming based approximate methods for NP-hard problems — $120,000
Paul Hazendonk, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Development of characterization methods for multicomponent mixed phase materials for application in energy and environmental technologies — $120,000
Rob Laird, Biological Sciences, Evolution of senescence in plants — $355,000
Majid Mohajerani, Neuroscience, Spontaneous activity, memory replay and the default mode network — $720,000
Gongbing Shan, Kinesiology, Development of a general biomechanical model for wearables application — $30,000
Locke Spencer, Physics & Astronomy, FarInfrared technology for Experimental Astrophysics — $170,000
(Co-Applicant) Theresa Burg, Biological Sciences, Microstallite Paternity Analyses of Six years of Savannah Sparrow Field Data — $10,000
NSERC Engage Grant
Borries Demeler, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Use of Analytical Ultracentrifugation to Uncover Unique Characterization of Canola Feed Ingredients — $25,000
NSERC PromoScience Science Literacy Week
Valerie Archibald, Dean’s Office, Family STEM activities — $4,600
NSERC PromoScience Supplement for Science Odyssey
Valerie Archibald, Dean’s Office, STEM Explorers on the Go — $5,000
NSERC Research Tools & Instruments
Aaron Gruber, Neuroscience, Next-generation neural recording platform for the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience — $149,594
Igor Kovalchuk, Biological Sciences, Plant growth chambers to support a new Phytotron Core Research Facility — $148,804
Robert McDonald, Neuroscience, Assessing memory representations in freelybehaving animals with calcium imaging via miniscopes — $122,433
Majid Mohajerani, Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience Research Cores for High throughput, Automated and Longitudinal Monitoring of Rodents Behaviour and Brain Activity — $149,842
SSHRC Connection Grant
Dan O’Donnell, English, Canada-LATAM Workshop on Open and Inclusive access to research (Taller Canada-LATAM sobre acceso abierto y equitativo a la investigación científica), Santiago de Chile, November 2020 — $25,000
Paul Vasey, Psychology, The Puzzles of Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity Conference 2020 — $19,279
SSHRC Insight Development Grant
Julia Brassolotto, Health Sciences, Medical Assistance in Dying: Ethical and Policy issues in Southern Rural Alberta — $57,322
Jennifer Otto, Religious Studies, Remembering Anabaptist Martyrs — $23,050
SSHRC Insight Grant
Barbara Bordalejo, English, Canterbury Tales Project Phase 3: Analysis and Publication — $333,000
Inge Genee, Modern Languages and Linguistics/Indigenous Studies, Documenting contemporary and historical variation in Niitsi'powahsin (Blackfoot) — $344,779
Kent Peacock, Philosophy, Sustainability: The Symbiotic Hypothesis — $50,690
Sharon Pelech, Education, Agents in the Field: Exploring the Educational Value of Place-Conscious Pedagogy — $129,602
Janet Youngdahl, Music, Singing all the names of the Prairie Crocus: Building a women's vocal ensemble with an ear to the ground and a heart for relationships — $93,224
(Co-Applicant) Yale Belanger, Political Science, Organisational Changes to Address Homelessness: Lessons Learned from 3 Mid-sized Canadian Cities — U of L portion TBD
(Co-Applicant) Feng Jiao, Dhillon School of Business, Forward Premium Puzzle, International Stock Returns, and Heterogeneous Beliefs — U of L portion TBD
SSHRC Partnership Development Grant
Dan O’Donnell, English, Good things come in small packages: A grassroots Community of Practice for Open and FAIR humanities data practices — $200,000
SSHRC Partnership Engage Grant
Debra Basil, Dhillon School of Business, Communicating effectively with new Latino immigrants — $25,000