Backgrounder
July 31, 2008
STRENGTHENING ONTARIO’S INNOVATION ECONOMY
Funding world-class research is part of Ontario’s plan to build an innovation economy.
Ontario’s universities, colleges, hospitals and research institutes play a vital role in the government’s five-point plan to ensure Ontario remains at the forefront of the global knowledge-based economy by supporting cutting-edge research and developing world-class researchers.
The Early Researcher Awards program (ERA) helps promising, recently-appointed Ontario researchers build their research teams of graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, research assistants and associates. The goal of the program is to improve Ontario’s ability to attract and retain the best and brightest research talent from around the world.
Across the province, this investment will mean cutting-edge research opportunities for as many as 225 graduate students and post-doctorate researchers, and engage as many as 6700 high school students each year, giving them an inside look at real research and inspiring them to consider a career in science and technology.
The ERA program is a key part of Ontario’s Innovation Agenda. Supported by close to $3 billion in spending over eight years, the Ontario Innovation Agenda is building Ontario’s innovation economy on the strength of our province’s creative environment, diverse culture, highly skilled workforce, world-class educational system and internationally recognized research community.
UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH EARLY RESEARCHER AWARDS RECIPIENTS
Dr. Hafiz Maherali
Ecological and Evolutionary Responses to Biological Invasions
Biological invasions are a major threat to native ecosystems and the resources they provide to humans, such as food and fibre production and the maintenance of soil fertility. Dr. Maherali and his research team's work will evaluate how invasion by a European weed, garlic mustard, impacts Ontario’s forest ecosystems His team will also evaluate whether the dominant species, sugar maple, has the capacity to evolve resistance to the invader. Their work will help Ontario make decisions about the management and eradication of garlic mustard by assessing ecosystem response and prospects for recovery following invasion.
Dr. Chris Thomas Bauch
Computer Models in the Fight Against Cervical Cancer
Simulation modelling is increasingly recognized as a way of helping to develop good public health policy. Dr. Bauch and his research team will use computer simulations to determine the optimal combination of cervical cancer screening and vaccination for women in Ontario. They will also use mathematical theory to understand how a vaccine’s risk-benefit profile evolves after a vaccine has been licensed. This research may help reduce cervical cancer incidence in a cost-effective way, as well as provide better tools for determining which vaccines should be licensed for use, and improve the health of Ontarians.
Dr. Paul Edward Garrett
Nuclear Physics and Understanding our Universe
One of the greatest achievements of twentieth century science was the development of the Standard Model, the theory that governs the world of the smallest particles in nature; however it is not believed to be the “ultimate” theory. Dr. Garrett's research team will contribute to the development of this theory by using advanced techniques in nuclear physics to better understand why our universe is the way it is. This research will provide an ideal training ground for the next generation of nuclear scientists and engineers.
Dr. Jaideep Mathur
Responding to the Environment and Pollution
Understanding subcellular dynamics in plants can help us understand the mechanisms used by these organisms to ensure their survival when faced with environmental stress. Dr. Mathur's research will examine plants carrying specific proteins to understand how plants respond to environmental cues. Besides adding to basic knowledge, the resulting data will serve as an effective public education tool concerning the rapid effects of the environmental change on living cells.
Dr. Ryan Norris
Conserving Migratory Animals
Migratory animals that spend part of their life cycle outside of Ontario represent a large part of the province's biodiversity, making them crucial to the health and maintenance of the ecosystem. A major problem in determining why these species are declining has been the inability to track individual animals over large distances. Dr. Norris's research team will develop chemical markers and radio telemetry techniques that can be used to track migratory animals throughout their annual cycle. The team will examine how long-term changes in climate and other environmental stressors, such as habitat loss and degradation, influence the population abundance of both songbirds and insects. Their research work will put Canada in a unique position to develop effective international conservation strategies for a wide variety of migratory animals.
See also:
- News Release: Driving the Innovation Economy in Guelph
