(Ottawa, December 4, 2007) The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) invested more than $305 million in grants, fellowships and scholarships in 2006-07 to support the creation and mobilization of knowledge and the development of talent. Details of SSHRC-funded research were released today in the Council's 2006-07 Annual Report. SSHRC awarded more than 3,600 new grants, fellowships and scholarships in the past year to support excellence in research and research training.
"At a time when deep and broad understanding about people, what they think, how they live and how they feel becomes more important than ever, SSHRC is advancing knowledge to strengthen Canada's prospects for the 21st century," said SSHRC President Chad Gaffield.
SSHRC funds research in more than 30 fields pertaining to every aspect of our lives, from our economy, health, education, and financial well-being to our language, cultural diversity, security and government. In 2006-07, SSHRC funded 1,274 research projects. In collaboration with universities, other granting agencies, government departments and not-for-profit organizations, SSHRC helps connect the campus to the community through special programs and by supporting journals, conferences and strategic knowledge clusters.
The annual report highlights the work of Andrée Lajoie, celebrated law professor at the Université de Montréal, who was also awarded the 2006 SSHRC Gold Medal for Achievement in research. The Gold medal honours Lajoie for her extensive work across research fields including post-secondary education law, urban and regional health administration and the rights of Aboriginal peoples and minorities.
SSHRC also awarded close to 2,300 graduate and post-graduate scholarships and fellowships. Among them is Kristy Robertson, a PhD graduate in visual and material cultures from Queen's University, who was the winner of the 2006 SSHRC Postdoctoral Prize for her research on the connections between the physical world of textiles and activism, online communications, and economics.
"It is our goal to be a leader among the world's top research councils, and we have workedand will continue to workto enhance the quality of support for research and training in Canada," Gaffield said. "This will serve to strengthen Canadian research in relation to international benchmarks for research excellence, and help researchers meet them."
Download SSHRC 2006-07 Annual Report (pdf document 1.7 MB)
For additional information on this release and other SSHRC-supported research projects, please contact:
Riley Denver
Communications Advisor
Telephone: 613-947-4629
Cell: 613-859-0225
E-mail: riley.denver@sshrc.ca
