WATERLOO, Ontario, September 23, 2009 - The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), today offered his congratulations to the recipients of the recently awarded Canada Research Chairs at the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University.
"Our government is investing in science and technology to strengthen the economy, improve Canadians' quality of life and create the jobs of tomorrow, today," said Minister of State Goodyear. "The Canada Research Chairs Program helps Canadian universities to attract and retain the best researchers from our country and around the world, to the direct benefit of our communities."
The seven chairs at the University of Waterloo, of whom two are newly awarded and five renewed, and the two newly appointed chairs at Wilfrid Laurier University, will conduct research in many different fields, with potential benefits for policy-makers, business, health and education, and all Canadians.
For example, Dr. Roxane J. Itier has been appointed Canada Research Chair in Cognitive Neuroimaging and Neurodevelopmental Disorders at the University of Waterloo. Her research involves using neuroimaging to uncover social-cognitive functions, how they develop across the lifespan, and how they break down in neurodevelopmental disorders. It will lead to a deeper understanding of the neural bases of social interaction and to the development of new diagnostic and rehabilitation programs.
Dr. John T.W. Yeow has been appointed Canada Research Chair in Micro- and Nano-Devices at the University of Waterloo. This researcher's work involves developing micro- and nano-devices - machines that work on a molecular level - to help create new medical instruments that can detect diseases, such as cancer, in their early stages. His research will lead to the development of new medical instruments and devices for the early diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
Dr. Mark Eys holds the new Canada Research Chair in Group Dynamics and Physical Activity at Wilfrid Laurier University. By leading to an understanding how group membership in physical activity influences individual cognitions and behaviours, his research will help determine what makes sport and exercise groups effective. A greater understanding of these groups will improve physical activity opportunities, a major component of an active lifestyle for Canadians.
Dr. Ashley Ward has been appointed Canada Research Chair in the Behavioural Ecology of Fishes at Wilfrid Laurier University. His research examines ways that chemical stimuli are communicated in commercially and ecologically important Canadian freshwater and marine fish species in addition to the effects that chemical contamination have on this communication. His research will help policy-makers, companies and environmental scientists make informed decisions on regulating interactions between human effluent and fish populations.
The Government of Canada recently announced an investment of $159.1 million to fund 181 new or renewed Canada Research Chairs in 45 Canadian universities. The research chairs will conduct research in a variety of fields of direct interest to Canadians. This investment also includes $7.4 million for the Canada Foundation for Innovation to support research infrastructure.
For further information (media only), please contact:
Gary Toft
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Gary Goodyear
Minister of State (Science and Technology)
613-943-7599
gary.toft@ic.gc.ca
Trevor Lynn
Manager, Communications
Canada Research Chairs Program
613-992-7302
613-302-9879 (cell)
trevor.lynn@chairs-chaires.gc.ca
Media Relations
Industry Canada
613-943-2502
Yves Melanson
Coordinator, Media Relations
Canada Foundation for Innovation
613-996-3160
613-447-1723 (cell)
yves.melanson@innovation.ca
The Canada Research Chairs program is designed to attract the best talent from Canada and around the world, helping Canadian universities achieve research excellence in the health sciences, natural sciences and engineering, and social sciences and humanities. Since the program was launched, chairholders have improved Canadians' depth of knowledge and quality of life, strengthened the country's international competitiveness and helped train the next generation of highly skilled people. There are currently 1796 research professorships at 70 universities across Canada. Of these positions, almost 600 researchers were recruited from abroad, including 249 Canadian expatriates.
As part of today's announcement, Dr. Mark Eys has been appointed the new Canada Research Chair in Group Dynamics and Physical Activity (Tier 2) and Dr. Ashley Ward holds the new Canada Research Chair in the Behavioural Ecology of Fishes (Tier 2) at Wilfrid Laurier University.
Newly appointed chairs named in today's announcement at the University of Waterloo include: Dr. Roxane J. Itier, Canada Research Chair in Cognitive Neuroimaging and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (Tier 2) and Dr. John T.W. Yeow, Canada Research Chair in Micro- and Nano-Devices (Tier 2). Chairs renewed include: Dr. Pu Chen, Canada Research Chair in Nano-Biomaterials (Tier 2), Dr. Achim Kempf, Canada Research Chair in the Physics of Information (Tier 2), Dr. Srinivasan Keshav, Canada Research Chair in Tetherless Computing (Tier 2), Dr. Ming Li, Canada Research Chair in Bioinformatics (Tier 1), and Dr. Daniel Scott, Canada Research Chair in Global Change and Tourism (Tier 2).
For more information on this announcement, including detailed research profiles for each chairholder, visit the Canada Research Chairs website.
The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) is an independent corporation created by the Government of Canada to fund research infrastructure. The CFI's mandate is to strengthen the capacity of Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals, and not-for-profit research institutions to carry out world-class research and technology development that benefits Canadians. For a complete listing of CFI contributions, please visit the Canada Foundation for Innovation website.
