Vancouver, British Columbia, July 8, 2010 — Young researchers will have an opportunity to expand their professional and personal skills to prepare for the workplace, thanks to an investment by the Government of Canada at universities across the country. The Honourable Stockwell Day, President of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Asia–Pacific Gateway, joined by the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), made the announcement while speaking at the University of British Columbia.
“Our government is committed to developing, attracting and retaining the world’s best researchers here in Canada,” said Minister Day. “This program is helping recent graduates make a successful transition into the knowledge workforce and giving them a head start on their chosen career paths.”
On June 4, Minister of State Goodyear announced that the Government of Canada was investing $32 million over six years in 20 projects across Canada. The funding will enable science and engineering graduates to upgrade their skills to make a successful transition to the workplace. The projects explore a variety of research areas, including photonics, civil engineering and optical networks.
In addition to the advanced training already received in their studies, the training and mentoring projects funded through the program will help students and post-doctoral fellows further improve their employability skills. The program will help attract highly qualified students, increase their mobility nationally and internationally, and establish links that will further their chosen careers.
At the University of British Columbia, a team led by Dr. Allan Bertram will receive $1.6 million over six years to research aerosol particles in the atmosphere and the role they play in urban air pollution, visibility and climate change. The skills and experience gained by the graduate students on the team will help them advance their future careers.
“Thanks to the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s (NSERC) Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) Program, graduate students become highly sought-after professional researchers in the natural sciences and engineering, both in Canada and abroad,” said Dr. Suzanne Fortier, President of NSERC. “The program helps not only to improve the skill set of the next generation of Canada’s research talent but also to support its retention in the workforce.”
More information on the CREATE Program is available in the attached backgrounder. To view the list of projects funded, visit the NSERC website.
For further information, please contact:
Gary Toft
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Gary Goodyear
Minister of State (Science and Technology)
613-947-2956
Media Relations
Industry Canada
613-943-2502
Shannon Cobb
Media Relations and Public Affairs Officer
NSERC
613-996-3861
shannon.cobb@nserc-crsng.gc.ca
