U of S Awarded New Research Chairs
Posted April 26, 2001
Tweet
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ? April 25th, 2001 2001-04-17-OTHER
U of S Awarded New Research Chairs
The University of Saskatchewan is set to receive an additional $1.1 million
annually from the Government of Canada to create seven Canada Research
Chairs (CRC) on campus. The announcement was made today by Federal Minister
of Industry, Brian Tobin, at a press conference in Winnipeg.
"This is excellent news for the University of Saskatchewan," said University
President, Peter MacKinnon. "The money will play an important role in
strengthening the University?s position as a major centre for research
excellence."
Five of the Chair holders are from the U of S working in the Colleges of
Agriculture, Arts and Science, Engineering, Medicine and Veterinary
Medicine. The other two Chair holders are from the Department of Geography
at Queen?s University and from the Department of Sociology at the University
of Singapore.
The Chairs will focus on the University?s six main areas of research:
biotechnology, environmental sciences, health sciences, identity and
diversity, materials science and technology and change.
"There will be a tremendous infusion of academic creativity. We intend to
build on our deployment of Canada Research Chairs to recruit tenure-track
faculty in the areas of research identified in the strategic research plan
for the Chairs program," added President MacKinnon.
The Chairs are the first of 31 allotted to the U of S by the Canada Research
Chairs Program, a $900-million initiative of the federal government designed
to create 2,000 new research chairs at Canadian universities over the next
five years.
Nominations for the Chairs are submitted by universities to the Chairs
Program and are reviewed by a team of academic peers who choose only the
most outstanding. The Chairs Program offers Tier 1 chairs (a seven-year term
for world leaders in their field -- renewable -- bringing $200,000 per year
to the University) and Tier 2 chairs (a five-year term for researchers with
peer-acknowledged potential to become world leaders -- renewable once --
bringing $100,000 per year).
The Chairs fall into the fields of the three main federal granting agencies:
the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC); the Canadian
Institutes of Health Research (CIHR); and the Social Sciences and Humanities
Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).
The Chairs are expected to take up their appointments by January 1, 2002.
For more information, contact:
Peter MacKinnon
President
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-6612
Natalie Beaudoin
Canada Research Chairs Communications
(613) 995-3205.
Chair holders:
Lorne Babiuk
Veterinary and Infectious Disease Organization
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-7477 Phone
Louis Delbaere
Department of Biochemistry
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-4360
James Miller (from May 10th)
Department of History
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-5806
Evelyn Peters
Department of Geography
Queen?s University
(613) 533-6420
Akira Hirose
Department of Physics and Engineering Physics
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-6404/6414
Ajay Dalai,
Department of Chemical Engineering
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-4771
Zaheer Baber
Department of Sociology
National University of Singapore
Singapore
(65) 874-6409
Fax (65) 770-2794
Canada Research Chairs Backgrounder
The CRC program will provide:
$1.4M over seven years (renewable) for a CIHR Chair in Vaccinology. Chair
holder, VIDO Director, Lorne Babiuk
The research focus of the Chair spans two of the University?s major thrusts
- biotechnology and health sciences. Dr. Babiul will focus efforts and build
a strong team of collaborators with expertise in virology, bacteriology,
parasitology, genomics, immunology and in animal models of disease. The
Chair will accelerate the development of new, safer and more effective
vaccines for both humans and animals. This will lead to disease prevention,
improved food safety and reduced health costs.
$1.4M over seven years (renewable) for a CIHR Chair in Structural
Biochemistry. Chair holder, Louis Delbaere, Department of Biochemistry,
College of Medicine.
Dr. Delbaere will carry out research using the University?s Canadian Light
Source (CLS) facility. He will use one of the CLS beam lines to get a closer
look at the structure of proteins so that he can study their function in
relation to their structure. His research will lead to the design of new
drugs which will help fight major diseases including diabetes, cancer and
heart disease.
$1.4M over seven years (renewable) for a SSHRC Chair in Native-newcomer
Relations. Chair holder, James Miller, Department of History, College of
Arts and Science.
Dr. Miller will continue to carry out research on the history of
Native-newcomer relations in Canada. Topics will include the history of
treaty-making in Canada, and related issues such as present-day treaty
rights, linguistic survival, indigenous self-government and Aboriginal
self-government. His research will support a major strategic initiative for
the university -- responding to the needs of Aboriginal peoples by
celebrating identity and diversity.
$0.5M over five years (renewable once) for a SSHRC Chair in Identity and
Diversity: the Aboriginal Experience. Chair holder, Evelyn Peters, Associate
Professor, Department of Geography, Queen?s University.
Dr. Peters is an expert in the urbanization of Aboriginal peoples in Canada.
The Chair will play a major role in guiding U of S research on Aboriginal
issues, strengthening the links between researchers and the Aboriginal
communities in Saskatchewan, and moving the U of S to the forefront in
Canadian Aboriginal research. It is especially fortunate that Dr. Peters?
research complements the work being proposed in the recently funded
Community University Research Alliance on Aboriginal housing entitled
Bridges and Foundations.
$0.5M over five years (renewable once) for a SSHRC Chair in Science,
Technology and Social Change. Chair holder, Zaheer Baber, Assistant
Professor, Department of Sociology, National University of Singapore.
Dr. Baber will examine the emerging relations between scientific knowledge
and social change. He will look at the impact of globalization and
government policy on science, technology and research in North America and
other nations and will engage in research on public opinion on major
scientific, technological and social developments.
$1.4M over seven years (renewable) for a NSERC Chair in Plasma Science.
Chair holder, Akira Hirose, Head of Physics and Engineering Physics, College
of Arts and Science.
Dr. Hirose will initiate a broad research and development program in
plasma-based material science. He aims to develop new materials, such as
artificial diamonds and artificial carbon, which are far superior to the
materials found naturally. He also intends to use this technology to
improve the quality of existing materials such as metals and polymers by
making them less susceptible to wear and tear in medical and commercial
applications.
$0.5M over five years (renewable once) for a NSERC Chair in Bio-energy and
Environmentally-friendly Chemical Processing, Chair holder, Ajay Dalai,
Associate Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of
Engineering.
Dr. Dalai will carry out research to develop energy efficient and
environmentally-friendly products, catalysts and processes. This research
has a variety of significant applications including the development of
environmentally-friendly gasoline and other fuels. In addition, Dr. Dalai
will carry out research to produce diesel fuel additives which will improve
lubricity, reduce engine wear and improve fuel economy.
