CLS partnership with Mitacs to foster access to synchrotron research

Saskatoon, SK – The Canadian Light Source synchrotron has signed a memorandum of understanding with Mitacs, a national, not-for-profit organization that brings together academia, industry and the public sector, to develop cutting edge tools and technologies vital to Canada’s knowledge-based economy.

“We hope that this partnership will facilitate access to synchrotron research capacity for industry-academic collaborations,” said Jeff Cutler, CLS director of industrial science. “We believe we can make valuable contributions to innovative research projects.”

The agreement will strengthen ties between the two entities, and will focus on jointly developing Mitacs projects and calls for proposals that generate research development and commercialization projects.

“This partnership between Mitacs and Canadian Light Source will bring the latest in academic knowledge and techniques to synchrotron science, helping solve complex research challenges,” said Duncan Phillips, vice president, strategic enterprises, Mitacs. “Through this collaboration, researchers will have the opportunity to work on projects that have the potential to grow Canadian companies, especially Western Canadian small- and medium-sized businesses along with locally-based multi-nationals.”

Several Mitacs programs will be used to foster the partnership including Mitacs Converge.  A pilot program, Converge aims to increase the innovation output of Canadian small and medium enterprises and multi-national sponsor companies. The program links multi-nationals with expert researchers at Canadian universities and provides matching funding and support towards subsequent research, development and commercialization projects.