Eleven new Research Excellence Chairs to be recruited

Ottawa, ON – Proposals from eight universities have been chosen to recruit Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERCs). The universities have been awarded Canada Excellence Research Chairs in the following areas:

• École Polytechnique de Montréal—Data Science for Real-Time Decision-Making
• McGill University—Personalized Pain Medicine
• McGill University—Green Chemistry and Green Chemicals
• Queen’s University—Particle Astrophysics
• Queen’s University—GeoFluids in Sedimentary Basins
• The University of British Columbia—Quantum Materials and Devices Based on Oxide Heterostructures
• The University of British Columbia—Digital Media Research and Innovation
• Université Laval—Neurophotonics
• University of Calgary—Materials Engineering for Unconventional Oil Reservoirs
• University of Saskatchewan—Integrated Infectious Disease Mitigation
• University of Waterloo—Security and Privacy for the New Digital Economy

In Phase 1 of the two-stage competition, 46 research proposals were submitted by 27 universities. Following an extensive, multilevel peer-review process—including evaluation by external experts, assessment by a review panel, strategic review by the selection board, and final approval by a steering committee—11 applications from eight universities are being retained for Phase 2.

In Phase 2, the eight universities are now invited to nominate world-renowned researchers for the proposed projects. The nominations will undergo a thorough assessment—again involving external experts and strategic review—to assess that the nominees meet the criteria of the CERC Program.

“It was a highly competitive selection process with a large number of outstanding proposals,” said Brian Levitt, Chair of the CERC selection board. “My colleagues on the selection board, which include prominent Canadians and international experts, believe that the 11 selected proposals represent the best strategic investment for Canada and will provide significant benefits in a wide range of areas.”

The CERC Program is designed to attract the world’s best researchers to build a critical mass of expertise in areas of importance to Canada. Launched in 2008, host universities receive up to $10 million over seven years to support the CERC and their teams in ambitious research programs. The first group of chairholders was announced in May 2010. These chairholders are currently working in 13 institutions across the country.