Joint Alberta-China research lab is launched

Beijing, China – Breakthroughs in science will be accelerated thanks to $500,000 in contributions towards a new collaborative research initiative. Victor Doerksen, Minister of Alberta Innovation and Science made the announcement this week while speaking to Chinese officials in Beijing.

“This investment in research and technology taps into global opportunities made possible by a strong collaboration with scientists in Alberta and China,” he said. He is leading Alberta industry, academic and government representatives on a 12-day technology mission to China and California promoting the province’s research, investment and development opportunities.

The Alberta government’s provision of $350,000 in the Joint Research Laboratory project is supplemented by $150,000 from the University of Alberta. In China, the research will be conducted in State Key Laboratories and/or National Laboratories throughout China.

Dr Gary Kachanoski, the vice-president of research at the University of Alberta and the joint project lead, said “This collaboration with China’s Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and its top laboratories will lead to outstanding joint research, and create new models for international research collaboration. This is an important start of an ongoing partnership with MOST through the UofA’s new China Institute.”

The joint research project will focus on three main areas of research: nanotechnology, environment and energy. Projects will be identified and agreed to based on their importance and interest to both Alberta and China. The first five joint research projects have been approved and scientists from both sides will begin their collaborations this year.