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PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCES FIRST RECIPIENTS OF CANADA RESEARCH CHAIRS PROGRAM

December 15, 2000
Ottawa, Ontario

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien today announced the first 195 recipients of the Canada Research Chairs Program. Budget 2000 allocated $900 million to help Canadian universities attract and retain the best researchers and achieve research excellence in health, natural sciences, technology, social sciences and humanities. Two thousand Canada Research Chairs will be established by 2004-05.

"By retaining top-level researchers at our universities and attracting others from beyond our borders, the Canada Research Chairs Program, will help Canada stay at the forefront of the global knowledge-based economy, " said the Prime Minister. "The work of these gifted individuals will help sustain our unmatched quality of life and build new Canadian prosperity in the 21st Century. I warmly congratulate all recipients and I am particularly pleased that some of our best Canadian researchers are returning home to further their work."

The Canada Research Chairs Program, part of an overall plan to encourage Canada's innovation, will:promote leading-edge research and innovation in universities;provide exciting opportunities for Canadian researchers; and,attract the best research minds in the world to Canadian universities.

The first 195 recipients include 15 researchers from outside Canada, seven of whom are returning Canadians. Their appointments represent an initial $213 million investment in areas of expertise ranging from history through pain control to software engineering.

Budget 2000 also provided additional funding to the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), to help it meet the infrastructure needs of the new Canada Research Chairs. Over the next five years, the CFI will allocate $250 million for leading-edge equipment needed by the research chairs.

A backgrounder and the list of recipients, their universities and research fields are attached.

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PMO Press Office: (613) 957-5555:

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Backgrounder
The Canada Research Chairs Program

In its 2000 Budget, the Government of Canada provided $900 million to support the establishment of 2,000 Canada Research Chairs (CRC) positions at universities across the country by 2005. The program is structured to enable about 400 Chairs to be named in each of the next five years. Recruitment will be from both inside and outside Canada.

The key objective of the CRC Program is to enable Canadian universities, together with their affiliated research institutes and hospitals, to achieve the highest levels of research excellence – to become world-class research centres in the global, knowledge-based economy.

The secondary objectives of the Canada Research Chairs Program are to:

strengthen research excellence in Canada and increase Canada’s research capacity by attracting and retaining excellent researchers in Canadian universities;

strengthen the training of highly qualified personnel through research;

improve universities’ capacity for generating and applying new knowledge;

optimize the use of research resources through institutional strategic planning, and inter-institutional and inter-sectoral collaboration.

Chairs will be created across the spectrum of university disciplines based on the following percentage allotment: the natural sciences and engineering (45%); health sciences (35%); social sciences and humanities (20%).

There are two types of Chairs:

seven-year renewable Chairs for experienced researchers who are acknowledged by their peers as world leaders in their own fields;

five-year chairs, renewable once, for researchers who are acknowledged by their peers as having the potential to lead in their fields.

Chairs are allotted to universities in direct proportion to their levels of previous funding from the three GoC research granting agencies: the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council (NSERC); the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR); and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). Funding will also be administered through these research granting agencies.

Appointment of the Chairs is based on nominations from Canadian universities. It takes place following thorough assessment by members of the Program’s College of Reviewers and, where necessary, an Interdisciplinary Adjudication Committee. Both the College and the Adjudication Committee are composed of many of the world’s leading experts in disciplines being funded through CRC.

The Canada Research Chairs Program is governed by a Steering Committee comprising the presidents of NSERC, CIHR, SSHRC, and the CFI, as well as the deputy minister of Industry Canada. The Chairs Secretariat is housed within SSHRC.

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Nominee

Application Primary Discipline

Athabasca University

Tier 2

Anderson, Terry D.

Education 

Carleton University

Tier  1

Wang, Zhi Yuan

Materials Science and Technology 

Dalhousie University

Tier  1

Beaumont, Christopher

Earth Science 

Doolittle, W. Ford

Genetics 

École Polytechnique 

Tier  1

Jaumard, Brigitte

Applied Mathematics

Soumis, François

Pure Mathematics 

Tier  2

Aubin, Carl-Éric

Biomedical Engineering 

Desjardins, Patrick

Condensed Matter Physics

Pegna, Joseph

Design and Manufacturing

McGill University 

Tier  1

Bennett, Gary Jack

Life Sciences Related to Human Health and Disease

Grodzinsky, Yosef

Linguistics 

Kohorn, Bruce D.

Molecular Biology 

Mogil, Jeffrey S.

Life Sciences Related to Human Health and Disease 

Tier 2

Gin, Douglas L.

Materials Science and Technology 

Kaspi, Victoria

Astronomy and Astrophysics 

Nilson, Laura A.

Genetics 

 

 

McMaster University

Tier  1

Andrews, David W.

Biochemistry

Cook, Deborah J.

Health Services Research - General

Craig, Walter

Pure Mathematics 

Elliott, Digby

Life Sciences Related to Human Health and Disease 

Griffin, Nicholas J.

Philosophy

Hitchcock, Adam P.

Physical Chemistry 

Kelton, John G.

Blood 

Norman, Geoffrey R.

Education 

Rosenbaum, Peter L.

Multidisciplinary Health Research

Saunders, Shelley

Anthropology 

Wood, Christopher M.

Animal Biology 

Wright, Gerard D.

Biochemistry 

Tier 2

Coleman, Daniel L.

Literature 

Hayward, Catherine P.M.

Blood

Jobin, Christian

Gastro Intestinal Disease

Li, Yingfu

Biochemistry 

Zhu, Shiping (Stephen)

Chemical Engineering 

Queen's University at Kingston

Tier  1

Bergin, James

Economics 

Moore, Ian D.

Civil Engineering

Munoz, Douglas P.

Multidisciplinary Health Research 

Natansohn, Almeria L.

Polymer Chemistry 

Smol, John P.

Evolution and Ecology 

Tier 2

Jia, Zongchao

Biochemistry 

Robbie, Kevin

Physics 

Simon Fraser University

Tier  2

Roese, Neal J.

Psychology 

 

 

 

The University of British Colombia

Tier 1

Beaudry, Paul

Economics 

Benbasat, Izak

Management, Business, Administrative Studies

Douglass, (Clyde) Michael

Urban and Regional Studies, Environmental Studies 

Dowlatabadi, Hadi

Applied Mathematics 

Grace, John R.

Chemical Engineering 

Hancock, Robert E.W.

Microbiology

Hayden, Michael R.

Genetics

Ley, David F.

Geography

Mackworth, Alan K.

Artificial Intelligence 

Molday, Robert S.

Diseases Affecting Speech/Vision/Hearing 

Overall, Christopher M.

Dental Diseases (Including Oral Biology) 

Pippenger, Nicholas

Information Technology 

Salcudean, Septimiu E.

Electrical and Electronic Engineering 

Schluter, Dolph

Evolution and Ecology

Schrader, John W.

Blood

Seixas, Peter C.

Education 

Stoessl, A. Jon

Central Nervous System -Organic

Werker, Janet F.

Psychology 

Tier  2

Simpson, Elizabeth M.

Genetics 

Vessey, Mark

Literature 

The University of Calgary

Tier  1

Kubes, Paul

Life Sciences Related to Human Health and Disease 

Lachapelle, Gérard

Information Technology 

Walsh, Michael P.

Biochemistry 

Woods, Donald E.

Microbiology

Tier  2

Ghali, William A.

Health Services Research - General 

Hildebrand, Alan R.

Earth Science 

Patel, Kamala D.

Cell Biology

Robbins, Stephen M.

Cell Biology

Ronsky, Janet L.

Biomedical Engineering 

The University of Manitoba

Tier  1

Greenberg, Arnold H.

Cell Biology 

Hawthorne, Frank C.

Earth Science 

Plummer, Francis A.

Infectious and Parasitic Diseases 

Roos, Noralou P.

Health Services Research - General

Tier 2

Hicks, Geoffrey Gordon

Cell Biology 

Hryshko, Larry

Life Sciences Related to Human Health and Disease 

Perreault, Hélène

Analytical Chemistry

Trent University

Tier 1

Palmer, Bryan D.

History

Tier  2

Helleiner, Eric

Political Science 

Université de Moncton

Tier  2

Villard, Marc-André

Evolution and Ecology

Université de Montréal

Tier  1

Blais, André

Political Science

Brassard, Gilles

Information Technology 

Cohen, Eric A.

Microbiology 

Dufour, Jean-Marie

Economics 

Fontaine, Gilles

Astronomy and Astrophysics 

Jolicoeur, Paul

Infectious and Parasitic Diseases 

Knoppers, Bartha Marie

Law

Lalonde, François

Pure Mathematics 

Lepore, Franco

Psychology 

Nemer, Mona

Molecular Biology 

Pandolfo, Massimo

Central Nervous System -Organic 

Rossignol, Serge

Central Nervous System -Organic 

Siemiatycki, Jack

Population Health - General 

Tremblay, Richard E.

Psychosocial Behavioural Research - General 

Wuest, James D.

Materials Science and Technology 

Tier  2

Bengio, Yoshua

Artificial Intelligence 

Chemtob, Sylvain

Perinatal 

Gaudet, Daniel

Genetics

Heath, Joseph M.

Philosophy 

Weinstock, Daniel Mark

Philosophy

Université de Sherbrooke

Tier  1

Tremblay, André-Marie

Condensed Matter Physics 

Université Laval

Tier 1

Bousquet, Jean

Genetics 

Chin, See Leang

Physics 

Fortin, Bernard

Economics 

Gauthier, Clermont

Education 

Gosselin, Clement M.

Robotics 

Leclerc, Mario

Polymer Chemistry 

Montreuil, Benoit

Industrial Engineering 

Simard, Jacques R.

Genetics 

Sirard, Marc-André

Animal Biology 

Tremblay, Michel J.

Infectious and Parasitic Diseases 

Tier2

Bernatchez, Louis

Genetics

Germain, Lucie

Cell Biology 

Lamarche, Benoît

Metabolism and Nutrition 

Rivest, Serge

Central Nervous System -Organic 

University of Alberta

Tier 1

Adamowicz, Wiktor L.

Economics 

Beaulieu, Norman C.

Electrical and Electronic Engineering 

Foxcroft, George R.

Animal Biology

Halloran, Philip F.

Life Sciences Related to Human Health and Disease 

Jhamandas, Jack H.

Central Nervous System -Organic

Kelly, Gary

Literature 

Rachubinski, Richard A.

Cell Biology

Sayer, Derek G.

Sociology

Sykes, Brian D.

Biochemistry

Tomczak-Jaegermann, Nicole

Geographical Information 

Tier 2

Allison, Gwen E.

Microbiology 

Caulfield, Sean T.

Visual Arts 

Citrin, David S.

Electrical and Electronic Engineering 

Davis, A. Brent

Education 

Elliott, Janet A.W.

Chemical Engineering 

Le, X. Chris

Analytical Chemistry 

University of New Brunswick

Tier 1

Cunjak, Richard A.

Evolution and Ecology

Munkittrick, Kelly R.L.H.

Evolution and Ecology 

Tier  2

Saunders, Gary W.

Evolution and Ecology

University of Ottawa

Tier  1

Georganas, Nicolas D.

Information Technology 

Poplack, Shana

Linguistics

Rudnicki, Michael A.

Molecular Biology

Tier  2

Mâsse, Louise C.

Psychosocial Behavioural Research - General

Scott, Susannah L.

Inorganic Chemistry 

Wells, Philip S.

Population Health - General 

University of Toronto

Tier  1

Boyd, Monica

Sociology 

Brown, Ian R.

Central Nervous System -Organic 

Brubaker, Patricia L.

Endocrinology

Collins, Richard A.

Molecular Biology

Downey, Gregory P.

Respiration 

Ethier, C. Ross

Fluid mechanics

Henkelman, R. Mark

Multidisciplinary Health Research

Inwood, Brad C.

Classics, Classical and Dead Languages

Jenkins, David J.A.

Metabolism and Nutrition 

John, Sajeev

Condensed Matter Physics 

Kay, Lewis E.

Biochemistry 

Kschischang, Frank R.

Electrical and Electronic Engineering 

Mak, Tak W.

Cell Biology 

Murray, Norman W.

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Myles, John

Sociology 

Ozin, Geoffrey A.

Inorganic Chemistry

Post, Martin

Respiration

Robinson, Brian

Metabolism and Nutrition 

Sessle, Barry J.

Central Nervous System -Organic 

Sherman, Philip M.

Gastro Intestinal Disease 

Sokolowski, Marla B.

Genetics 

Stanley, Elis F.

Central Nervous System -Organic

Sullivan, Rosemary

Literature 

Tyers, Michael D.

Biochemistry

Zandstra, Peter W.

Biomedical Engineering 

Tier 2

Boone, Charles M.

Molecular Biology

Chan, Hue Sun

Biochemistry

Cvitkovitch, Dennis G.

Microbiology 

Davis, Karen D.

Central Nervous System -Organic

Kapur, Shitij

Mental and Behavioural Disorders 

Lewis, Gary F.

Diabetes Mellitus 

Penninger, Josef M.

Cell Biology

Pomès, Régis

Physical Chemistry 

Quaggin, Susan E.

Genito-Urinary System 

Sargent, Edward H.

Electrical and Electronic Engineering 

Shoichet, Molly S.

Biomedical Engineering

Tu, Jack V.

Health Services Research - General 

Yip, Christopher M.

Biomedical Engineering 

Zhen, Mei

Life Sciences Related to Human Health and Disease

University of Victoria 

Tier  1

Weaver, Andrew John

Atmospheric Science 

University of Western Ontario 

Tier  1

Fenster, Aaron

Biomedical Engineering 

Goodale, Melvyn Alan

Multidisciplinary 

Han, Victor Khin Maung

Perinatal 

Hegele, Robert Alexander

Diabetes Mellitus 

Puddephatt, Richard J.

Materials Science and Technology 

Rajan, Tilottama

Literature

Tier 2

Brown, Peter G.

Astronomy and Astrophysics 

Kopp, Gregory A.

Fluid mechanics

Menon, Ravi S.

Physics 

Vance, Jonathan F.W.

History

 

 

 

 

York University

Tier  1

Bohme, Diethard K.

Physical Chemistry 

Coombe, Rosemary J.

Interdisciplinary Studies 

Lovejoy, Paul E.

History 

Tier  2

Hessels, Eric A.

Physics 

Vosko, Leah F.

Political Science

 

 

 


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