The recent federal budget reinforced the importance the government is placing on putting its fiscal house in order with some programs receiving cuts in excess of 10 per cent.

Within that overall context of restraint is a welcome affirmation of the government’s strong commitment to research and innovation, with funding programs largely preserved and substantial new commitments made.  At the same time, the new investments focus predominantly on Canada’s innovation agenda, while the importance of supporting fundamental research is acknowledged in less tangible ways. It is explicitly stated on page 271 of the budget document that "programming in support of basic research, student scholarships and industry-related research initiatives and collaborations are preserved."

The budget has reaffirmed the importance of Tri-Council funding by returning mandated budget cuts in the form of $37 million in new investment, albeit with a focus on industry-academic partnerships. This leaves Tri-Council with stable overall budget envelopes in the present fiscal year and the hope that next year’s mandated budget cut of $31.3 million may be similarly rescued through the infusion of additional new monies.

The long-term investment in the Canada Foundation for Innovation ($500 million over five years, beginning in 2014) and the doubling of support for graduate students to gain workplace experience through the Industrial Research & Development Internship Program, are further positive signals of the importance the government places on high-quality university research, and in attracting and retaining top students and researchers.

Other notable investments in research and higher education include:

• $40 million over two years to support Canada’s Advanced Research & Innovation Network’s (CANARIE) operation of Canada’s ultra-high-speed research network;
• $60 million for Genome Canada to launch a new applied research competition in the area of human health, and to sustain the Science and Technology Centres until 2014-2015;
• $10 million over two years to the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research to link Canadians to global research networks;
• $5.2 million in 2012–2013 to establish and integrate a network of mental health-related researchers in the Canadian Depression Research & Intervention Network;
• $67 million to assist the National Research Council (NRC) refocus on business-led, industry-relevant research, as well as doubling the contribution budget of the NRC’s highly successful cross-Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) in aid of small and medium enterprises.

These investments can only be seen as encouraging and a reflection of continuing strong support for university sector research. They provide important building blocks to developing knowledge, creativity and innovation within universities, now and into the future.  This is a reality the government recognizes. We are fortunate to have experienced a significant upswing in university research investments over the last decade, with investments having nearly quadrupled since the mid-1990s and continuing to rise despite economic setbacks. Budget 2012 presents a stable agenda for research funding – delivering a longer term message on research and innovation that reinforces the government’s goal, “to position Canada for increased success in the global economy that depends more and more on knowledge and innovation as a key driver of long-term competitiveness.”

Canada’s societal well-being and future economic health depend greatly on our capacity to innovate and build a highly competitive advantage.  This is a vision that 91��ɫ shares and will continue to foster in benefiting our researchers. With the sustained support towards higher education and excellence in research and technology, we will continue to work with the government to ensure the continuation of these vital investments – and to reinforce the need to invest equally in the ongoing development of fundamental research.

Republished courtesy of YFile– 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin.

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“I am delighted that Lisa and Walter have accepted the positions,” said Haché. “91��ɫ is home to exceptional students, staff and faculty in every discipline. Recognizing our strengths in interdisciplinary and collaborative research, we are developing partnerships and initiatives that will continue to enhance our international research reputation and exploring new ways to showcase the innovative and important work of 91��ɫ’s researchers,” said Haché. “Our new leadership team is ready to move forward on a new and exciting strategic path to build on our research successes.”

In their new roles, Philipps and Tholen will provide leadership in promoting strategic research development at 91��ɫ and lead the development of research policy that bridges the needs of researchers and the institution. They will work with Haché to intensify the services available for all researchers, track 91��ɫ's research performance more effectively and enlarge the University's collaborative role with external stakeholders and communities.

Right: Lisa Philipps

Philipps (LLM '92), served as associate dean research, graduate studies & institutional relations, at 91��ɫ's Osgoode Hall Law School from 2009 to 2011, and has been on faculty at 91��ɫ since 1996. Prior to that, she held appointments in the faculties of law at the University of Victoria and the University of British Columbia, and has held visiting professorships at Melbourne Law School, University College London and the University of Toronto, among other institutions. Her research focuses on tax law, budgets, and feminist legal studies.

Philipps has participated in several projects funded by the Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada and has published extensively on topics such as fiscal transparency, tax expenditures, income splitting, gender budgeting, the distributional impact of tax cuts and the tax treatment of unpaid work. She has provided tax policy expertise to parliamentary committees, women’s groups, public agencies and the media. She has been active in 91��ɫ's senate and its committees and was a member of the White Paper Implementation Committee on Research Intensification at 91��ɫ.

“91��ɫ has earned international recognition for excellence in research,” said Philipps. “I am looking forward to working with our exceptional researchers, students and staff, as we continue to promote the vast range of cutting-edge and interdisciplinary research projects at the University.”

Tholen, who received his PhD from the University of Münster and his Habilitation four years later from Fernuniversität Hagen, Germany, has held a number of appointments at 91��ɫ. He has served as associate dean of research and faculty affairs and interim dean in the Faculty of Science & Engineering. Tholen was also chair of the Department of Mathematics & Statistics. He has been on faculty since 1983.

Tholen has also been a visiting professor at numerous institutions, including Max Planck Institute in Bonn, ETH Zürich, University of British Columbia, McGill University, University of Sydney, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Georgian Academy of Sciences, University of Coimbra, University of L'Aquila and University of Trieste. His general research interests are in category theory and its applications to algebra, topology and computer science. His research examines the establishment of algebraic and topological facts in arbitrary categories, without recourse to sets. His work is published in some 120 research articles and is supported by the Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada.

Right: Walter Tholen

“As the University expands its academic endeavours, this is an exciting time to take on this leadership position at 91��ɫ,” said Tholen. “I am looking forward to working with my colleagues and the 91��ɫ community to broaden and strengthen the research enterprise at the University.”

Haché added, “Lisa and Walter’s leadership contribution will be essential as we work towards intensifying research at the University, attracting and retaining the world’s best researchers, and building and strengthening new and existing partnerships with industry, government and community organizations to support new collaborative research projects. I look forward to working with them to advance strategic research initiatives at the University.”

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Over the course of the next year, YFile will be profiling the projects through videos and stories. Today, the camera's spotlight is on Monahan and the story of his inspiration for AIF. 

Patrick Monahan grins when he recalls his “Aha!” moment, which led to the creation of the Academic Innovation Fund. 

Several years ago, 91��ɫ’s vice-president academic & provost had just completed a series of consultations with 91��ɫ community members regarding the , a document that would outline the future academic priorities of the University. What he discovered during that process energized him. 

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“As we went through the White Paper a couple of years ago, what impressed me were the people who participated in that process,” he said. “We sat in focus groups and we talked about our ideas, dreams and aspirations for the University. What was so striking was that people had so many great ideas – there were literally hundreds!”

He discovered the main obstacle preventing these ideas from becoming a reality centred on the lack of resources. Monahan had heard of projects in the United States that provided seed funding for academic initiatives. He thought the idea had merit and turned to his colleagues in the Provost’s Office to see if they could find funding that could be used to create a made-in-91��ɫ solution to turn the ideas into working projects.

His inspiration led to the formation of the Academic Innovation Fund of $2.5 million that would provide an initial investment of resources to bring projects from the drawing board to reality. In the fall of 2010, applications were invited from the University community for funding (up to $200,000 each) to support new initiatives advancing 91��ɫ’s strategic priorities in relation to teaching and learning and the student experience.

The response, he discovered, was nothing short of amazing. “It was just fantastic because of the tremendous energy and participation," he said. “The committee was only able to fund 39 of those projects, but all the project submissions were very interesting and innovative, and showed a real commitment to the University and to our students."

The 39 projects funded include clusters of initiatives that support e-learning, experiential education and the student experience. From a project to enhance how first-year students move from high school to university, to a student-run sustainable business initiative, each of the AIF projects is as diverse as the University community. There is a project to create an online enrolment system for new students, a mentorship program for varsity athletes, a partnership between two faculties to develop a blended learning initiative, a community centred action plan for experiential education, and a project to bring public history into the classroom, to name just a few.

All of the projects, said Monahan, reflect 91��ɫ's DNA. "Each of the projects is about engaging people in these ideas," he said. "I hope that what this does is that it shows people what is possible and that we can build on this energy."

Monahan said that many people have told him how excited they are to see their ideas finally becoming a reality. "What I find so interesting is that there are ideas that would never have occurred to someone sitting in an office here in the 91��ɫ Research Tower or even in a dean's office," he said. "Ideas like a project that we have with refugees in Thailand connecting them with researchers and students here in Toronto or a project to teach area youth how to swim."

The AIF projects provide a concrete example of the potential for innovation and engagement that resides in the 91��ɫ community. "It is an example of the idea that the collective brain is always better then a single brain. If you get one hundred people in a room and get them thinking and talking – you are going to get more ideas than with 10 people, five or one. That is what makes this a really successful initiative so far." 

By Jenny Pitt-Clark, YFile editor

Republished courtesy of YFile– 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin.

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