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Seven globally recognized researchers based in the United States and Europe will be joining the University of Ottawa as a part of the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairs of Canada program.
The federal government announced the $1-billion initiative last December as part of an effort to attract top researchers whose work has the potential to be commercialized.
Formally referred to as the Impact+ Emerging Leaders program, 64 appointed researchers will be spread out across Canadian post-secondary institutions.
The seven recently-announced U of O appointees are Gabriel Bowen from the University of Utah, Jennifer Spence from Harvard University, Frederico Rosei from the University of Trieste, Kevin Hall from the pharmaceutical business AstraZenica, Ryan McNeil from Yale University, Olga Smirnova from the Max Born Institute and Cassian Yee from the MD Anderson Cancer Centre.
Research chairs are offered hundreds of thousands of dollars for an eight-year term, along with additional support to hire postdoctoral fellows and invest in research infrastructure.
University of Ottawa president Marie-Eve Sylvestre said there has been a “significant shift” in which many researchers are looking to Canada as a place for innovation and research and could be deterred from pursuing research in the U.S.
“I think Canada saw the opportunity to attract top researchers given the restraints that were put on research, the cuts that were made to the health ecosystem, to the national institutes of research in the United States,” she said.
Sylvestre said there is a strong feeling among researchers and academics that Canada is “meeting the moment” for research, adding that academic institutions are “feeling it” in many places.
“Every time we post positions for professors or even administrators like deans, we receive a lot of applications coming from the U.S.,” she said
“There’s a sense that Canada right now is not only investing in science, but it’s also protecting academic freedom. Making sure that research can flourish and that supporting fundamental research as well. Not restricting the areas in which research can be conducted, not putting pressure on universities or threatening universities to cut their funding.”
According to the University of Ottawa’s release, the seven research chairs’ areas of interest include health innovation, Arctic and climate resilience, advanced technologies, community well-being and sustainable development.