News Release Communique
U of S Awarded $1.6 M in CFI Grants
Today five University of Saskatchewan researchers were awarded Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) grants totaling more than $1.25 million for labs and equipment to advance leading-edge research that could lead to improved medical implants, electronic devices and pulse crops.
Four of the projects relate to the Canadian Light Source (CLS) www.lightsource.ca which is now under construction on the U of S campus.
As well, U of S was awarded $377,484 to help with operating and maintenance associated with these new infractructure projects.
"We're delighted that all five of our applicants were approved for this funding," said Michael Corcoran, U of S Vice-President Research. "With this CFI support, these five new outstanding researchers will have access to the equipment and facilities they need to undertake and help build research capacity across the campus."
The funding, announced in Guelph today, is part of a $17.6-million CFI investment aimed at creating world-class research facilities for new faculty at 33 Canadian universities.
"This is a strategic investment in the ability of our universities to attract and retain the best researchers in Canada, and in the capacity of our people to compete with the best in the world," said Carmen Charette, CFI Senior Vice-President. "These 92 new researchers will have access to the equipment and facilities they need to undertake leading-edge research and to train young Canadians for the knowledge-based economy."
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Katie Mitchell, assistant professor of physics and engineering physics, will receive $388,500 to establish an ultra-high vacuum scanning probe microscopy facility for nanomaterials science. This will be used to study properties of surfaces patterned on the nanometre (one billionth of a meter) and sub-nanometre scale. These fundamental studies are relevant to a wide range of applications in areas such as electronics, catalysis, environmental and biosensors, and medical implants.
An ultra-high vacuum scanning probe microscope is a unique instrument capable of "seeing" and modifying the local arrangement of atoms at a surface. The only one of its kind in Saskatchewan, this instrument will be used to complement studies at the CLS. -
Alexander Moewes, associate professor of physics and engineering physics, will receive $387,500 to purchase a spectrometer to perform materials research using the CLS. The spectrometer is an integral part of the CLS multi-spectroscopy beamline, which is led by professor Moewes. This beamline will be a unique research tool for Canada, with many graduate students participating in the research.
This basic research could ultimately lead to designing materials with new electronic, optical, and magnetic properties that may be used as sensors and electronic devices.
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Stephen Urquhart, assistant professor of chemistry, will receive $215,500 for equipment to study the structure and properties of nanostructured organic materials such as plastics. This research could have implications in the production of better, cheaper materials using the CLS.
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Rosalind Ball, assistant professor of plant sciences, will receive $106,500 for laboratory and field instruments to measure and locate improved nitrogen fixation metabolism in chickpea, lentil, bean and pea crops under stress conditions. Over the long term, she hopes to come up with pulse crops that have better yield, stability and quality under stress conditions.
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Kaori Tanaka, assistant professor of physics and engineering physics, will receive $160,277 for computers required for powerful numerical and parallel computing. This research may lead to improved computer chips, biosensors and electronic devices.
Her work will enhance understanding of new electronic and magnetic properties of small superconductors of sub-micron (one millionth of a meter) to nanometer size, providing the theoretical framework required to interpret the nanoscale measurements made at the CLS.
The CFI is an independent, not-for-profit corporation established in 1997 by the federal government. The CFI has a capital investment budget of $3.15 billion, and its investments are made in partnership with all levels of government, as well as with the private and voluntary sectors.
For more information, contact:
Kathryn Warden
Research Communications Officer
Office of the Vice President (Research)
Tel: (306) 966-2506
Fax: (306) 966-2411
kathryn.warden@usask.ca
Last modified: 2012-01-19 17:01:41