Author: The Record
Published May 27, 2024

Sherbrooke Mayor Évelyne Beaudin, Bishop’s University Associate Vice-Principal for Research Matthew Peros, Sherbrooke MP Élisabeth Brière, Minister of National Revenue and Compton-Stanstead MP Marie-Claude Bibeau, Vice-Rector of the University of Sherbrooke Jean-Pierre Perreault, and University of Sherbrooke Faculty of Science Department Director Jérôme Claverie. Photo by William Crooks

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

Compton-Stanstead MP Marie-Claude Bibeau and Sherbrooke MP Élisabeth Brière, along with other local dignitaries, visited the University of Sherbrooke (UdeS) May 27 to announce substantial federal support for local university research.

A total of 50 researchers and students from the (UdeS) have been awarded roughly $10 million in grants, scholarships, and programmes from recent federal investments. Two researchers from Bishop’s University (BU) have been awarded a total of $35,000.

Nationally, 7,700 researchers and projects have received $1.7 billion to support their work, demonstrating the government’s commitment to the scientific community, according to a May 27 release.

These funds will facilitate the acquisition of advanced tools, particularly in quantum research, and the development of cutting-edge research infrastructures. Research projects in genomics, psychoeducation, and green chemistry will also benefit from these investments.

This funding aims to attract and retain exceptional talent while fostering national and international collaborations, strengthening Canada’s position as a global leader in addressing major challenges.

The Canada Foundation for Innovation has invested nearly $4.8 million to equip the UdeS’ Department of Physics and the Quantum Institute with new state-of-the-art equipment. This will support a project led by Louis Taillefer, alongside professors Éva Dupont-Ferrier, Patrick Fournier, Jeffrey Quilliam, Bertrand Reulet, and André-Marie Tremblay, in collaboration with scientists from McMaster University and the University of Toronto. Their project, “At the Frontiers of Quantum Materials and Circuits,” seeks to understand materials and explore their potential for new quantum technologies.

The Canada Research Chairs Programme is providing $3.3 million for the renewal of chairs in psychoeducation (Prof. Alexa Martin-Storey) and chemistry (Prof. Jérôme Claverie), and for the creation of a new chair in non-coding RNA bioinformatics. Professor Michelle Scott, the new chairholder, aims to understand how non-coding RNAs contribute to cellular function in both diseased and healthy tissues, potentially leading to new biomarkers for personalised treatments.

At the announcement, Bibeau expressed that the government’s $16 billion investment in research and science since 2016 underscores its belief in innovation as a key economic driver for Canada. She congratulated the UdeS and BU researchers and students for their remarkable achievements.

Brière highlighted the UdeS’ role as a pillar of scientific and economic development in the region. She expressed pride in the government’s support for researchers and students who are pushing the boundaries of knowledge.

UdeS Vice-Rector Jean-Pierre Perreault expressed delight at the federal support, which he said confirms the university’s world-class research. He sees the funding as a vote of confidence in the researchers’ ability to find concrete solutions to societal challenges.

BU Associate Vice-Principal for Research Matthew Peros acknowledged the significant support for high-level research at smaller regional universities. He noted that, despite Bishop’s focus on undergraduate education, the university has developed a leading research programme thanks to federal support.

Sherbrooke Mayor Évelyne Beaudin welcomed the new investments, which she said will drive promising research projects. She praised the strengthening of research development at the University of Sherbrooke and the university’s growing international influence.

The $1.7 billion awarded to 7,700 researchers and projects is distributed as follows:

– Scholarships 2022-2023: $275 million awarded to 5,762 scholarship recipients by SSHRC, NSERC, and CIHR. The UdeS received $1,012,500 for 25 recipients, and BU received $35,000 for 2 recipients.

– Canada Research Chairs Programme: $191 million awarded to 230 chairholders across 50 institutions, including $8.7 million for 40 research infrastructure projects. UdeS received $3.3 million for 3 chairs.

– Canada Foundation for Innovation Innovation Fund: $515.3 million awarded to 32 institutions and 100 projects. UdeS received $4,686,792 for one project.

– SSHRC Insight Development Grants: $35.3 million awarded to 577 researchers. UdeS received $1,049,948 for 16 researchers. 

– 2023-2024 Research Support Fund and Additional Project Grants: $427 million awarded to 148 Canadian post-secondary institutions.

– NSERC Alliance Grants: $347 million awarded to 882 university researchers collaborating with various sectors.

Scholarships – Bishop’s University

– Sophie F. Bass, School of Education: Exploring the Impacts of Visual Arts on Student Engagement and Self-Efficacy, $17,500.

– Josiane Tremblay-Ross, Sociology: Mapping Community-Based Justices, $17,500.

UdeS’ Chemist Jérôme Claverie talks research

UdeS Faculty of Science Department Director Jérôme Claverie discussed his research group’s focus on hybrid materials. These are polymer materials, often confused with commonplace plastics like shopping bags, but polymers are ubiquitous and diverse. Hybrids are polymers enhanced with additional components to provide unique functionalities.

One of his areas of interest is lithium batteries. Current lithium batteries use a liquid electrolyte, which poses significant fire risks. He and his colleagues aim to replace this liquid with a solid, creating a fully solid-state battery using hybrid polymers.

Another project involves using limonene, the main component of orange peels. Annually, 25 million tonnes of orange peels are discarded. Collaborating with a colleague from Laval University, his group processes orange peels to extract limonene oil, which is then transformed into polymers. These polymers retain a pleasant orange scent and are suitable for 3D printing using stereolithography.

More from BU’s Dr. Matthew Peros

The Record asked Peros after the conference why the funds awarded to UdeS were so much greater than that awarded to BU.

Peros explained the reasons for the disparity in funding between institutions, highlighting several key points:

Institution size: The size difference between institutions, such as UdeS being five to ten times larger than BU in terms of students and professors, means there are more activities and more money flowing to the larger institution.

Annual variability: Funding levels can fluctuate from year to year. The current funding snapshot is not necessarily indicative of the long-term situation. In previous years, they have received more federal funding, so it varies annually.

Provincial and private Funding: This year, BU has performed well in securing provincial funding from the Fonds de Recherche du Québec and has also obtained significant private funding. The current discussion focuses only on federal funding and does not encompass all sources of their funding.

Long-Term growth: When assessing research funding, a five-year average is usually considered. Over the past ten years, BU has seen consistent growth in research funding, indicating positive progress.

Peros concluded by emphasising the overall upward trend in research funding, which he said reflects a positive direction for BU.

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