Quantum materials, clean energy, botany research receive boost from CFI

Quantum devices, clean resource extraction and botany research at UBC are among projects receiving millions in infrastructure investments from the Canada Foundation for Innovation today.

The announcement was made today by Minister of Science, Kirsty Duncan, at the University of New Brunswick. The Minister announced more than $50 million nationally for research infrastructure under the CFI John R Evans Leaders Fund.

“Investments in Canada’s research infrastructure, like those we are celebrating today, are incredibly important to our nation’s future," said Duncan. "They help us to attract and retain the very best scientists and give Canadian researchers the tools they need to perform excellent cutting-edge research, train the scientists of tomorrow and enable innovative new discoveries that improve our environment, economy and communities.”

The fund enables a select number of an institution’s top researchers to undertake leading-edge research by providing them with the foundational research infrastructure required to be or become leaders in their field. In turn, this enables institutions to remain internationally competitive in areas of research and technology development, aligned with their strategic priorities.

Nine UBC Science projects received a total of $2,231,000. UBC was awarded a total of $5.8 million for 27 projects.

Advanced Electron Beam Lithography for Quantum Devices
Joshua Folk, Physics and Astronomy: $800,000

Pairing Phenomena in Quantum Gases
Kirk Madison, Physics and Astronomy: $100,000

The Physics of Radio Transients
Ingrid Stairs, Physics and Astronomy: $100,000

New Models for Biogeochemical Cycles and Microbial Ecology
Sean Crowe, Microbiology and Immunology and Earth and Ocean Sciences: $120,000

Infrastructure to Monitor and Optimize Reactions Through In Situ Kinetic Analysis
Jason Hein, Chemistry: $195,000

A High-throughput Nucleic Acid and Protein Analysis Platform for Plant Immunity Research
Xin Li, Botany: $123,508

Climate-controlled Growth Flumes
Patrick Martone, Botany: $96,980

Secure Greenhouse for Cannabis Research
Lacey Samuels, Botany: $250,000

Well Integrity and the Clean Extraction of Unconventional Energy Reserves
Anthony Wachs, Mathematics: $446,098