Six UBC projects have received $3.5 million in funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). Among the projects tapped for the grants are ocenographer Philippe Tortell's Subarctic climate change research and chemist Harry Brumer'sworkon biotechnology and forestry products.
The funding comes from NSERC’s Strategic Partnership Grants, which support scientific partnerships to strengthen the Canadian economy, society and environment.
“NSERC’s support of these exciting projects not only furthers scientific research, but also helps strengthen science and technology across Canada,” said John Hepburn, vice president, research and international at UBC. “The Strategic Partnership Grants enable our researchers to build important, constructive partnerships with industry and government.”
BACKGROUND
UBC recipients of NSERC’s Strategic Project Grants:
Suzanne Simard, Professor, Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences
Designing successful forest renewal practices for our changing climate – $929,000
This project will investigate novel forest renewal methods, and establish recommendations for best harvesting and regeneration practices under changing climate conditions.
Konrad Walus, Associate Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
A framework for embedding, simulation and design of computational nanotechnology using a quantum annealing processor – $394,500
This project will work with Quantum Silicon Inc. to conduct experiments that provide better insight into the potential of quantum computing, and will develop design rules for future designers of the technology.
Alireza Nojeh, Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Thermionic solar energy converter – $510,500
In close collaboration with four Canadian industrial partners, this project will establish a novel approach to solar electricity generation using recent discoveries in nanostructured materials.
Chadwick Sinclair, Professor, Faculty of Applied Science – Materials Engineering
Through-process modeling for optimized electron beam additive manufacturing – $484,400
Working in collaboration with Canadian electron-beam processor PAVAC Industries Inc., this project will develop a through-process model for additive manufacturing that will link machine control to material microstructure and properties.
Philippe Tortell, Professor, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
Quantifying climate-dependent and anthropogenic impacts on ecosystem services in the Subarctic Pacific Ocean; State-of-the-art observational tools to inform policy and management – $707,100
University scientists and Fisheries and Oceans Canada will use field-based observations to generate satellite-based models of ecosystem productivity to examine fish yields and environmental variability.
Harry Brumer, Professor, Michael Smith Laboratories at UBC
Biorefining of novel cellulosics from forest fibre resources – $532,812
Working with a Canadian forest products company, this project will use genomic and biochemical methods to develop new technology for wood-fibre modification.
