More than $1.5M in federal funding boosts BU research

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This article was published 14/03/2024 (714 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Brandon University will receive more than $1.5 million in federal funding for research.

The funding, announced Wednesday, includes the renewal of two Canada Research Chair positions, providing $1 million in research support over five years. Additionally, the Canada Foundation for Innovation has earmarked $101,279 to bolster infrastructure support for the endeavours of the research chair holders via the John R. Evans Leaders Fund.

Further enhancing BU’s research capabilities, the institution will receive a grant of $563,948 this year through the Research Support Fund. This allocation aims to defray the indirect costs associated with research activities university-wide.

Sarah Plosker is slated to receive $500,000 for a renewed five-year term as the Canada Research Chair in Quantum Information Theory. An additional $75,000 in funding from the Leaders Fund will also go toward her research initiatives.

“The development of quantum technology will transform the world as we know it, impacting all major sectors of the economy as well as everyday human life,” Plosker stated in a news release issued on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Rachel Herron has secured a renewed five-year term as the Canada Research Chair in Rural and Remote Mental Health. Her tenure will be supported by a $500,000 grant, supplemented by $26,279 from the Leaders Lund.

“Where people live and the resources around them have a profound impact on their mental health. People living in rural places face long-standing challenges accessing valued and relevant resources to promote their mental health within their communities,” Herron said in the release.

“Yet, rural people and communities can work together to develop resources they value to improve mental health. This funding helps us identify ways to make these resources more accessible in our region and in other rural areas across Canada while giving a voice to people who are too often unheard.”

BU vice-president (research and graduate studies) Bernadette Ardelli commended the innovative prowess of the institution’s research chairs, noting their worldwide recognition.

“Our Canada Research Chairs are recognized, nationally and internationally, for their innovation and expertise,” Ardelli said. “They’re part of a talented faculty committed to conducting world-class research on key issues, while also providing superb educational and developmental opportunities for our students. I congratulate them on their success, and I look forward to seeing the remarkable discoveries they make in the coming years.”

As well as Herron and Plosker, BU has two more active chairholders in the CRC program: Jonathan Allan, CRC in Men and Masculinities, and Mousumi Majumder, CRC in Genotoxicology.

The Research Support Fund is an annual grant that contributes to the indirect costs of research, including administration such as the operation of the Office of Research Services and regulatory committees, institutional memberships in research organizations and journal subscriptions.

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