The growing interest in green research was reflected in the high degree of interest from Ontario researchers in three research chairs to be funded by the Ontario government. There were a total of 13 proposals from Ontario universities. Ten proposals were received for the two Chairs in Green Chemistry and Engineering; each Chair will receive annual funding of $250,000 for five years.
Three universities submitted proposals for the Chair in Renewable Energy Technologies and Health; the Chair will receive annual funding of $300,000 for five years. COU President Bonnie Patterson announced in October that COU would partner with the government of Ontario to launch a competitive process for the chairs, through the Ontario Research Chairs Selection Panel. The Panel is chaired by Dr. David Strangway, Founder and Chancellor of Quest University Canada, former President of the Canada Foundation for Innovation, and former President of the University of British Columbia. The other Panel members are Dr. Paule Leduc, Chair of the Board of the Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation, a past rector of the Université du Québec à Montréal, and a former president of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council; Dr. Arthur May, Past President of Memorial University and former President of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council; and Dr. Harold Shapiro, President Emeritus of Princeton University and former President of the University of Michigan. Dr. Harry Swain, a management consultant and former Deputy Minister of the federal departments of Indian Affairs and Industry, serves as the Panel Secretary.
The request for proposals was issued to the universities on November 18, 2009 and the competition closed on January 8, 2010. The Panel has asked expert reviewers to evaluate the proposals and expects to make its decisions by mid-February.
The funds for the Chairs will be provided by the Ministry of the Environment and administered by COU, through agreements with the successful universities.
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For further information, please contact:
Jennifer Grass
Senior Director, Communications & Public Affairs
416- 979-2165 ext. 261
jgrass@cou.on.ca
