Faculty funding successes celebrated

Faculty Research tops $4 million in 1998-99

Trent faculty members have experienced a remarkable increase in external funding for research in 1998-99. The university attracted more than $4 million in external funding for research for the first time.

The university received $4.26 million, up 22 per cent from $3.5 million in 1997-98. The Office of Research and Graduate Studies processed 163 research grants, contracts, and awards, which was a record number. While about 40 per cent of the external funding came from the major federal granting councils (NSERC, SSHRC, and MRC), about 60 per cent came from "other" sources.

The latter include federal government departments/agencies (CIDA, Environment Canada), provincial government departments/agencies (OMNR, OMET), industry (Ontario Power Generation, Inc.; Consumers Gas; INCO; Falconbridge ), foundations (such as the Guggenheim). This category of funding has risen sharply in the past five years.

This year the university also benefited from several additional, one-time research infrastructure awards from the federal government (Canada Foundation for Innovation), and the provincial government (Premier's Research Excellence Award). Inclusion of these special awards raises the total, overall research funding for Trent to over $5 million ($5,645,631), a huge ($2,152,435, about 61%) increase over 1998-99.

The largest single grant was from CFI (two project awards) totalling $1.28 million, to support the establishment of a new Water Quality Centre (WQC) and the new Oliver Ecological Centre, located near Bobcaygeon.

Ontario Power Generation increases funding

Ontario Power Generation has increased its funding commitment to the Industrial Research Chair in Watershed biogeochemistry. Last spring, Ontario Power Generation (OPG) had committed $540,000 over three years, with an option for two more years, for a possible total of $884,000. NSERC agreed to provide matching support, resulting in a possible grand total of $1.768 million.

OPG has since extended its commitment to a third and fourth year for the program for a total of $976,000. NSERC will match the amount for a total budget of $1,952,000. Of this, $304,000 will be spent on graduate students and an additional $399,00 on postdoctoral fellows.

The chairholder, Dr. Peter Dillon, will study the effects of acid gas emissions and the influence of climate stresses on watersheds.

In announcing the appointment, Trent President Bonnie Patterson said, "Dr. Dillon is an internationally-recognized expert on acid gas emissions and he will bring significant research strength to the university. We are elated that we were able to attract both his expertise and the very substantial OPG and NSERC funding to study such an important subject."

Ontario Power Generation is one of the successor companies of Ontario Hydro. It owns and operates three nuclear stations, six fossil-fuelled plants and 69 hydroelectric generating stations.

NSERC, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, is the national instrument for making strategic investments in Canada's capability in science and technology.