NSERC: NSERC: Celebrating 25 years of Celebrating 25 years of Investment in DiscoveryInvestment in Discovery

McGill University, First Graduating McGill University, First Graduating Class (Engineering, 1873)Class (Engineering, 1873)

Chemistry Department: First Ph.D. Chemistry Department: First Ph.D.

1909, Annie MacLeod1909, Annie MacLeod

Nutrition Class (1913)Nutrition Class (1913)

NSERC and McGill: Facts and FiguresNSERC and McGill: Facts and Figures

NRC established in 1917.NRC established in 1917.

NSERC was established in 1978.NSERC was established in 1978.

First NSERC President: Gordon McNabb.First NSERC President: Gordon McNabb.

Our total funding from NSERC over 25 Our total funding from NSERC over 25 years is more than $550 million , putting years is more than $550 million , putting us in fifth place nationwide.us in fifth place nationwide.

NSERC and McGill: Facts and Figures NSERC and McGill: Facts and Figures (cont’d)(cont’d)

McGill researchers received about $6 McGill researchers received about $6 million the first year (1978-79).million the first year (1978-79).

McGill received $30 million for 2003-04.McGill received $30 million for 2003-04.

NSERC and McGill: Facts and Figures NSERC and McGill: Facts and Figures (cont’d)(cont’d)

88 faculty members, including one 88 faculty members, including one woman, have held NSERC grants for 25 woman, have held NSERC grants for 25 consecutive years.consecutive years.

480 McGill researchers hold at least one 480 McGill researchers hold at least one NSERC grant in 2003-04, about 15% of NSERC grant in 2003-04, about 15% of whom are women.whom are women.

24 NSERC Grant first-timers at McGill in 24 NSERC Grant first-timers at McGill in 2003-2004 (5 are women)2003-2004 (5 are women)

NSERC Discovery Grant Facts and Figures NSERC Discovery Grant Facts and Figures (2003-2004)(2003-2004)

McGill’s success rate: 88%; McGill’s success rate: 88%;

National success rate: 83%National success rate: 83%

Average McGill award value: Average McGill award value: $35,000/year.$35,000/year.

Steacie FellowshipSteacie Fellowship

Victoria Kaspi (2003)Victoria Kaspi (2003)

Henri Darmon (2002)Henri Darmon (2002)

Peter Grutter (2001)Peter Grutter (2001)

Louis Taillefer (1998)Louis Taillefer (1998)

D.B. MacFarlane (1994)D.B. MacFarlane (1994)

Philippe Gros (1993)Philippe Gros (1993)

M.R.P. Murty (1991)M.R.P. Murty (1991)

Luc Devroye (1987)Luc Devroye (1987)

Kelvin Ogilvie (1982)Kelvin Ogilvie (1982)

D. P. S. Verma (1981)D. P. S. Verma (1981)

R.I.L. Guthrie (1979)R.I.L. Guthrie (1979)

There have been 11 Steacie Fellowship winners:There have been 11 Steacie Fellowship winners:

Other NSERC Prizes won include:Other NSERC Prizes won include:

Synergy Awards for Innovation, Synergy Awards for Innovation, showcasingshowcasinginnovation and the benefits of pooling resourcesinnovation and the benefits of pooling resourcesto make the most of Canadian ingenuity. to make the most of Canadian ingenuity.

2002: McGill (Macdonald Campus) and PATLQ 2002: McGill (Macdonald Campus) and PATLQ 1997: McGill (John Gruzleski) and Timminco 1997: McGill (John Gruzleski) and Timminco

Industrial Research ChairsIndustrial Research Chairs

Since the mid 1980s, we have had the following IRCs, Since the mid 1980s, we have had the following IRCs, with a total NSERC contribution of nearly $10 million:with a total NSERC contribution of nearly $10 million:

Vinod AgarwalVinod Agarwal

Martin BuehlerMartin Buehler

Graham Darling Graham Darling

James FinchJames Finch

Wagdi HabashiWagdi Habashi

Allan HayAllan Hay

Scott HintonScott Hinton

John HollerbachJohn Hollerbach

John JonasJohn Jonas

Peter KabalPeter Kabal

Urs KühnleinUrs Kühnlein

Charles LinCharles Lin

Bob MarchessaultBob Marchessault

Lawrence MysakLawrence Mysak

Ron StewartRon Stewart

Frank TooleyFrank Tooley

Some other current NSERC-funded major Some other current NSERC-funded major research initiatives at McGill:research initiatives at McGill:

NSERC Chair for Design in Extreme Environments, NSERC Chair for Design in Extreme Environments, held by Jorge Angelesheld by Jorge Angeles

Agile All-Photonics Network, headed by David PlantAgile All-Photonics Network, headed by David Plant

NSERC Nano Innovation Platform, of which NSERC Nano Innovation Platform, of which Peter Grutter is research directorPeter Grutter is research director

Climate Variability Network, headed by Climate Variability Network, headed by Jacques DeromeJacques Derome

NSERC Student Funding at McGillNSERC Student Funding at McGill

Program2002-2003

Number $

Undergraduate Student Research Awards 148 $666,588

Postgraduate Scholarships 194 $3,418,200

Industrial Postgraduate Scholarships 8 $82,800

Postdoctoral Fellowships 14 $396,667

TOTAL 364 $4,564,255

Students Promoting Awareness Students Promoting Awareness of Research Knowledge (SPARK)of Research Knowledge (SPARK)

We also have an active group of SPARK student scienceWe also have an active group of SPARK student science

writers under the mentorship of writers under the mentorship of Linda CooperLinda Cooper, Associate, Associate

Director of the Centre for the Study and Teaching ofDirector of the Centre for the Study and Teaching of

Writing.Writing.

SPARK Writers, 2003-2004

Ian Popple (Biology)Anna Lisa Lucido (Neurological Sciences)Ben Kennedy (Volcanology)Mythri Kappantagula (Anatomy and Cell Biology)Niki Boyd (Biochemistry)Maciej Kotowski (Economics and Political Science)Sara Strawczynski (Biology)

SPARK WritersSPARK Writers

These writers have published articles aboutThese writers have published articles about

cutting-edge NSERC-funded research atcutting-edge NSERC-funded research at

McGill in a variety of publications, includingMcGill in a variety of publications, including

the McGill Reporter, the Montreal Gazette,the McGill Reporter, the Montreal Gazette,

the National Post, Seasons Magazine andthe National Post, Seasons Magazine and

the National Geographic News.the National Geographic News.

SPARK articles include:SPARK articles include:

““A not-so birdbrained idea” (Louis Lefebvre’sA not-so birdbrained idea” (Louis Lefebvre’s

investigation of the relationship between brain sizeinvestigation of the relationship between brain size

and intelligence in birds, written by Ian Popple.)and intelligence in birds, written by Ian Popple.)

Photo credit: Owen Egan

SPARK articles (cont’d)SPARK articles (cont’d)

““Teaching an old DNA new tricks” (HanadiTeaching an old DNA new tricks” (HanadiSleiman’s research on programming DNASleiman’s research on programming DNAfor a multitude of potential purposes,for a multitude of potential purposes,written by B. Jesse Shapiro.)written by B. Jesse Shapiro.)

Photo credit: Owen Egan

SPARK articles (cont’d)SPARK articles (cont’d)

““Watching worms wend their way” Watching worms wend their way” (Joanne Whalen’s study of the (Joanne Whalen’s study of the effect of earthworms on soil, written effect of earthworms on soil, written by Tyler Smith.)by Tyler Smith.)

Photo credit: Owen Egan

SPARK articles (cont’d)SPARK articles (cont’d)"Turning drug design on its head" (Albert Berghuis's research on drug design, going from bacteria to drug rather than drug to bacteria, written by Jan Cooper.)

Photo credit: Owen Egan

Pictures and comments from some Pictures and comments from some of McGill’s 25-year grantholdersof McGill’s 25-year grantholders

Professor Ian Butler Professor Ian Butler (Department of Chemistry)(Department of Chemistry)

Professor John Harrod (Department of Professor John Harrod (Department of Chemistry)Chemistry)

"I received my first "NRC" grant in 1966, ca. $6000. That amount,"I received my first "NRC" grant in 1966, ca. $6000. That amount,

together with help from the Department, some colleagues, andtogether with help from the Department, some colleagues, and

equipment gifts from my former employer was sufficient to start equipment gifts from my former employer was sufficient to start

me off with four graduate students and enough equipment to hit theme off with four graduate students and enough equipment to hit the

ground running. In those early days, the granting system was veryground running. In those early days, the granting system was very

lightly bureaucratized.” lightly bureaucratized.”

Pictured, left to right: John Harrod, Denis Gilson and Ian S. Butler

John Harrod’s comments (cont’d)John Harrod’s comments (cont’d)

““By the time I served on the NSERC Chemistry GrantsBy the time I served on the NSERC Chemistry Grants

Selection Committee in the early 1990's, things had Selection Committee in the early 1990's, things had

changed dramatically. The whole granting system waschanged dramatically. The whole granting system was

tightly controlled by a professional bureaucracy. Intightly controlled by a professional bureaucracy. In

some respects this led to major improvements in thesome respects this led to major improvements in the

fairness of grant distribution.”fairness of grant distribution.”

Professor G.S. Vijaya Raghavan (Bioresource Engineering), NSERC 25-Professor G.S. Vijaya Raghavan (Bioresource Engineering), NSERC 25-year grantholder, “year grantholder, “NSERC funding has been key throughout the years to NSERC funding has been key throughout the years to equip and supply our laboratories to offer a great environment for equip and supply our laboratories to offer a great environment for fundamental and applied research in food and agriculture processing.”fundamental and applied research in food and agriculture processing.”

Professor Raghavan taking his job very seriously for the sensory evaluation of chapathis. This study aims at evaluating the incorporation of sorghum flour in doughs for traditional Indian cooking.

Hard at work in the texture measurement laboratory on the Macdonald Campus.

Professor Lucjan Kops (Mechanical Professor Lucjan Kops (Mechanical Engineering), 25-year grantholderEngineering), 25-year grantholder

Professor Kops’ film entitled, “Infrared Radiation in Surface Grinding,” won first place in the 1978 ASME Film Festival.

1978 Forum Theme Film Festival – First Place

Any comments or questions?Any comments or questions?