Tag Archives: discovery grants

Now that Government has listened to the research community, will NSERC?

Posted on February 18, 2014 by Ghoussoub

“I’m in Ottawa at the moment at the NSERC Discovery Grant competition – it’s particularly disturbing,” wrote one colleague from engineering, confirming again that the budget pressure on NSERC’s Discovery Grant (DG) program is becoming untenable. Another Evaluation Group (EG) … Continue reading →

Posted in Op-eds, R&D Policy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

NSERC: Time to press the “reset” button on the mandate

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Ghoussoub

Cathleen Crudden, President of the Canadian Society for Chemistry (CSC) has already hinted at it in her blog post on the occasion of Suzanne Fortier’s exit from NSERC. “Choosing her successor will be a critical task. With academic and industrial researchers calling for more funding … Continue reading →

Posted in Op-eds, R&D Policy | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

NSERC, Math, Stats, Innovation and all that jazz

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Ghoussoub

Last weekend, representatives of Canada’s mathematical and statistical sciences community presented NSERC’s President, Suzanne Fortier, with a “Long Range Plan.” Entitled Solutions for a Complex Age, the report – commissioned by NSERC – is the result of two years of consultations and deliberations under … Continue reading →

Posted in Banff International Research Station, R&D Policy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Canada’s young scholars to contend with NSERC’s new dirigisme

Posted on October 2, 2012 by Ghoussoub

NSERC has finally responded to the multiple articles, blogs and editorials criticizing the declining success rate in its postdoctoral fellowship program. It is unfortunate that they chose to do so through a media outlet that is sitting behind a pay … Continue reading →

Posted in Op-eds, R&D Policy | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Call your VP-Research before Friday the 13th at the Tri-council!

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Ghoussoub

“My Mathematics” is going well lately. It is not always the case, so blogging has taken the backseat. It is unfortunate because much needs to be communicated before tomorrow’s meeting in Ottawa between the VPs-Research of Canada’s universities and Tri-council officials. … Continue reading →

Posted in R&D Policy | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

2012 federal budget: “We in Canada have yet to learn, so it seems”

Posted on March 31, 2012 by Ghoussoub

My friend had called from Ottawa right after the budget lock-up to “re-assure me” that the three research councils did OK. The AUCC president, Paul Davidson, had also issued a press release offering praise for “investments (that) will preserve current levels of … Continue reading →

Posted in Op-eds, R&D Policy | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

The Physicists debate “the changing role of NSERC’s Discovery program”

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Ghoussoub

First, came the editorial of University of Ottawa Physicist, Béla Joós in last July’s issue of “Physics in Canada”. There, he zeroed in on the heart of the matter, which if you think about it, is mind boggling: “Over the last … Continue reading →

Posted in R&D Policy | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

You are not alone!

Posted on January 22, 2012 by Ghoussoub

Yet, that’s exactly what bureaucrats want you to feel. “You are the only one complaining. You are isolating your community…”. That’s what they said when 336 mathematical scientists, 27 Canada Research Chairs and 35 fellows of the Royal Society of Canada wrote NSERC’s President … Continue reading →

Posted in R&D Policy | Tagged , , | 7 Comments