The Government of Canada Strengthens Canada's Advantage Through Basic Research

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Oct. 1, 2012) - The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), announced today a significant investment by the Government of Canada in basic research and research training in the social sciences and humanities while at Carleton University. The investment will fund projects that examine topics directly linked to enhancing Canada's long-term prosperity, productivity and quality of life.

Through grants and scholarships awarded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), these investments, totalling over $200 million, will support more than 3,200 of Canada's best researchers at post-secondary institutions across the country.

"Canada's position as a world leader in research excellence leads to discoveries, innovations and advanced skills that drive job creation and opportunities in the knowledge economy," said Minister of State Goodyear. "Through Economic Action Plan 2012, our government provided additional resources to support advanced research at universities and other leading research institutions, which will build on previous investments to further strengthen Canada's research advantage."

Through its Insight Development Grants and new Insight Grants, SSHRC is awarding more than $101 million to post-secondary institutions over the next five years. These grants will support 815 research initiatives by individuals and small teams of researchers across Canada. Also included in today's announcement is more than $102 million to support nearly 2,400 masters, doctoral, and post-doctoral fellowships and scholarships through SSHRC's Talent program.

"This research is the key to innovation and to building knowledge for Canada's future," said Dr. Chad Gaffield, president of SSHRC. "Through this funding support, we are generating insights and developing innovative solutions for today's social, economic and cultural issues, while training the next generation of researchers and leaders."

Today's event at Carleton University highlighted the research initiative led by Laura MacDonald, a professor in the department of political science. The project, which received one of SSHRC's inaugural Insight Grants, focuses on Canada's increasing role in Latin America's economic development. The research team, drawing on a network of experts from across the Americas, will investigate the impact of Canada's increased economic engagement in the region. In addition, Dr. MacDonald's team will provide policy recommendations and electronic models that can contribute to the prosperity of both Canada and its Latin American partners.

Robert Coplan, another Insight Grant recipient, spoke about his project, "Shyness: participation in organized activities and socio-emotional functioning in early childhood." Dr. Coplan is exploring how certain activities and key relationships affect levels of shyness in preschool-age children. His research will help teachers and caregivers better understand how to help children prone to social anxiety and self-consciousness better interact with others to enhance social, cognitive and communication skills.

Also speaking at today's event was Mathieu Charbonneau, who received a Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship for Doctoral students. His research will focus on the history of the Canadian insurance industry and its position in the global marketplace. By surveying trends and incentives that have shaped the Canadian insurance industry, he will produce a statistical and historical overview that will allow us to better understand the role that insurability plays in both fiscal efficiency and social justice.

Some of the 815 research initiatives funded through the Insight Grants and Insight Development Grants include:

• Higher education in the digital economy (Anna MacLeod, Dalhousie University);
• Broadband-enabled community services in remote and rural First Nations (Susan O'Donnell, University of New Brunswick);
• Cyberbullying (Shaheen Shareef, McGill University);
• Les stratégies sonores du théâtre à l'époque de la radio (Jean-Marc Larrue, Collège de Valleyfield);
• Using digital games to enhance seniors' quality of life (David Kaufman, Simon Fraser University);
• Digital politics across Web 2.0 (Greg Elmer, Ryerson University);
• Solving the global food crisis (Evan Fraser, University of Guelph);
• Improving women's achievement in engineering (Steven Spencer, University of Waterloo);
• Transforming mathematical learning (Brent Davis, University of Calgary);
• Literacy enrichment for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children (Gloria Eduviges Ramirez Gomez, Thompson Rivers University).

Some of the 2,400 research projects funded through the Talent program include:

• Engaging young Inuit females in sport: a pathway to positive youth development (Corliss Bean, University of Ottawa);
• Apology: social media's potential for crisis management (Tegan Ford, Carleton University);
• La dynamique des réseaux de production: des échanges intra-firme au cœur des décisions stratégiques (Maricela Connie Arellano Caro, HEC Montréal);
• Grammaire de l'inuktitut du Québec (Julien Carrier, University of Toronto);
• La langue du personage : une analyse linguistique du dialogue dans le roman québécois (Hugo Saint-Amant Lamy, Université de Sherbrooke);
• Instructional reading and media: a strategy to enhance early reading development (Erin Schryer, University of New Brunswick);
• Policing cyberbullying: the role of parents, educators, and law enforcement in responding to digital harassment (Ryan Broll, University of Western Ontario)
• Food and the city: urbanization, agriculture and alternatives (Michael Classens, York University);
• Autism, inclusion and maternal care (Patricia Douglas, University of Toronto);
• Work-family conflict: self-determination in parenting and career decisions (Ava Agar, University of Saskatchewan).

The complete lists of recipients are available on the SSHRC website.

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) is the federal agency that promotes and supports postsecondary-based research and training in the humanities and social sciences. Through its programs, SSHRC works to develop talented leaders for all sectors of society, helps generate insights about people, ideas and behaviour, and builds connections within and beyond academia that will build a better future for Canada and the world. For more information, visit www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca.