THE FONDS DE RECHERCHE DU QUÉBEC AN OVERVIEW

Transcription

1 THE FONDS DE RECHERCHE DU QUÉBEC AN OVERVIEW

2 THE CHIEF SCIENTIST OF QUÉBEC Rémi Quirion is the chief scientist of Québec. His position at the interface of the three research Funds enables him to build connections and implement changes that will boost knowledge production and innovation within Québec s research system and, ultimately, extend its influence on national and international levels. The mandate of the chief scientist of Québec is as follows: To advise the Ministre de l Économie, de la Science et de l Innovation on matters pertaining to the development of research and science in Québec; To foster the excellence, position and influence of Québec research in Canada and internationally, and ensure its commercialization; To chair the boards of directors of each of the three Québec research Funds, and coordinate issues of common concern and the development of cross-sectoral research; To administer the human, material, financial and information resources of the three Funds, and ensure the consolidation and integration of their administrative activities. THE SCIENTIFIC DIRECTORS 2 Maryse Lassonde Serge Marchand Louise Poissant Fonds de recherche du Québec Nature et technologies Fonds de recherche du Québec Santé Fonds de recherche du Québec Société et culture

3 THE THREE FUNDS AND A SHARED MISSION The restructuring of Québec s three research Funds in 2011 was aimed primarily at ensuring strong management regarding the support and promotion of Québec research, thus improving Québec s position on the world map of science; fostering and increasing synergies and partnerships between the various research sectors; and increasing the local and international visibility of Québec s public research under a common banner. Together the three Funds are contributing to the creation of a real knowledge society, renowned for the excellence of its researchers and the quality of its research achievements. In their respective fields, the Fonds de recherche du Québec Nature et technologies (FRQNT), the Fonds de recherche du Québec Santé (FRQS), and the Fonds de recherche du Québec Société et culture (FRQSC) have the following mandate: To ensure the strategic and coherent development of research in Québec; To provide financial support for research and for the training of researchers; To create any partnerships necessary for fulfilling their mission; To promote and provide financial support for knowledge mobilization. 3

4 BACKGROUND INFORMATION In 2013, Québec spent 8.4 billion dollars on intramural research and development (GERD), representing 2.32% of Québec s GDP, compared with 1.69% across Canada as a whole. The chart below illustrates the distribution of GERD expenditure by funding sector in Québec. GERD FUNDING, % HIGHER EDUCATION 22.8% GOVERNMENT 6.0% FOREIGN 3.4% NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS 49.4% COMPANIES Source: Institut de la statistique du Québec, June 2016 Québec s share of total funding from federal research funding agencies (SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR) has remained stable for the past 10 years at just over 26%. This share exceeds Québec s demographic weight in Canada s scientific community (23%). 28 % 27 % 26 % 25 % 24 % 23 % QUÉBEC SHARE OF FUNDING FROM THE THREE FEDERAL RESEARCH FUNDING AGENCIES (SSHRC/NSERC/CIHR) FROM TO Grants Total Awards and scholarships 4 22 % Sources: SSHRC- Awards Search Engine, 2015 NSERC- Awards Search Engine, 2015 CIHR- Awards List, 2015

5 CROSS-CUTTING PRIORITIES The FRQNT, FRQS and FRQSC share five priorities. Separate inter-fund subcommittees, chaired by Québec s chief scientist and made up of members of the boards of directors of the three Funds, have been set up to work on the first three of these. Development of major intersectoral research projects Research is being carried out increasingly often by interdisciplinary and intersectoral teams that bring together researchers with complementary areas of expertise, working together to address current scientific issues, develop knowledge and drive innovation. Through the development of major intersectoral projects, the Funds are working to provide better support for intersectoral research teams and projects. International partnership strategy Their strategic role in the development of research and the training of researchers often leads the Funds to take part in diverse scientific missions in other Canadian provinces and abroad. These missions help to make Québec s strengths better known to different stakeholders (funding agencies, universities ), build lasting ties and foster the development of research partnerships. Various international partnerships have already been established, including some with the USA and France. Support for major or common platforms and equipment Medium- and long-term funding for large research platforms and infrastructures is a real concern for research development in Québec. Most of this equipment was obtained through funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation, in collaboration with the Québec government. Research infrastructures do not have the resources necessary to ensure their sustainability; it is therefore urgent to develop, with all partners concerned, a creative strategy in order to secure funding for maintaining and upgrading these installations. 5

6 CROSS-CUTTING PRIORITIES (continued) Support for research training One of the key mandates of the Funds is to provide support for the training of future generations of researchers, who will be called upon to play a leading role in the knowledge society of the global economy. The three Funds wish to analyze the research training models currently prevailing in Québec universities and determine if they are capable of adequately preparing our future generations of researchers to acquire the skills and knowledge that they will need. Support for basic research Because it is such a great source of innovation in all sectors of research, the Funds attach great importance to basic research. As a result, most of its funding programs allow researchers to submit the research projects of their choice. Approximately one quarter of the total funding budget is allocated to partnered research with the public and private sector, i.e. research targeted to the needs of society. 6

7 GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS In , the Fonds de recherche du Québec spent million dollars on academic research. As shown in the chart below, 25.8% of the budget provides direct funding for the new generation (master s students, PhD and postdoctoral fellows). Furthermore, as part of their strategy to complement the federal granting agencies, the Funds allocated 39.7% of their global budget to research centres, networks, clusters and teams, making it possible for the researchers within these groups to apply for research funding on the federal level. Year in year out, Québec researchers obtain 27% of federal research funding, while they represent 23% of Canada s scientific community. RESEARCH CAREERS RESEARCH PROJECTS Partnership projects Innovation networks College researchers Research scholars New researchercreator professor New researcherprofessor Team projects etc. $29.8M 15.9% $33.6M 17.9% $75.6M 40.1% $49.2M 26.1% THE NEW GENERATION Scholarships and fellowships (master s, PhD and postdoctoral) 7 RESEARCH CLUSTERS Research centres, networks, groups, institutes, teams BUDGET: $188M Source: Fonds de recherche du Québec Annual reports,

8 THE DEVELOPMENT OF MAJOR INTERSECTORAL RESEARCH PROJECTS In December 2011, Québec s chief scientist called on the scientific community to submit proposals for major intersectoral projects. More than 65 proposals were received, covering a wide range of themes including sustainable development, green cities, mine exploration and mineral processing, ICT, green chemistry, frontline health care, and the pharmaceutical industry. Based on the results this consultation, a series of forums for discussion and research planning were organized by the chief scientist: Forum on Northern Research, September 6, 2012 in Montréal; Forum on Aging, November 27, 2012 in Montréal; Forum on Art, Culture and Well-Being, February 8, 2013 in Montréal; Forum on Sustainable Development, June 3, 2013 in Québec City. Forum on Entrepreneurship and Creativity, April 2, 2015 in Sherbrooke. In addition, four other activities were held on issues of importance to the FRQ: Roundtable on Ethics Research, October 17, 2012 in Montréal; Day of Reflection on Research Training, April 30, 2013 in Montréal; The "Société inclusive : développement d un projet intersectoriel en adaptation-réadaptation et intégration sociale" forum in Montréal on January 23, 2014, organized in collaboration with several research centres, groups and networks; The "Les chercheurs dans la sphère publique" forum, December 4, 2015 in Montréal. 8 The subcommittee on the development of major intersectoral projects is currently developing a funding strategy that will make use of new government funding and contributions from the private sector.

9 IMPACTS ON SOCIETY Natural sciences, engineering, health, social sciences, humanities, arts and literature research provides a better understanding of the world in which we live, clarifies decision-making and public policy, improves practices and interventions; in short, it fosters innovation for the common good. Here is a look at some of the impacts of Québec research. Protective spices: Since 2009, the World Cancer Research Fund has warned against feeding processed meats to children due to the presence of nitrites and nitrates, synthetic or natural preservation agents associated with an increased risk of cancer. Luckily for fans of cold cuts, Satinder Kaur Brar, a researcher at the INRS Eau Terre Environnement Research Centre and her colleague Khaled Belkacemi, from Université Laval, have found healthier alternatives among certain spices used in cooking. In many countries, spices have been used to preserve food for centuries. Like nitrites and nitrates, some spices are able to block the growth of bacteria and the oxidation of fats. Satinder Kaur Brar and her team analyzed the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of a number of spices, alone and in combination, for the preservation of terrine and ham. The result: cinnamon, black pepper, grape powder and cloves were selected, alone or in combination, to replace current preservation agents. The appetizing pink colour of processed meat was obtained by adding a powdered Québec fruit to the preparations concocted by the researchers. Your brain on saturated fat: Fatty foods make you lazy! In fact, a diet high in saturated fat is detrimental to the brain system that controls motivation an effect that occurs well before any weight gain. According to Stéphanie Fulton, researcher at the CHUM Research Centre and professor in the Department of Nutrition at Université de Montréal, that is the very reason why people who consume a lot of fast food generally lack motivation to exercise. Fulton and her team reached the conclusion based on their studies of three groups of rats that were put on different diets: a low-fat diet, one high in monounsaturated fat (olive oil) and a third high in saturated fat (palm oil). After eight weeks, all of the rats had a comparable weight. But when behavioural and biochemical tests were carried out on the animals, the researchers noticed that the reward systems in the brains of the rats that had been fed a diet high in saturated fat were unbalanced. The reward system is a circuit of nerve fibres meant to provide the motivation required to carry out vital functions such as eating and drinking by triggering a sensation of wellbeing. Just a few more reasons to eat light! 9

10 Works of art made of microbes!: Our relationship with microbes and viruses is in a state of change. While they are generally considered to be dangerous adversaries that must be combatted, they can also be formidable allies. For example, viruses are used to deliver drugs to target cells within the patient s body, and microorganisms are used to remove pollutants from the soil and decontaminate rivers after oil spills (bioremediation). Concordia University communications researcher Tagny Duff is exploring this relationship with BioreMEDIAtion, a research-creation project that lies at the intersection of art and the life sciences and seeks to expand our relationship with the microscopic living world through art. Duff cultivated viral cells containing a deactivated strain of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and mycelium (the vegetative part of a fungus) on sculptures in the form of science equipment composed of agar-agar, a gelling agent obtained from algae. Her project aimed to explore how bioremediation can lead to the creation of new bio-plastics and tools used in the arts and sciences. This exercise also serves to challenge our notions of cleanliness, sterility and disease. This work is helping to examine the evolution of the representation and understanding of life processes and systems in art and science. The Fonds de recherche du Québec Chief Scientist s Office 500, Sherbrooke St. West, suite 800 Montréal (Québec) H3A 3C6 Rémi Quirion Chief Scientist Fonds de recherche du Québec Telephone: remi.quirion@frq.gouv.qc.ca Maryse Lassonde Scientific Director Fonds de recherche du Québec Nature et technologies Telephone: maryse.lassonde@frq.gouv.qc.ca 10 Serge Marchand Scientific Director Fonds de recherche du Québec Santé Telephone: serge.marchand@frq.gouv.qc.ca Louise Poissant Scientific Director Fonds de recherche du Québec Société et culture Telephone: louise.poissant@frq.gouv.qc.ca Benoit Sévigny Director of Communications and Knowledge Mobilization Fonds de recherche du Québec Telephone: benoit.sevigny@frq.gouv.qc.ca