Twenty-five UWindsor professors in the faculties of science, engineering, and human kinetics have been awarded a total of more than $4.1 million in federal grants to fund their research for the next five years or outfit their labs with new equipment.

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) is funding 20 new projects at the University, including research into agricultural crop growth, autonomous vehicles, the health of our lakes, and the structural integrity of bridges. In addition to those grants of $40,000 to $119,500 per year, another five professors will receive a total of more than $569,000 to buy research tools and instruments.

NSERC funding is vitally important to research at the University of Windsor, said K.W. Michael Siu, vice-president, research and innovation.

“This federal research program supports our researchers in creating an environment of excellence,” Dr. Siu said. “It allows our faculty members to make discoveries while at the same time train the next generation of scientists and engineers.”

This new funding through NSERC’s suite of Discovery grant programs brings the federal government’s total investment to $560 million, said François-Philippe Champagne, federal minister of innovation, science and industry, and Mona Fortier, president of the Treasury Board. Much of that funding is going to five-year projects that began in previous years.

“Discovery is the foundation of all advancements,” Champagne said. “Through this major investment in some of Canada’s most promising and innovative researchers we are supporting scientists and students to become global leaders in their field. By helping to expand the frontiers of science, we are investing in a better society and a brighter future for Canadians.”

In addition to having their projects funded, six newer faculty members — Sara Scharoun Benson and Francesco Biondi in kinesiology, Catherine Febria from the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, Cameron Proctor from the School of the Environment, Ahmed Sakr from electrical and computer engineering, and Pooya Moradian Zadeh in computer science — are receiving additional grants of $12,500 each. Awarded to faculty in the first five years of academic appointments, the grants help new professors launch their research careers.

“At NSERC, we dedicate significant resources to our Discovery research programs precisely because we cannot predict where successes will occur,” said Alejandro Adem, NSERC president.

“We foster excellence by providing thousands of exceptional researchers at various stages in their careers with the stable foundation needed to lead thriving research programs and create unparalleled training opportunities for the next generation of scientists and engineers.”

—Sarah Sacheli