2006 NSERC Steacie Fellowships Announced

Six university professors to receive major research award

Ottawa, Ontario, March 13, 2006 – The Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of Industry, and Dr. Suzanne Fortier, President of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), today announced the six winners of the 2006 NSERC Steacie Fellowships – one of Canada’s premier science and engineering research prizes.

“I applaud these rising stars of Canadian research,” said Minister Bernier. “The knowledge generated by Canadian scientists and engineers is a key driver of economic prosperity in today’s knowledge economy and an important contributor to the quality of life Canadians enjoy.”

“Our Steacie winners are exceptionally accomplished researchers, inspiring role models for their peers and students, and great ambassadors of Canadian science,” said Dr. Fortier. “Ground breaking, innovative, strategic – these are the trademarks of their research programs. I am extremely pleased that these gifted individuals will have an even greater impact through their NSERC Steacie Fellowships.”

The 2006 NSERC Steacie Award winners are:

• Dr. Joerg Bohlmann, Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia;
• Dr. Andrzej Czarnecki, Department of Physics, University of Alberta;
• Dr. John Klironomos, Department of Botany, University of Guelph;
• Dr. Todd Lowary, Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta;
• Dr. Gail Murphy, Department of Computer Science, University of British Columbia; and
• Dr. Locke Rowe, Department of Zoology, University of Toronto.

The NSERC Steacie Fellowships will be presented at a ceremony on March 20 in Ottawa.

NSERC is a federal agency whose role is to make investments in people, discovery and innovation for the benefit of all Canadians. The agency supports some 22,000 university students and postdoctoral fellows in their advanced studies. NSERC promotes discovery by funding more than 10,000 university professors every year and fosters innovation by encouraging more than 600 Canadian companies to participate and invest in university research projects.

For photos and full details on the researchers and their achievements, visit http://www.nserc.gc.ca/steacie.

For more information, contact:

Michael Dwyer
NSERC Public Affairs
Tel.: (613) 992-9001
Cell: (613) 794-9170
E-mail: michael.dwyer@nserc.ca

Isabelle Fontaine
Office of the Minister of Industry
Tel.: (613) 995-9001

The Prize

NSERC Steacie Fellowships are awarded to outstanding Canadian university scientists or engineers, who have obtained their doctorate within the last 12 years, and whose research has already earned them an international reputation. Nominations are received by NSERC from universities across Canada and judged by a distinguished panel of independent experts. Time for research is the most precious commodity for a university scientist or engineer. The NSERC Steacie Fellowship, which normally runs for two years, contributes significantly to the Fellow’s salary, freeing the individual from other duties, and allowing him or her to pursue research full-time.

Dr. Edgar William Richard Steacie, for whom the awards are named, was a physical chemist and President of the National Research Council from 1952 to 1962. He strongly believed that:

• fundamental research is essential to the development of science;
• the individual is key to research, and individual ideas are ultimately responsible for important advances in science;
• there are no national boundaries in science; and
• complete freedom is required for creative work.

Dr. Steacie felt that promising scientists are our greatest asset and should be given every opportunity to develop their own ideas. Through the NSERC Steacie Fellowships, his philosophy lives on.