IBM Canada to Contribute $ 1 Million to CIPI

Université Laval, November 5, 2001 - IBM Canada Ltd. is donating $1 million dollars' worth of workstations and computing nodes to the Canadian Institute for Photonic Innovations (CIPI). CIPI is a Network of Centres of Excellence of Canada that just received close to $10 million for the next three years from the federal government to support the best Canadian researchers and students working on leading edge projects in this emerging sector of the Canadian economy.

This equipment will be set up in the Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory at the Université de Sherbrooke, in accordance with IBM Canada's wishes. In doing so, the corporation is showing its support for the exceptional work being accomplished by Dr. André Bandrauk, and his Université de Sherbrooke team involved in the field of dynamic imaging.

IBM's donation fittingly recognises the scientific excellence of the research directed by Dr. Bandrauk, a world leading expert in the area of high performance computing, and Canada Research Chairholder in Computational Chemistry and Photonics. Dr. Bandrauk is working on simulating the dynamics of the interaction between intense laser fields and atomic or molecular systems. The IBM equipment will increase the speed and power of the computer system used in Dr. Bandrauk's laboratory making it one of the three most powerful computers in the country.

What makes this contribution even more exceptional is the fact that its use can be extended to all investigators involved in CIPI's research projects since 20% of the computer's utilisation time will be allocated to outside users.

IBM Canada joins over forty affiliate members, all of them companies and research organisations working in the area of photonics, that support CIPI's projects through their cash or in-kind donations.

Hosted by Université Laval, CIPI became a Network of Centres of Excellence in 1999 with the mandate to harness and develop the talents of Canadian researchers from universities and the private and public sectors, for the purpose of placing Canada at the forefront of photonic research in the 21st century. The Institute's program is made up of 5 technology areas subdivided into 17 projects carried out by over 70 investigators spread out among 25 Canadian universities. There are 276 graduate students participating in the network's activities, compelling evidence that points to the vitality of the technology as well as to the strength of the training of highly qualified personnel for this leading edge industry.

The Networks of Centres of Excellence Program is an integral component of the federal government's investment in Canadian research and entrepreneurial talent designed to turn innovation into economic and social benefits for all Canadians.

Funding for the program comes from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), in partnership with Industry Canada. Together this makes up the over $70 million annual budget, which is then further increased by partners' cash and in-kind contributions. In 2000-2001, the networks stimulated outside investments of almost $85 million, including almost $49 million by the participating private sector companies.