$3.75 million for Canadian Universities to hire women - Seven new faculty positions awarded in national competition

May 6, 1999 - (Ottawa, Ontario) - Dr. Ronald Duhamel, Secretary of State (Science, Research and Development), today announced that seven young women will receive University Faculty Awards as a result of the new funding provided to NSERC (the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council) in this year's federal budget. The women will be hired by Carleton, Dalhousie, McMaster and York Universities and the Université de Montréal.

The NSERC University Faculty Award (UFA) Program was designed to increase the representation of women in faculty positions in the natural sciences and engineering by encouraging Canadian universities to appoint very promising women researchers to tenured or tenure-track positions in science and engineering.

"One of the federal government's objectives is to increase the participation of women in university research in Canada," he said. "We want our bright young women scientists and engineers to realize their potential and be full contributors to Canada's research enterprise."

"The 1998 federal budget increase allowed NSERC to hold a national competition and fund 12 new UFAs in March 1999," said Tom Brzustowski, President of NSERC. "However there were some very talented and qualified individuals we could not support. The 1999 budget increase removed that obstacle."

Each NSERC University Faculty Award provides $40,000 in annual salary support for up to five years, as well as a substantial research grant. The seven new awards represent an investment of $1.3 million beyond the $2.4 million previously awarded in March. Overall, the largest number of faculty awards go to Simon Fraser and Dalhousie - each are hiring three women. McMaster and the Université de Montréal are hiring two each.

Monique Frize, holder of the NSERC/Nortel Networks Joint Chair for Women in Science and Engineering in Ontario, said supporting young women in faculty positions is a really good move. "I can't think of better role models for women undergraduate and graduate students considering research careers." Dr. Frize, Dr. Duhamel and Dr. Brzustowski were speaking at the annual meeting of the five regional Chairs for Women in Science and Engineering. The Chairs, which are sponsored by NSERC and four private sector partners - Petro-Canada, Nortel Networks, IBM, and Alcan - meet regularly to review progress made by women in research and develop strategies for new initiatives.

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