Dalhousie Receives Research Funding

Dalhousie University is among the first institutions to receive grants from the Nova Scotia Research and Innovation Trust Fund.

The $15-million fund was established in the spring of 2001 to support research projects at Nova Scotia colleges and universities. Dalhousie is receiving $2.1 million for 16 projects.

"Research funding for our universities and colleges means we can keep our brightest minds here in Nova Scotia and attract others to join our research community," said Education Minister Jane Purves. "Our students benefit from having these creative, knowledgeable faculty in their labs and classrooms and our economy benefits from this knowledge-driven industry."

Daniel Ruzzante recently returned home from Denmark to continue his research at Dalhousie. He is a newly appointed Canada Research Chair and is receiving funding for research that will improve understanding and conservation of East Coast fisheries.

Mr. Ruzzante's and other research projects receiving funding span Dalhousie's faculties of engineering, medicine and science and involve dozens of faculty, staff and students.

"The province's support of these Dalhousie research initiatives is extremely important because it represents 40 per cent of the funding necessary to allow our researchers to move forward with their work," said Dalhousie president Dr. Tom Traves. "We are very pleased to have received this new funding from the Department of Education."

Announcements will soon be made about funding for five other institutions.

Projects that receive grants from the trust fund also receive about the same amount from the Canada Foundation for Innovation. The foundation previously announced $2.1 million for Dalhousie's 16 projects.

Dalhousie is a teaching and research university offering 182 programs to 15,500 undergraduate, professional and graduate students. The university's research capacity attracts more than $75 million in external funding each year. Research expertise includes ocean studies and health studies, with a growing involvement in advanced technical education and research. More information is available on the university's Web site, at www.dal.ca .