U of G Receives Funding for Three New Canada Research Chairs

Digital management solutions for farmers, the mysteries of how species interact and the use of One Health data to understand health traits are among the project activities of three newly announced Canada Research Chairs (CRC) at the University of Guelph.

This investment is part of more than $638 million in federal funding; $182 million will support 224 new and renewed CRCs. The announcement was made by Yasir Naqvi, Ottawa Centre MP and parliamentary secretary to the minister of health, on behalf of François-Philippe Champagne, minister of innovation, science and industry. 

The announcement also included results from the Research Support Fund (RSF), which awarded U of G over $6.9 million. The RSF supports Canadian post-secondary institutions with funding to help manage research enterprises and maintain world-class research environments and to bolster Canada as a global leader in research and development.

“This significant investment from the federal government highlights our reputation for research excellence and the prominence of our research landscape,” says Dr. Shayan Sharif, interim vice-president, research and innovation. “This funding will allow researchers, including the University’s three new Canada Research Chairs, to carry out timely and impact-driven programs that will not only advance our current understanding, but also lay the foundation for future work in critical areas of interest.”

U of G’s three awardees are as follows:

• Dr. Asim Biswas, School of Environmental Sciences, Ontario Agricultural College (OAC), will hold a new Tier 1 Chair in Digital Agriculture. With this CRC, Biswas will also receive $150,000 in joint funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF).

• Dr. Xin Zhou will hold a new Tier 1 Chair in Eukaryote Biodiversity Genomics. Zhou will join the University as a professor in the Department of Integrative Biology, College of Biological Science (CBS) in early 2025.

• Dr. Elif Acar, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences(CEPS) will hold a new Tier 2 Chair in One Health Approaches to Statistical Modelling.

Tier 1 Chairs, recognized as global leaders in their fields, receive $200,000 annually for seven years. Tier 2 Chairs, recognized as exceptional emerging leaders in their fields, receive $120,000 annually for five years. The CRC program helps Canadian post-secondary institutions attract and retain outstanding researchers in various fields, fostering institutional excellence in research and training.