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Premier's Research Excellence Awards honour Ontario researchers

TORONTO, Dec. 5 /CNW/ - Sixty-two researchers from 10 Ontario universities have been chosen to receive the Premier's Research Excellence Awards (PREA), Deputy Premier and Finance Minister Ernie Eves announced today. The researchers will receive up to $100,000 each from the province and $50,000 from their university.

Dr. Bin Wu, from the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, was one of two researchers from Ryerson Polytechnic University to be awarded funds.

Minister Eves made the announcement on behalf of the Premier at a special dinner to honour all the researchers who won the Award this year; the dinner was held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

"The Premier's Research Excellence Awards recognize and pay tribute to the best and brightest young researchers in the province," said Eves. "Our government is determined to make Ontario a place where new ideas and innovation are encouraged, where creative thinkers are valued."

"Scientific and technological research and innovation are crucial to Ontario's future," said Energy, Science and Technology Minister Jim Wilson. "By recognizing research excellence, the Awards encourage the innovation and discoveries that will result in high-tech jobs, economic prosperity, and a better quality of life for us all."

"The Premier's Research Excellence Awards shine a spotlight on the highly innovative work that is being done in Ontario's universities and colleges," said Training, Colleges and Universities Minister Dianne Cunningham. "University research plays an important role in economic growth, job creation and an improved quality of life for all Ontarians."

The Premier's Research Excellence Awards were created in 1998 to help Ontario's world-class researchers attract talented people to their research teams and to encourage innovation among the province's brightest young researchers at universities, colleges, hospitals and research institutes. The 10-year, $127.5-million awards program includes an $85-million investment from the province, with $42.5 million coming from research institutions or private- sector partners. This overall total reflects the government's May 2000 budget commitment to double the province's annual funding of the awards program from $5 million to $10 million.

To date, 305 researchers have received awards worth a total of $30.4 million from the province for research projects on everything from the human genome and new drugs to high-speed computing and communications systems to developing new materials for industry.


Adapted from a press release by the Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology
Last modified: Tuesday, 14-Jul-2015 18:05:58 EDT