A research grant of up to $200,000 is up for grabs through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s (NSERC) annual Synergy Awards for Innovation, and nominations will be closing on April 15.
The award was created in 1995 as a means to encourage innovative endeavors in the fields of natural sciences and engineering between Canadian universities and industry in Canada. Past winners in the tech industry include Jozsef Kovecses at McGill University and Slim Boumaiza, a researcher at the University of Waterloo.
Kovecses was awarded the grant in 2018 for his work with Montreal-based CM Labs Simulations in the development of mathematical models that allow computer simulations to function in a more life-like fashion.
Boumaiza received his grant for his collaboration with Ericsson Canada Inc. and Keysight Technologies Canada Inc. to develop wireless communications through high-performance and energy-efficient radio equipment that can help ease the environmental impact of 4G network infrastructure.
The award features a prize of a $200,000 research grant for those at universities in Canada, which is awarded to the nominee, and a $100,000 research grant for nominees attending Canadian colleges, which is awarded to the institution.
There are four categories including small and medium-sized companies, large companies, two or more companies, and a single general category for colleges.