The Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) has recently granted just over one million dollars to four research projects at the University of Manitoba.
The funding comes from the John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JRELF) and is awarded to help attract and keep the best researchers at Canadian institutions.
Funding from the JRELF will go towards investing in facilities to build an infrastructure that enables cutting-edge research, develop research support packages which are competitive, and cover research costs from partner organizations.
Recipients of this funding are leaders in their fields of research, are pursuing research and development that is innovative, and hold a full-time academic position with a research institution. In addition, the research should benefit Canadians.
The four projects to which the funding was granted are in the fields of plant science, electrical and computer engineering, soil science, and mechanical engineering.
High oil and high meal protein content canola cultivars
To increase the value of canola crops in Canada, researchers will work on developing methods to increase the oil and meal protein content of canola to above 50 per cent. Currently, oil content of commercially produced Canadian canola is on average 42 to 45 per cent, and meal protein content of hybrid commercial canola 46 to 47 per cent. The recipient of this award is Robert Duncan, from the department of plant science.
Condition monitoring of high voltage power systems
New methods to monitor the condition of online and offline high voltage power systems will help Canadians identify aging insulation. This will enable Canadians to replace insulation before equipment failure occurs and increase reliability. Investment in power infrastructure has not kept up with the demand for electric power in North America, resulting in increased stress on the system and reduced stability. The recipients of this award are Behzad Kordi, Sherif Sherif, and Derek Oliver, from the department of electrical and computer engineering.
Soil erosion and sedimentation
This research and development program will be expanded to aid in the assessment of sedimentation and soil erosion, create management practices for land and water resources, and to develop ways to improve policies and practices. The recipients of this award are David Lobb, from the department of soil science, partnered with Philip Owens, from the University of Northern British Columbia.
Ice engineering
Funding will go towards investing in time-resolved tomographic particle image velocimetry equipment and a water tunnel. This equipment will allow researchers to measure the three-dimensional velocity of airflows and water turbulence, enabling an investigation into the effects of channel roughness and ice covers. In addition, the characteristics of water jets and turbulent air will be examined. The recipients of this award are Mark Tachie, from the department of mechanical engineering, and Shawn Clark, from the department of civil engineering.
The CFI was founded in 1997 by the Government of Canada to support and develop world-class research and development which will benefit Canadians.
