Carleton researchers in medical physics, architectural conservation and sustainability engineering, and economics are receiving a $3.5-million lift with investments through the Early Researcher Awards and Ontario Research Fund. The announcement was made today by Yasir Naqvi, MPP Ottawa Centre, at an event in Ottawa.
“Carleton researchers strive constantly toward producing knowledge and understanding of critical issues,” said Kim Matheson, vice-president (Research and International).
Rowan Thomson, associate professor in the Faculty of Science’s Department of Physics, will receive $140,000 to develop computational approaches to model the interactions of radiation with matter in the health research field. These computational tools will be applied to advance knowledge of radiation physics, evaluate and improve radiotherapy for cancer and develop new treatments. Thomson’s research is expected to lead to new and improved cancer treatments.
Liam O’Brien, assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environment Engineering in the research-intensive Faculty of Engineering and Design (FED), will receive $140,000 to conduct research in the design of comfortable, robust, resilient and energy efficient condominiums. Current high-rise buildings are prone to occupant discomfort and high heating and cooling loads – a major driver for Ontario’s costly investment in energy infrastructure. O’Brian’s research is expected to reduce the need for new energy infrastructure.
The Early Researcher Award program (ERA) is a program administered by the Province of Ontario that aims to help promising, recently-appointed Ontario researchers build their research teams of graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and research associates. The ultimate goal of the program is to improve Ontario’s ability to attract and retain the best and brightest research talent in high-priority economic areas.
A list of Carleton researchers who have previously won the Early Research Awards is available here.
Radovan Vadovic, assistant professor in the Department of Economics will receive $52,000 from the Ontario Research Fund to develop an experimental economics laboratory at Carleton University to facilitate high-quality research and student training about the ways in which the emotion of anticipated regret influences decision-making.
The laboratory will allow researchers from the eastern Ontario region to pursue cutting-edge research and generate new insights from unique laboratory data sets. Researchers will be also able to evaluate designs of new economic systems such as procurement auctions, contractual provisions and taxation policies.
The Ontario Research Fund (ORF) – Small Infrastructure program helps attract, retain and develop leading researchers at publicly funded Ontario research institutions through the acquisition and renewal of leading-edge technology and equipment.
Also announced was the 2015 ORF – Large Infrastructure Fund. David Lau, in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering in FED, will receive $2,983,106 to create a multi-hazard test facility for built infrastructure protection and resilience.
These are matching funds for the test facility announced last week by the Canada Foundation for Innovation.
“Our research-intensive Faculty of Engineering and Design is very proud of its researchers,” said Dean Rafik Goubran. “We are confident that the research will lead to novel solutions that will make our world a better place.”
Also mentioned today was the Ministry of Labour’s Research Opportunities Program. Carleton University’s Paul Villeneuve has been awarded more than $239,000 from the Ontario government to pursue research on potential connections between occupational air hazards and kidney cancer.
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