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Carleton University Researchers Awarded $14,395,000 from NSERC

July 17, 2025

Time to read: 4 minutes

Carleton is being recognized for advancing investigations in areas of strength, such as climate change and sustainability, aerospace engineering, particle physics, and health and wellness.

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) has announced a record-breaking investment in discovery research and Canada’s next generation of research leaders, including $14,395,000 in funding for over 50 Carleton University researchers to help advance their scientific and engineering research projects.

This round of awards marks the highest total Discovery Grants grant value ever awarded to Carleton.

“The success of Carleton researchers in this competition is a testament to the university’s overall research excellence. These awards support our continued growth in external funding and recognition as a research-intensive institution,” said Rafik Goubran, Vice-President (Research and International). “Congratulations to the recipients of this round.”

See the awarded researchers:

Collaborative Research and Training Experience program

Prashant Waghmare, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, was awarded one of 16 Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) program grants.

Waghmare will receive $1.65 million for his innovative training program, CREATE-qCSI, which aims to address the skills gap in the Canadian space industry by providing highly-qualified personnel with technical and professional training.

Subatomic Physics Discovery Grant

Through the Subatomic Physics Discovery Grant, Mark Boulay, Department of Physics, and his team are receiving about $2 million over two years for the Global Argon Dark Matter Program.

Mark Boulay headshot
Mark Boulay

Discovery Horizons

Bill Willmore, Department of Biology, was awarded one of 11 Discovery Horizons (DH) grants this round and will receive $250,000 over five years for his project investigating cancer-associated fibroblasts, the body’s “tissue remodelers”.

DH grants support interdisciplinary research projects that advance knowledge in the natural sciences and engineering. Willmore’s project relies on tools from biochemistry, cell biology, engineering and medicine.

Discovery Grant Northern Research Supplements

Two awardees applied for and successfully received Discovery Grant Northern Research Supplements (DGNRS) totalling $32,500:

The DGNRS program supports NSERC-funded researchers conducting Discovery research in Canada’s North, recognizing the additional finances required to conduct research in the North.

Research Tools and Instruments Grants

The Research Tools and Instruments grants program will provide three researchers with $350,000 for the infrastructure needed to support their research projects:

Discovery Grants

Under the Discovery Grants program, 44 researchers will receive $10 million over 5 years—the highest average grant number and total value ever awarded to Carleton. The program supports ongoing research programs with long-term goals, providing the flexibility to fully explore the most promising avenues of research as they emerge.

Nine of the recipients are early-career researchers (ECRs) receiving an additional $12,500 thanks to the Discovery Launch Supplements program as support for developing their first Discovery Grant-funded research program.

Join us in congratulating these researchers by following Carleton University Research & International on LinkedIn.

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