Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
Symbol of the Government of Canada

Common menu bar links

Impact Stories

Aki Kikinomakaywin: opportunities in STEM for First Nation youth in northern Ontario
Aki Kikinomakaywin: opportunities in STEM for First Nation youth in northern Ontario
December 8, 2022
Born out of the NORDIK Institute in Sault Ste. Marie, Aki Kikinomakaywin (formerly titled Indigenous Youth Environmental Monitoring Initiative [IYEMI]) supports the First Nation youth of northern Ontario in gaining confidence in accessing postsecondary education opportunities in STEM fields.

Towards an equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible research ecosystem
Towards an equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible research ecosystem
December 1, 2022
Dr. Wolbring is a tenured full professor at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine in the community rehabilitation and disability studies program, who initially trained as a biochemist.

Systemic racism alters wildlife genetic diversity, University of Manitoba study reports
Systemic racism alters wildlife genetic diversity, University of Manitoba study reports
November 24, 2022
Racist segregation housing practices in the United States of America have had a genetic impact on urban wildlife, a new study by University of Manitoba (UM) in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports.

PromoScience award supports successful initiative
PromoScience award supports successful initiative
November 15, 2022
The University of Calgary’s Edward Johnson and Sue Arlidge have a long history of research and STEM education in the Stoney Nakoda Nation territory, in the mountains west of Calgary.

Openness, interdisciplinarity and the way forward
Openness, interdisciplinarity and the way forward
October 24, 2022
Open science principles are central to our vision, and are omnipresent throughout our strategic plan, NSERC 2030: Discovery, innovation, inclusion.

Indigenous U of G prof weaves knowledge systems in unique research on Eastern wolves
Indigenous U of G prof weaves knowledge systems in unique research on Eastern wolves
October 4, 2022
The first thing University of Guelph professor Dr. Jesse Popp did when considering how to research the Eastern wolf population in Northern Ontario was to reflect on what years of relationship building with local Indigenous communities had provided.

Wolastoq Education Initiative: combining science with Indigenous knowledge
Wolastoq Education Initiative: combining science with Indigenous knowledge
September 20, 2022
Located on the Tobique First Nation in New Brunswick, the Wolastoq Education Initiative (WEI) is a First Nations run not-for-profit organization, delivering programming in STEM and Indigenous culture.

Will electric bills ever go down?
Will electric bills ever go down?
September 6, 2022
Lowering electricity costs and decreasing CO2 emissions is something Dr. Adel Merabet aims to achieve through his work in renewable energy integration at Saint Mary’s University.

X-Oceans Outreach: promoting diversity both above and below sea level
X-Oceans Outreach: promoting diversity both above and below sea level
August 23, 2022
A dedicated team out of northeastern Nova Scotia is finding new ways to inspire the next generation of ocean conservationists.

Central Coast First Nations and NIC pilot geoduck aquaculture
Central Coast First Nations and NIC pilot geoduck aquaculture
August 9, 2022
A new research partnership is examining how to increase geoduck aquaculture on the BC Coast.

The Royal Canadian Institute for Science (RCIScience)
The Royal Canadian Institute for Science (RCIScience)
July 26, 2022
The Royal Canadian Institute for Science (RCIScience) is the recipient of the NSERC Award for Science Promotion (Organization).

High school injuries inspire engineering grad to explore biomedical solutions
High school injuries inspire engineering grad to explore biomedical solutions
July 14, 2022
Portia Rayner describes her University of Alberta engineering degree as a seismic “shift in mentality.”

Dr. Jennifer Campos - The KITE Research Institute
Dr. Jennifer Campos - The KITE Research Institute
June 21, 2022
For her career-long contributions to the promotion of science and her commitment to expanding equity, diversity and inclusivity within STEM fields, Dr. Jennifer Campos is the recipient of the 2021 NSERC Awards for Science Promotion (Individual).

Researchers bridge the gap between disciplines to better understand chemical reactions
Researchers bridge the gap between disciplines to better understand chemical reactions
June 8, 2022
Though chemical reactions may be very complex, they often follow a series of elementary steps as they progress. In their work, SFU chemistry PhD student Miranda Louwerse and physics professor David Sivak found that information provided by a reaction coordinate about how a reaction is progressing precisely equals how dissipating that coordinate is.

Seneca researchers teach machines to help video editors
Seneca researchers teach machines to help video editors
May 27, 2022
Ask anyone who’s done it — video editing is time-consuming, tedious work. And with demand for new content across countless platforms higher than ever, the editor’s work is never done.

Higher education and language skills may help ward off dementia
Higher education and language skills may help ward off dementia
May 10, 2022
New research has found that people with mild cognitive impairment may not inevitably develop dementia and, in fact, having higher education and advanced language skills more than doubles their chances of returning to normal.

Advancing research from lab to market
Advancing research from lab to market
April 26, 2022

How can we connect knowledge built in academia to people that need knowledge-based solutions for real-world challenges? In a word: innovation. But the journey from a research lab to hitting a consumer's radar is not obvious, fast, or straightforward. Transforming research discovery into new products and processes available at market usually requires investment, connections, and patience.



Sheridan's Centre for Elder Research releases food security toolkit for older adults who may be at risk of social isolation
Sheridan's Centre for Elder Research releases food security toolkit for older adults who may be at risk of social isolation
April 7, 2022
When Dr. Leigh Hayden of Sheridan's Centre for Elder Research first began the proposal process for what would become the Putting Food on the Table project, she never imagined the far-reaching impact it would have for older adults in Halton.

uOttawa study shows widespread retreat and loss of marine-terminating glaciers in the Northern Hemisphere
uOttawa study shows widespread retreat and loss of marine-terminating glaciers in the Northern Hemisphere
March 29, 2022
Two researchers from the University of Ottawa are the first to map out all the glaciers that end in the ocean in the Northern Hemisphere and provide a measure of their rate of change over the last 20 years. Their findings will help better understand – and perhaps predict – the impact of climate change north of the equator.

Bioinnovation partnership leads to new, sustainable automotive material
Bioinnovation partnership leads to new, sustainable automotive material
March 15, 2022
A collaboration between University of Toronto researchers and Ford Canada, led by the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering's Professor Mohini Sain, has produced a new, sustainably-sourced, production-ready engine component for high-performance vehicles.

Keeping it tight: BETAC is ready to meet the growing need for building air tightness testing
Keeping it tight: BETAC is ready to meet the growing need for building air tightness testing
March 4, 2022
Red River College Polytechnic’s (RRC Polytech) Building Efficiency Technology Access Centre (BETAC) is providing a breath of fresh air these days.

Catastrophizing can lead to heightened pain as measured by cardiovascular readings, Concordia research shows
Catastrophizing can lead to heightened pain as measured by cardiovascular readings, Concordia research shows
February 24, 2022
Our ability to manage pain varies from person to person. So what may be somewhat painful to one can be agonizing to another, even if the cause of the discomfort they are experiencing is the same.

Ancient DNA found in soil samples reveals mammoths, Yukon wild horses survived thousands of years longer than believed
Ancient DNA found in soil samples reveals mammoths, Yukon wild horses survived thousands of years longer than believed
February 15, 2022
Mere spoonsful of soil pulled from Canada’s permafrost are opening vast windows into ancient life in the Yukon, revealing rich new information and rewriting previous beliefs about the extinction dynamics, dates and survival of megafauna like mammoths, horses and other long-lost life forms.

Finding new life for non-recyclable rubber and plastics
Finding new life for non-recyclable rubber and plastics
January 25, 2022
Now, researchers at UBC Okanagan’s School of Engineering are collaborating to develop an innovative use for non-recyclable plastic and rubber waste. In fact, these materials, mostly from cars and sporting goods, are emerging as key components in batteries and other energy storage solutions.

Alum takes high school students under her wing
Alum takes high school students under her wing
January 14, 2022
Vancouver Island University (VIU) alum Samuelle Simard-Provençal led a bird banding demonstration in September 2021 to allow girls and Indigenous youth to learn about biological sciences and the different career paths they can pursue.