"Newfoundland and Labrador�s research institutions and
private sector enterprises are engaged in innovative, ground-breaking
work that is garnering attention across Canada and around the world,"
said the Honourable Shawn Skinner, Minister of Innovation, Trade and
Rural Development. "To support sustained activity, the Provincial
Government is working with its partners to provide students with access
to opportunities where they can acquire greater experience and
training. Our investment in ACCELERATE Newfoundland and Labrador
represents that commitment by connecting research students with local
enterprises looking to expand their R&D capacity."
ACCELERATE Newfoundland and Labrador is a
multi-disciplinary internship program that supports collaboration
involving graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, supervising
professors, and industry partners. During their four-month internship,
students undertake research projects on site with partners using
advanced research tools and techniques.
"Our public post-secondary institutions play a
critical role in the growth of the province�s research and development
sector," said the Honourable Joan Burke, Minister of Education. "We have
doubled the allocation of funding to support such work in recent years
from $5 million to $10 million annually. This investment is helping to
support the important research role of our college and university
systems."
Administered by MITACS � a national research network
that brings together university researchers and companies on
collaborative projects � ACCELERATE Newfoundland and Labrador received a
$650,000 investment from the Provincial Government in May 2008.
Projects can be undertaken in a wide range of areas, including
manufacturing, technical innovation, business processes, information
technology, social sciences, ocean technologies, and much more.
"The ACCELERATE program is a new way for Newfoundland
and Labrador to expand its research and development through partnerships
which will benefit a significant number of graduate students in the
province," said Dr. Arvind Gupta, Scientific Director and CEO of MITACS.
"This program will help turn the innovators of today into the job
creators of tomorrow."
Launched in September 2008, local companies and
organizations that have utilized the program include Ballicater
Consulting, InCoreTec, Oceanic Consulting, Fisheries and Oceans Canada,
Canadian Forest Service, Atlantic Forestry Centre, Institute for
Biodiversity, Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, and IMV Projects
Atlantic.
For more information on the ACCELERATE program, please
visit www.acceleratecanada.ca
Funding was provided through the Industrial Research
and Innovation Fund (IRIF). Administered by the Department of
Innovation, Trade and Rural Development, IRIF is designed to support
research and development and industrial innovation at post-secondary and
public research institutions in the province.
