Council of Canadian Academies asked to assess industrial research and development

Industry Canada has asked the Council of Canadian Academies (CCA) to assemble an Expert Panel on the State of Industrial Research and Development in Canada to examine existing and emerging areas of Canadian R&D strength and how they compare on a global basis. The new expert panel follows on the heels of the Expert Panel Review of Federal Support to Research and Development (R$, October 17/11) and is expected to complete its work in 2013.

To be chaired by Kathleen Sendall (see page 7), the panel's work complements yet another expert panel. Chaired by Dr Eliot Phillipson, former president and CEO of the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Expert Panel on the State of Science and Technology in Canada has already held two meetings and scheduled a third in Montreal this January with an anticipated completion of its work in mid 2012.

"The charge that came to the Council from Industry Canada was very broad and therefore it was determined that it would be best to run two expert panels, one on S&T and one on R&D," says Cate Meechan, CCA's director of communications. "We anticipate that the assessment will provide important baseline information and support decision makers as they consider future public policies."

The CCA has hit full stride with a full slate of assessments underway. Other assessments in progress are:

* Harnessing Science and Technology to Understand the Environmental Impacts of Shale Gas Extraction

* Food Security Research in Northern Canada

* Potential for New and Innovative Uses of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) for Greening Canada

* Memory Institutions and the Digital Revolution

* Energy Prices: Impacts and Adaptation: Assessing Canada's Preparedness

* Canadian Ocean Science

* Socio-economic Impacts of Innovation Investments

* The Integrated Testing of Pesticides

* Science Performance and Research Funding

* Women in University Research

* Sustainable Management of Water in the Agricultural Landscapes of Canada

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