Canada punches above its weight in S&T

By Dr Eliot A. Phillipson

Contrary to what may be conventional wisdom, Canada's science and technology (S&T) enterprise is healthy, growing, and highly competitive and respected internationally. As such, our nation is well positioned to meet the innovation challenges of the 21st century. These findings are outlined in a new report, The State of Science and Technology in Canada, 2012, released by the Council of Canadian Academies on September 27th.

The report, commissioned by Industry Canada, is one of the most in-depth examinations of Canadian S&T ever undertaken, and is the result of extensive work by an expert panel, comprised of members with diverse academic and industry backgrounds, from Canada, the United States, and Europe. Our in-depth assessment of the state of S&T focused on research performed in the higher education, not-for-profit, and government sectors. The assessment considered the full range of disciplines in which research is conducted, including the natural sciences and engineering, health sciences, the humanities, arts, and social sciences. This is the second time the Council has taken on such an examination. The first report was issued in 2006 and identified four key areas of research strength.

The Council's expert panel examined improvements and declines in research fields over the past five years, identified emerging areas of S&T strength, and assessed provincial strengths and areas of specialization. Of particular interest were the findings of a unique survey of leading international researchers — authors of the top 1% of the most highly cited research papers in each field. Over one third of the 5,000 respondents from 40 countries ranked Canada as one of the five leading countries in the world in their particular field of research, placing Canada fourth overall behind the US, United Kingdom, and Germany. On a field-by-field basis, Canada was ranked among the top five countries in the world in 16 of 20 fields examined.

Through advanced bibliometric measurements — the study of the quantity and quality of scientific publications in a database — the panel was able to assess international collaborations, which showed that Canadian researchers are working with counterparts in the world's most scientifically advanced research nations, and is a preferred partner of choice for the US, China, Brazil and the Republic of Korea.

The panel also determined that Canada excels in the global context in six research fields: clinical medicine, historical studies, information and communication technologies, physics and astronomy, psychology and cognitive sciences, and visual and performing arts. Collectively, these six fields of strength indicate the breadth of Canadian research excellence.

"Advances in S&T are critical for building a dynamic, knowledge-based economy, and ensuring our continued economic prosperity, social stability, and quality of life. The evidence in The State of Science and Technology in Canada, 2012 indicates Canada is well placed to lead through the 21st Century." — Dr Eliot Phillipson

no preconceived notions

The panel did not set out with a preconceived notion regarding the number of areas of strength that should be identified. Rather, we let the evidence speak for itself. We determined the two best tools by which to evaluate the performance of each field were its international citation ranking (a measure of impact) and its ranking in the international survey (a measure of reputation). Other factors, such as the magnitude of the field in Canada and trends associated with its growth or decline, also informed the panel's analysis.

In addition to the six fields of strength, Canada leads the world in scientific impact in nine sub-fields; and in a total of 56 of the 176 sub-fields, Canada ranks among the top five countries in the world.

The panel was also able to identify several emerging research clusters in which Canada is at the forefront of research. These include: wireless technologies and networking; information processing and computation; digital media technologies; nanotechnologies; personalized medicine; tissue engineering; and energy technologies.

S&T performance is critically dependent on capacity, including highly qualified and skilled personnel, and infrastructure in the form of facilities, networking, and research support programs. Canada is performing well in regard to these elements. During 2005-2009, there was a 35% increase in doctoral graduates from Canadian universities; and between 1997 and 2010, Canada experienced a net positive migration flow of established researchers. Respondents to the international survey identified a number of world-leading major research facilities in Canada, and Canadian experts identified several research support programs and institutions that are a distinct advantage for Canadian S&T.

Overall, Canada has much to be proud of. With less than 0.5% of the world's population, we produce 4.1% of the world's scientific papers and nearly 5% of the most frequently cited papers. We are ranked among the world leaders in several fields by the international research community, placing Canada in the premier division of the world's top science league.

compelling evidence

The conclusions reached by the expert panel may come as a surprise to many, and at times are contrary to some of the commentary that has appeared in the media in recent months and years. However, the evidence collected by the panel is both compelling and clear.

Advances in S&T are critical for building a dynamic, knowledge-based economy, and ensuring our continued economic prosperity, social stability, and quality of life. The evidence in The State of Science and Technology in Canada, 2012 indicates Canada is well placed to lead through the 21st Century. Strategic international collaborations are well established; we continue to develop and attract a highly skilled workforce; and Canada is at the forefront of several areas of global S&T that will be dominant in the coming years. Above all, the research produced by our S&T enterprise is world-class in both output and impact, is competitive internationally, and is highly respected globally.

Dr Eliot A Phillipson is chair of the Expert Panel on The State of Science and Technology in Canada and former president and CEO of the Canada Foundation for Innovation.