Dr Mario Pinto

Dr Mario Pinto has officially taken up his position in Ottawa as president of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC). Pinto began exercising his official duties in mid-November, several months after being appointed incoming NSERC president (R$, June 26/14). He replaces Dr Suzannne Fortier, who stepped down in March/13 prior to assuming her new position in September/13 as president of McGill Univ. Pinto comes to NSERC from Simon Fraser Univ where he spent 30 years, including 10 years as VP research. He has promised a fresh approach to managing Canada's largest granting agency which he describes as "multidisciplinary and fluid, unfettered by tradition". In an interview with RE$EARCH MONEY earlier this year, Pinto said he would work to achieve an equilibrium between fundamental and applied research, forcefully make the case for increased funding and emphasize the need for Canadian researchers to play a greater role on the world stage….