Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for Science and Technology, announced a total investment of $121.6 million in support of 155 new or renewed CRCs at 42 Canadian post-secondary institutions. The investment includes an additional amount of $7.1 million from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), which will go toward research infrastructure for the just-awarded new chairs.

Renewable after seven years and held by exceptional researchers recognized by their peers as world leaders in their fields, the Tier-1 CRCs benefit from an investment of $200,000 a year for seven years. Lasting five years and renewable one time only, the Tier-2 CRCs are held by exceptional new researchers recognized by their peers as being likely to become leaders in their fields. These chairs receive funding of $100,000 a year for five years.

Canada Research Chair in Multiscale Modelling of Advanced Aerospace Materials
Tier 2
Holder: Martin Lévesque
In his work, Professor Lévesque develops and tests new models for evaluating the mechanical response of cutting-edge materials used in the aerospace industry. He focuses his efforts on predicting the long-term response of composites in service conditions. He also predicts the effects of shot peening on metal fatigue and develops cost-saving, innovative procedures for testing materials in load conditions and in complex environmental conditions. The models developed by Professor Lévesque will enable the Canadian aerospace industry to design lighter and safer aircraft parts that will reduce fuel consumption and require less energy to be manufactured, which will decrease the environmental footprint of air travel.

Canada Research Chair in Software Change and Evolution
Tier 1
Holder: Giuliano Antoniol
Software technologies have become omnipresent in our lives. Almost all industries rely on software and most develop, subcontract or acquire significant amounts of software every year. The technology is ubiquitous, but so too is change. This means software systems must be dynamic and flexible to evolve with consumer needs and be designed to allow cost-effective change. Professor Antoniol is focusing on the planning, analysis and evolution of extremely large software systems. He is developing sophisticated tools for the effective planning, management and implementation of software modifications. He is also developing an open repository of open-source software programs that will allow for empirical evaluation of tools and approaches as well as the replication of experiments to help research in software engineering to advance at a faster pace.

Canada Research Chair in Mechanobiology of the Pediatric Musculoskeletal System
Tier 2
Holder: Isabelle Villemure
The way to grow up healthy is to be active. Muscle exertion and gravity are essential to the normal development of bone tissue. Too much exertion, however, causes growth anomalies or disorders of the muscular and bone tissue. And orthopedic treatments for these problems can have considerable physical and psychological effects on young patients (including, in particular, a disease called idiopathic scoliosis), and involve major costs for society. Professor Villemure is mainly seeking to find out how growing bone tissue responds to its mechanical environment. She takes a multidisciplinary approach to her research, working in collaboration with orthopedic surgeons, cellular and molecular biologists, and engineering colleagues. Equally central to her research work is enhancing the quality of life of young patients, which she hopes to do by improving current treatments and developing orthopedic approaches.