Suzanne Fortier, President, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
Thursday April 19, 2012 Toronto Roundtable Event - Raising Canada’s Innovation Game: Stimulating Business-Academic Partnerships
Increasingly in Canada and worldwide, we understand that talent, knowledge and innovation are the key assets we need to succeed in the global, knowledge-based economy. Canada is poised to raise its innovation game, a job that calls for new approaches to tap into the talent, creativity and cooperation of industry, academia and government. Connecting and applying the strength of Canada’s research talent and discoveries to the opportunities and needs of business has been a priority for NSERC and a central theme of its Strategy for Partnerships and Innovation.
Suzanne Fortier has served as President of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) since January 2006. She was re-appointed to this position in November 2010. During her first five years, Dr. Fortier brought a renewed focus on excellence to the agency. Changes to NSERC's funding structure ensure that the best researchers receive the funding they need to conduct world-class research. NSERC now engages more closely with industries to initiate research and development projects with academic partners. Dr. Fortier has also forged stronger relationships with other federal granting agencies and organizations to increase the number and scope of joint initiatives available to researches. For example, a collaboration between National Research Council Canada, Business Development Bank of Canada and NSERC resulted in an ambitions new national initiative in nanotechnology.
Before her appointment to this position, Dr. Fortier held a number of senior research and administrative positions at Queen's University. She joined Queen's University as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry in 1982 after holding reserach positions at the Medical Foundation of Buffalo and Natinoal Research Council of Canada. She then served as Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, Acting Vice-Principal (Research), and Associate Dean in the School of Graduate Studies and Research before being appointed Vice-Principal (Research) in 1995. Prior to her appointment, from 2000 to 2005, she was Vice-Principal (Academic).
Dr. Fortier served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Ontario Centres of Excellence Inc., the Board of Governors of the Royal Military College of Canada, and the Government of Canada's Council of Science and Technology Advisors. She is currently a member of the Ontario Task Force on Competitiveness, Productivity, and Economic Progress; and the Board of Directors of the Canada Foundation for Innovation.
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