The Government of Canada, through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), is pleased to join a new edition of the US National Science Foundation (NSF)-led Global Centres initiative focused on the bioeconomy.

Through the 2024 competition, Canada, along with other international partners, will support international, interdisciplinary collaborative research centres to foster cutting-edge breakthroughs in the bioeconomy. These centres will develop use-inspired research to address global challenges facing humanity in sectors of the global economy such as agriculture, health, security, manufacturing, energy, and environment.

NSF Global Centres is a collaborative effort among the United States, Canada, Finland, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the United Kingdom. Partner Agencies include NSERC, SSHRC, NSF and the National Endowment for the Humanities of the United States of America (NEH), the Research Council of Finland (RCF), the Innovation Funding Agency Business Finland (BF), the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), the Ministry of Science and Information and Communication Technology of the Republic of Korea (MSIT), and the United Kingdom Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).

Canada is a global leader in many aspects of the bioeconomy, including access to and use of biomass for advanced bioproducts and innovative solutions, forestry and agriculture, food and cultural sovereignty, and sustainable resource management. Canada brings a skilled and knowledgeable workforce in these areas. Canada’s engagement of Indigenous researchers, communities, and organizations greatly enhances research in the bioeconomy by incorporating traditional Indigenous knowledge and unique expertise. Research in the natural sciences, engineering, social and behavioural sciences, and the humanities, in collaboration with international expertise, will help Canada leverage its expertise and resources.

Through a lead agency model, the US Principal Investigator (PI) will submit a single collaborative proposal on behalf of the research team, which will undergo a review process by NSF, the lead agency. In parallel, Canadian researchers on the team must submit a simplified application to NSERC. Eligible Canadian researchers may receive funding from NSERC and SSHRC, while international researchers from the US, Finland, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and/or the UK may receive funding from their respective funding agencies.

NSERC and SSHRC will offer joint information sessions on the NSF Global Centres initiative. Please find below the information for the upcoming sessions:

• • Date and time: Tuesday, April 16, 2024, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (EST)
  • Click here to join the meeting
  • Meeting ID: 2773 741 6684
  • Passcode: NSERC2024!

  Join by video system

  • Dial: 27737416684@nsercvideo.webex.com
  • You can also dial 173.243.2.68 and enter your meeting number.

  Join by phone

  • +1-613-714-9906 Canada Toll (Ottawa)
  • 1-844-426-4405 Canada Toll Free
  • Access code: 2773 741 6684
• • Date and time: Wednesday, April 17, 2024, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (EST)
  • Click here to join the meeting
  • Meeting ID: 2772 514 1324
  • Passcode: CRSNG2024!

  Join by video system

  • Dial: 27725141324@nsercvideo.webex.com
  • You can also dial 173.243.2.68 and enter your meeting number.

  Join by phone

  • +1-613-714-9906 Canada Toll (Ottawa)
  • 1-844-426-4405 Canada Toll Free
  • Access code: 2772 514 1324

Applications must be submitted by June 11, 2024. Please read the funding opportunity description for more details. Additional information is also available on the NSF Global Centres Program Solicitation page.

For questions on the NSF Global Centres initiative, please contact RP-Initiatives-PR@nserc-crsng.gc.ca.