CFI Awards $1.27 M to Carleton U. for Five Projects Including
a Happiness Laboratory--Carleton's Research Success Story Continues
June 29, 2004
(Ottawa) Dr. Feridun Hamdullahpur, Vice-President (Research and International) today welcomed an investment of $1.27 million dollars from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) for five research projects. The announcement was made earlier today by Carmen Charette Interim President and CEO of the CFI.
"We are very pleased to receive this significant infrastructure support from the CFI," says Dr. Hamdullahpur. "This investment will allow our researchers to create world-class facilities and cutting edge research along with training and mentoring new research talent."
Close to $1 million of the funding (which is listed below) was awarded through the CFI's New Opportunities Fund while the remaining 30 percent was awarded under the CFI's Infrastructure Operating Fund. The five research projects are:
Personality and Well-being: The Carleton University Happiness Laboratory $189,647
Dr. John Zelenski, Assistant Professor, Psychology
Police Research Laboratory $214,212
Dr. Craig Bennell, Assistant Professor, Psychology
The Application of Psychological Models of Decision-making to Improve Criminal Justice Outcomes $173,308
Dr. Ralph Serin, Assistant Professor, Psychology
Centre for Research in Representational Development $197,928
Dr. Deepthi Kamawar, Assistant Professor, Cognitive Science and Psychology,
Facility for Enzyme Kinetics and Gene Regulation Studies Investigating Sulfur Amino Acid Metabolism $201,779
Dr. Susan Aitken, Assistant Professor, Biology and Biochemistry
Carleton University is seeking matching funding from the Ontario government for these projects. More detailed descriptions of the projects are available at the end of this news release.
Carleton continues to experience a remarkable rise in research funding that has seen sponsored research at the University grow fourfold in the past four years to the tune of $100 million. Earlier this year, the Sprott School of Business won the Institutional Best Overall Research Performance Award from the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada. In August 2003, Carleton University and the University of Arizona signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to pursue joint research projects. This partnership is the largest Canada-U.S. alliance for both schools. In October 2002, Alcatel selected Carleton as its first Canadian Alcatel Global Research Partner. A list of Canada’s top 50 research universities published November 4, 2003 in the National Post puts Carleton third among comprehensive universities in research funding. Carleton now has a total of 19 Canada Research Chairs, six NSERC Research Chairs, and three Endowed Chairs.
The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) is an independent corporation created in 1997 by the Government of Canada to fund research infrastructure. The CFI’s New Opportunities Fund (NOF) enables eligible universities to provide research infrastructure for newly-recruited faculty members, in their first full-time academic appointment in Canadian degree-granting institutions, so that these researchers can undertake leading-edge research. The fund also enables institutions to recruit new faculty members in the areas of research identified as priorities in their strategic research plans. The CFI’s Infrastructure Operating Fund (IOF) helps with operating and maintenance costs associated with new infrastructure projects.
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For more information:
Lin Moody
Media Relations Officer, Carleton University
613-520-2600 ext. 8705
RESEARCH SUMMARIES
JOHN ZELENSKI
Despite the impressive economic gains of the twentieth century, we have not experienced an equivalent increase in our psychological well-being. Since WW II, personal wealth has more than doubled while indicators of happiness have remained surprisingly stable and rates of depression and other stress-related disorders have increased substantially. The new Happiness Lab will contribute to a better understanding of individual differences in the processes that contribute to well-being. Ultimately, this understanding will provide the basis for strategies that promote happiness and/or prevent stress-related problems. Such a change would have the ripple effect of improving Ontario's productivity and health services budgets.
CRAIG BENNELL
The primary goal of the Police Research Laboratory (PRL) is to improve the quality of police decision making in critical incidents, ranging from serial crime investigations to lethal force situations. The PRL will focus on three areas of research: (1) testing the reliability and validity of psychologically based investigative techniques, (2) exploring the use of diagnostic decision aids designed to improve police decision making, and (3) studying the role of simulation technology in police training. The research conducted in the PRL will provide exceptional benefits to Ontario, including increased efficiency in the use of resources, more effective investigative procedures, and improved training standards for Ontario law enforcement agencies; better commercial products, increased product sales, and access to highly qualified personnel for Ontario industry; and, increased economic activity, additional employment opportunities, and more secure communities for the people of Ontario.
RALPH SERIN
Recent census data indicate that almost 10 percent of Canadian adults and youth have had formal involvement with the criminal justice system (police, courts, correctional agencies). This underscores the need to consider criminal justice issues as an important social concern. This new infrastructure will support systematic investigations of the factors and processes underlying criminal justice decision-making in different applications and various jurisdictions over the next decade. Results from the laboratory would yield more accountable decisions, significant cost savings to the province, and also provide improved public safety through greater accuracy in decision-making.
DEEPTHI KAMAWAR
The Centre for Research in Representational Development (CRRD) will have as its goal the advancement of understanding how children acquire proficiency with many representational types (e.g., beliefs and intentions; written language, numerals; and maps, scale models, pictures, and videos). The ability to use representations and symbol systems for communicative purposes is a critical developmental achievement. The work done in CRRD will benefit primary education in Ontario through the development of more sophisticated ways to assess young children's developing ability to deal with representations (e.g., literacy, numeracy, social cognition). This will allow for earlier diagnosis of difficulties, and therefore, earlier intervention. This would result in a better educated population, with the skills necessary to be productive, financially independent contributors to Ontario's economy. Early intervention is also economically advantageous to the province.
SUSAN AITKEN
The infrastructure will establish a facility for Enzyme Kinetics and Gene Regulation Studies at Carleton University that will support Dr. Aitken's research program, aimed at elucidating the mechanisms and regulation of the enzymes of the sulfur amino acid metabolic pathway in plants, mammals, and microorganisms. Applications of this research include the production of varieties of crop plants with improved nutritional quality and resistance to atmospheric pollution; the phytoremediation of soil contaminated with heavy metals; and an improved understanding of sulfur amino acid metabolism in humans that will lead to the development of novel therapeutics for diseases including homocystinuria, Down syndrome, and atherosclerosis.
a Happiness Laboratory--Carleton's Research Success Story Continues
June 29, 2004
(Ottawa) Dr. Feridun Hamdullahpur, Vice-President (Research and International) today welcomed an investment of $1.27 million dollars from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) for five research projects. The announcement was made earlier today by Carmen Charette Interim President and CEO of the CFI.
"We are very pleased to receive this significant infrastructure support from the CFI," says Dr. Hamdullahpur. "This investment will allow our researchers to create world-class facilities and cutting edge research along with training and mentoring new research talent."
Close to $1 million of the funding (which is listed below) was awarded through the CFI's New Opportunities Fund while the remaining 30 percent was awarded under the CFI's Infrastructure Operating Fund. The five research projects are:
Personality and Well-being: The Carleton University Happiness Laboratory $189,647
Dr. John Zelenski, Assistant Professor, Psychology
Police Research Laboratory $214,212
Dr. Craig Bennell, Assistant Professor, Psychology
The Application of Psychological Models of Decision-making to Improve Criminal Justice Outcomes $173,308
Dr. Ralph Serin, Assistant Professor, Psychology
Centre for Research in Representational Development $197,928
Dr. Deepthi Kamawar, Assistant Professor, Cognitive Science and Psychology,
Facility for Enzyme Kinetics and Gene Regulation Studies Investigating Sulfur Amino Acid Metabolism $201,779
Dr. Susan Aitken, Assistant Professor, Biology and Biochemistry
Carleton University is seeking matching funding from the Ontario government for these projects. More detailed descriptions of the projects are available at the end of this news release.
Carleton continues to experience a remarkable rise in research funding that has seen sponsored research at the University grow fourfold in the past four years to the tune of $100 million. Earlier this year, the Sprott School of Business won the Institutional Best Overall Research Performance Award from the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada. In August 2003, Carleton University and the University of Arizona signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to pursue joint research projects. This partnership is the largest Canada-U.S. alliance for both schools. In October 2002, Alcatel selected Carleton as its first Canadian Alcatel Global Research Partner. A list of Canada’s top 50 research universities published November 4, 2003 in the National Post puts Carleton third among comprehensive universities in research funding. Carleton now has a total of 19 Canada Research Chairs, six NSERC Research Chairs, and three Endowed Chairs.
The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) is an independent corporation created in 1997 by the Government of Canada to fund research infrastructure. The CFI’s New Opportunities Fund (NOF) enables eligible universities to provide research infrastructure for newly-recruited faculty members, in their first full-time academic appointment in Canadian degree-granting institutions, so that these researchers can undertake leading-edge research. The fund also enables institutions to recruit new faculty members in the areas of research identified as priorities in their strategic research plans. The CFI’s Infrastructure Operating Fund (IOF) helps with operating and maintenance costs associated with new infrastructure projects.
-30-
For more information:
Lin Moody
Media Relations Officer, Carleton University
613-520-2600 ext. 8705
RESEARCH SUMMARIES
JOHN ZELENSKI
Despite the impressive economic gains of the twentieth century, we have not experienced an equivalent increase in our psychological well-being. Since WW II, personal wealth has more than doubled while indicators of happiness have remained surprisingly stable and rates of depression and other stress-related disorders have increased substantially. The new Happiness Lab will contribute to a better understanding of individual differences in the processes that contribute to well-being. Ultimately, this understanding will provide the basis for strategies that promote happiness and/or prevent stress-related problems. Such a change would have the ripple effect of improving Ontario's productivity and health services budgets.
CRAIG BENNELL
The primary goal of the Police Research Laboratory (PRL) is to improve the quality of police decision making in critical incidents, ranging from serial crime investigations to lethal force situations. The PRL will focus on three areas of research: (1) testing the reliability and validity of psychologically based investigative techniques, (2) exploring the use of diagnostic decision aids designed to improve police decision making, and (3) studying the role of simulation technology in police training. The research conducted in the PRL will provide exceptional benefits to Ontario, including increased efficiency in the use of resources, more effective investigative procedures, and improved training standards for Ontario law enforcement agencies; better commercial products, increased product sales, and access to highly qualified personnel for Ontario industry; and, increased economic activity, additional employment opportunities, and more secure communities for the people of Ontario.
RALPH SERIN
Recent census data indicate that almost 10 percent of Canadian adults and youth have had formal involvement with the criminal justice system (police, courts, correctional agencies). This underscores the need to consider criminal justice issues as an important social concern. This new infrastructure will support systematic investigations of the factors and processes underlying criminal justice decision-making in different applications and various jurisdictions over the next decade. Results from the laboratory would yield more accountable decisions, significant cost savings to the province, and also provide improved public safety through greater accuracy in decision-making.
DEEPTHI KAMAWAR
The Centre for Research in Representational Development (CRRD) will have as its goal the advancement of understanding how children acquire proficiency with many representational types (e.g., beliefs and intentions; written language, numerals; and maps, scale models, pictures, and videos). The ability to use representations and symbol systems for communicative purposes is a critical developmental achievement. The work done in CRRD will benefit primary education in Ontario through the development of more sophisticated ways to assess young children's developing ability to deal with representations (e.g., literacy, numeracy, social cognition). This will allow for earlier diagnosis of difficulties, and therefore, earlier intervention. This would result in a better educated population, with the skills necessary to be productive, financially independent contributors to Ontario's economy. Early intervention is also economically advantageous to the province.
SUSAN AITKEN
The infrastructure will establish a facility for Enzyme Kinetics and Gene Regulation Studies at Carleton University that will support Dr. Aitken's research program, aimed at elucidating the mechanisms and regulation of the enzymes of the sulfur amino acid metabolic pathway in plants, mammals, and microorganisms. Applications of this research include the production of varieties of crop plants with improved nutritional quality and resistance to atmospheric pollution; the phytoremediation of soil contaminated with heavy metals; and an improved understanding of sulfur amino acid metabolism in humans that will lead to the development of novel therapeutics for diseases including homocystinuria, Down syndrome, and atherosclerosis.
