Strategic grants from agencies such as the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) are related to themes that the granting councils identify as areas of strategic importance to the nation and therefore encourage research into those areas. The councils base their strategic areas on advice from government, the private sector and academic researchers. Three notable strategic grants were received this year:

From NSERC:

Two of the six applications submitted by U of M researchers to NSERC's strategic projects competition were successful. Nationally, 76 of 280 proposals were successful (27 per cent). The Manitoba dollar success rate of 36 per cent was higher than the national average of 26 per cent.

• Susan Arntfield, food science, with co-investigators Stefan Cenkowski, biosystems engineering, Linda Malcolmson and Bev Watts, foods and nutrition, received a four-year award of $407,500 for their project on gas-fired infrared processing of pulses. Industry partners include Gas Technology Canada, Infraready Foods, and the Manitoba Pulse Growers Association.
• The second award went to Withold Pedrycz, electrical and computer engineering, and co-investigator N.J. Pizzi, of the National Research Council Institute for Biodiagnostics. They received a three-year award of $192,500 for their project on hybrid knowledge-based classification of complex volumetric patterns. This classification system could be used in meteorological radar scans to improve the prediction of severe storms. The industry partner, InfoMagnetics, and the National Research Council will provide in-kind support.

• Susan Prentice, sociology, and Lynn Ferguson, social work, received a three-year strategic grant of $63,000 to support their research on "volunteerism and the changing welfare state: a case study in child care." Partner organizations for this grant in the Women and Work theme include the Manitoba Child Care Association and the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care.

More highlights of the research achievements of our faculty and students.

• New Project to Evaluate Drug Therapy
• Flood of the Century Brings Out Best from U of M
• Medical Research Council Recognizes Outstanding
• Manitobans Named to All Three Major Research Councils
• Notable Research Funding
• Geographer Studies Northern Sea Ice Effect on Climate

• Medical Research Gains Crocus Investment
• SMART Park to Encourage University-Industry Interaction
• World's "Smartest" Bridge Opens in Headingley
• Technology Transfer

• Rockefeller Foundation Funds AIDS Project
• TRLabs Renews Partnership Agreement
• University Partners with Team Cormorant