Dear Colleagues,
On behalf of the steering group for the development of the proposal for Digital Research Infrastructure Contribution program I am pleased to provide you with an update on the progress made since the proposal was submitted.
The federal Minister of Science approved funding of up to $375 million towards the establishment of a new not for profit organization to coordinate funding and strategic directions for national activities related to: research data management; advanced research computing, and research software.
To that end, an applicant board has been established to undertake the work necessary to incorporate the new organization, including ongoing community consultations to address a number of outstanding governance issues prior to the establishment of the inaugural board in the new year.
We would like to thank the following individuals for agreeing to form the applicant board for this very important initiative.
- Dr. Guillaume Bourque, Director of the Canadian Centre for Computational Genomics, Professor, Human Genetics, McGill University,
- Ms. Barbara Kieley, ICD.D, Retired Partner Ernst & Young focus on public sector digital service transformation projects,
- Mr. Peter MacKinnon OC, QC, President Emeritus of the University of Saskatchewan, and former interim president of Dalhousie University and Athabasca University, and;
- Ms. Lori MacMullen, Executive Director, Canadian University Council of Chief Information Officers (CUCCIO).
A consultation plan is currently under development with in person and electronic consultations across the country starting in September. Building on the feedback received during the development of the proposal these consultations will address a number of the key outstanding governance issues including membership and board composition for the new organization.
During this phase of the work, the applicant board will continue to use the engagedri.ca website to post information and updates. They will also continue to receive input and questions through NDRIO-NOIRN@engagedri.ca.
On behalf of the steering group we look forward to supporting the work of the applicant board as they continue the engagement with the community to ensure a researcher-focused DRI ecosystem in Canada.
Sincerely
Gail Murphy