DRR 2019-20 Supplementary Information Tables

Astronomy is a global science. The increasing cost of leading-edge observatories and the scarcity of ideal observation sites have led to a greater focus on international collaboration for large-scale astronomy projects which lead to advances in our knowledge and understanding of the universe.

The NRC, in collaboration with other international bodies, provides financial contributions to support the management and operations of offshore ground-based observatories and their related facilities, including the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT), the twin telescopes of the Gemini Observatory and the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA). The NRC participates in the oversight and direction of these facilities and their research capabilities. The NRC also represents Canada in the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) consortium for the pre-construction phase of the telescope. In 2015, Canada joined the international partnership to participate in the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). The NRC, on behalf of Canada, provides both financial and in-kind contributions.

International agreements governing these observatories are long-term commitments that specify contributions to support preconstruction design and development, construction, operation and maintenance, capital improvements (e.g., development of new astronomical instruments and other facility upgrades) and decommissioning of the international ground-based observatories and their related facilities. In addition, they include commitments to support the university-based user communities to ensure a fair and progressive use of these observatories. The NRC participates in the governance of these international facilities on behalf of the Canadian astronomy research community and provides appropriate support, including sophisticated data management services and instrumentation. Through the NRC's financial and in-kind contributions, the Canadian astronomy community is assured merit-based access to these facilities with appropriate support.

Recipients are not required to repay funds obtained under this transfer payment program.

• Demand by astronomers for international telescopes continued to exceed the time available, by factors ranging from two to more than four, depending on the observatory, an indicator of the relevance of the observatories and their instrumentation. Another indicator is their scientific productivity: 212 scientific papers were published by users based on data obtained using the CFHT, 259 based on data from the Gemini Observatory, and 452 based on data obtained using ALMA.
• NRC astronomers and astrophysicists published 156 refereed journal articles, 98 non-refereed publications and made 39 presentations at national & international institutes, conferences and workshops.
• ALMA awarded its first Canadian-led large program, VERTICO (Virgo Environment traced in CO), to a team of thirty experts led by post-doctoral researcher Toby Brown at McMaster University. VERTICO will produce high-resolution maps of molecular hydrogen gas in 51 spiral galaxies of the Virgo Cluster.
• The NRC was awarded a contract for a feasibility study to develop an upgraded correlator, a digital signal processing system, for the ALMA observatory. The NRC correlator team, integrating NRC and Canadian industry resources, will develop a design and integration solution based on the NRC's TALON technology and Frequency Slice Architecture (FSA) signal processing algorithms.
• In March 2020, the NASA New Horizons Team, which includes NRC researchers JJ Kavelaars and Stephen Gwyn, had three papers published in the journal Science indicating that the in situ observations of the outer solar system object Arrokoth visited by the New Horizons spacecraft strongly suggest that the "streaming instability" process is behind the origins of such objects.
• The NRC was awarded a contract to design a new pyramid-based wavefront sensor, a key component for the planned upgrade of the Gemini Planet Imager. The contract includes an option to proceed to fabrication. The upgrade will allow this instrument to remain competitive over the coming decade.
• The NRC's Canadian Astronomy Data Centre (CADC), in collaboration with the legacy survey teams for two CFHT science instruments, SPIRou and SITELLE, developed a computing environment on the Canadian Advanced Network for Astronomical Research (CANFAR) platform to help ensure the efficient analysis and distribution of observational data and measurements.
• The CADC houses over 1250 terabytes (TB) of the world's astronomical data. From these collections, the CADC delivered over 149 million files comprising 588 TB servicing data needs to over 8000 registered users at more than 2000 distinct locations worldwide.
• The team building the CFI-funded Gemini Infrared Multi-Object Spectrometer (GIRMOS), consisting of the NRC, seven Canadian universities and the Gemini Observatory, successfully passed conceptual design review in September 2019. This next-generation instrument will increase the efficiency of telescope time and enable significant progress over a wide range of astronomical research.
• Working with the Canadian Initiative for Radio Astronomy Data Analysis, the CADC developed an enhanced data model standard to allow optical and radio astronomical data to be stored and distributed by a unified system.

TRIUMF is Canada's particle accelerator centre. The laboratory is one of Canada's key investments in large-scale research infrastructure. It provides world-class facilities for research in sub-atomic physics, accelerator science, life sciences, and materials science. A consortium of 21 Canadian universities (14 full members and seven associate members) owns and operates TRIUMF. TRIUMF receives its federal operational funding through the NRC in five-year allocations via a contribution agreement. The NRC plays an important oversight and stewardship role for TRIUMF on behalf of the Government of Canada.

Recipients are not required to repay funds obtained under this transfer payment program.

• TRIUMF contributed to the publication of 331 manuscripts in scientific journals.
• TRIUMF researchers involved in the T2K experiment made a major breakthrough in determining properties of neutrinos, in particular the rate at which neutrinos and their antimatter counterparts, antineutrinos, oscillate between different flavours. This result, published in Nature, has significant implications for the predominance of matter over antimatter in our universe.
• The team at TRIUMF's DRAGON facility carried out the measurements of radioactive capture reactions involving Neon isotopes that resulted in the first ever measurement of key astrophysical processes of this kind. This research is critical to understanding how chemical elements, in particular sodium (Na), are formed in stellar object and stars.
• The Molecular and Material Science team at TRIUMF carried out studies (together with the University of Guelph and others) that investigated how the chemistry of atoms can be affected by confinement within nanostructures – an investigation with potential implications for long-term safe storage of nuclear waste, novel ways of generating and storing hydrogen, and new technologies for capturing and reusing greenhouse gases.
• Major achievements on the ARIEL facility included critical progress in the areas of target hall shielding, hot cell production, and commissioning planning; construction of the CANadian Rare isotope facility with Electron Beam ion source (CANREB) project was completed and all CANREB devices are operational and are undergoing preparation for commissioning and beam operation; the ARIEL electron linear accelerator was also successfully commissioned, delivering 31 MeV beam energy and 1 kW beam power level – setting the stage for future phases of ARIEL development.
• In support of research collaborations and partnerships, TRIUMF hosted 1,186 scientific visitors, students, and users, 715 of which came from international institutions.
• To promote the availability of global talent, TRIUMF trained more than 240 highly qualified personnel, including undergraduate and graduate students, and post-doctoral researchers.
• A ground-breaking ceremony, held in April 2019, kicked off construction on the Institute for Advanced Medical Isotope facility.
• TRIUMF continued to advance its plan to produce and commercialize Actinium-225, a new isotope that shows great promise as a new treatment option for patients with late stage currently untreatable cancers. Partnering opportunities in drug development projects and isotope production are currently underway.
• TRIUMF spinoff, ARTMS Products –created in collaboration with BC Cancer, the Centre for Probe Development and Commercialization (CPDC) and Lawson Health Institute in response to the isotope crisis from the closing of the Chalk River reactor – attracted an experienced CEO from the USA and announced partnerships with global companies including Telix Pharma and ImaginAb Inc. ARTMS also closed a US$19M Series A venture financing led by global venture firm, Deerfield Management and seed investor, Global Health Science Fund. 
• Another TRIUMF spinoff, CRM Geotomography, leveraged their selection as part of the Creative Destruction Lab – West incubator cohort into growing their business by adding an experienced CEO/seed investor. The company has re-branded as Ideon.ai and is using their experience and proprietary detector technologies and artificial intelligence techniques to provide x-ray like imaging beneath the earth's surface.
• TRIUMF has defined the requirements for a new Enterprise Resource Planning system. This modernization of core systems will result in the reduction of manual data entry and create new efficiencies across the continuum of HR and Finance processes.
• Work continued in the ongoing modernization of building infrastructure across the laboratory.

The NRC chairs the Agency Committee on TRIUMF (ACT), which includes the federal agencies that fund and oversee activities at TRIUMF, providing TRIUMF management the opportunity to present progress and discuss future directions for the facility.

The NRC also manages the Advisory Committee on TRIUMF (ACOT), composed of international experts within disciplines that span the research and technology activities of TRIUMF. ACOT reports its findings to the NRC and TRIUMF senior management twice annually, making recommendations on programs and management as well as reporting on the scientific and technological achievements of TRIUMF programs and facilities. Observer representatives from the Natural  Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Canadian Institute of Nuclear Physics, the Canadian Institute of Particle Physics, the materials science community and TRIUMF's user community ensure that TRIUMF's directions are well aligned with the research community's needs and that TRIUMF is working with all its constituencies across Canada. The Committee considers all aspects of the TRIUMF program, with a particular emphasis on science and technological issues to ensure the relevance, impact, and world-class standing of TRIUMF's activities.

Through NRC activities in ACT and ACOT, the NRC maintains a close relationship with TRIUMF. Dialogue ensures that Government of Canada investments are optimal, and that the NRC meets the needs of its recipient, as well as provides a vehicle for feedback on the transfer payment management process.

TRIUMF has approximately 430 staff and students supported via the NRC's contribution agreement. An additional 133 positions are supported through other sources for specific designated purposes, including temporary funds to operate new capital infrastructure. In total, TRIUMF provides training for more than 200 undergraduate, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows per year. TRIUMF has numerous programs aimed at young people, students, teachers, and the general public to ensure that as many as possible share the wonder of discovery and experience the excitement generated by one of Canada's premier laboratories. In addition, TRIUMF offers a suite of programs to aide in the growth and development of professional skills for its graduate students and postdocs.

The program contributes to the growth and prosperity of Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by stimulating innovation, adoption and/or commercialization of technology-based products, services, or processes in Canada. This is done through: 1) technical and related business advice and networking facilitated by a cross-Canada network of field professional staff; 2) cost-shared merit-based contributions; and 3) contributions supporting employment of post-secondary graduates. This program has the following streams: Contributions to Firms; Contributions to Organizations; and Youth Employment Program (YEP).

NRC IRAP supports the placement of graduates in SMEs through its participation in the delivery of YEP sponsored by Employment and Social Development Canada's Youth Employment and Skills Strategy.

Recipients are not required to repay funds obtained under this transfer payment program.

NRC IRAP is a national program managed on a regional basis with over 265 Industrial Technology Advisors (ITAs) located in approximately 120 communities across the country, who provide customized advice to growth oriented technologically innovative SMEs. ITAs are engaged with client SMEs throughout the entire contribution management process, from building project proposals through to project completion.

At the end of their funded project, recipients are required to complete an online Post-Project Report. This assessment captures information on the recipient's experience with NRC IRAP and, along with published service standards, is used by the program to develop continuous program improvements.

NRC IRAP has an Advisory Board composed of 10 to 12 members from the industry sector and industry associations. This Board provides advice to NRC IRAP management and brings an external perspective on the strategic directions and management of the program.

NRC IRAP is actively engaged with Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) Grants and Contributions Reform. Participation in workshops and constant alignment with recent TBS policy and guidelines has enabled the program to steadily move toward principles such as a Recipient Engagement Strategy.

42 collaborative projects received funding in 2019–20, for a total of $889,689 grants support for the New Beginnings initiative; this included three projects approved in 2018–19 as part of the first round. A total of 45 projects were approved in round 2, with 39 funded in 2019–20, and the remaining 6 projects will receive funding in 2020–21.

Nine challenge and Cluster Support programs reviewed by expert panels and launched, and 69 collaborative projects funded for a total of $12,973,680 in grant and contribution support for these collaborative R&D programs.

15 outreach projects funded for a total of $250,000 in grants support, helping to provide many young Canadians and underrepresented groups with exposure to formative STEM learning opportunities and experiences.

NRC Collaborative R&D Initiatives, potential collaborators, stakeholders and recipients were invited by the NRC to participate in the design of four challenge programs and five Cluster Support programs. External researchers worked with NRC researchers to develop projects to advance the objectives of these programs and were asked to apply for grant and contribution funding towards theirs costs of collaboration.

For the Ideation Fund, the second annual call for the New Beginnings Initiative was held for NRC researchers to submit project proposals involving collaborators. Once collaborative projects were selected, recipients were invited to apply for grant funding. The first annual call for the Small Teams Initiative was launched for small teams of NRC researchers to submit proposals to conduct exploratory research with collaborators.

For the Outreach Initiative, the NRC proactively reached out to extramural partners to build awareness around STEM and support the talent pipeline within academic and policy stakeholder communities.