2025 Major Science Initiatives Fund workshop

7:45–8:45 a.m. Breakfast for board chairs​ (Meeting room 1)

8:45–9 a.m.​     Opening remarks (Salon C)

• Sylvain Charbonneau, President and CEO​, CFI

9–10:20 a.m.​   Panel 1: Equity, diversity and inclusion: What have we learned and what’s next?​ (Salon C)

Integrating EDI into the fibres of science and the workplace is not a novel concept, nor a passing phase. However, in recent years, EDI initiatives have become valued as fundamental to success. Many research facilities funded through the MSIF have situated EDI as a pillar in their workplaces to inspire a culture of belonging and to acknowledge the importance of EDI in conducting innovative science. The proposed panelists will discuss their organizations’ journeys and experiences with EDI initiatives, along with an exploration of the successes, challenges and lessons learned from their efforts. Importantly, the panelists are each at a unique stage in their EDI work, setting the stage for a fruitful discussion that explores research facilities that are several years into their EDI strategies, contrasted by those in the beginning stages of their implementation. Audience members will be inspired to share their own experiences and contribute to the conversation to spark transferable learning across facilities.

Moderator:

• Samantha Kuula, Director, Corporate Services, SNOLAB

Panelists:

• Monique Albert, Director, BIOSCAN, and Chief Operating Officer, the Centre for Biodiversity Genomics (CBG)
• Girma Bitsuamlak, Director, WindEEE Research Facilities
• Daniela Loock, Director Engagement and Knowledge Mobilization, Ocean Networks Canada (ONC)
• Meredith McLaren, CEO, CGEn, Canada’s national platform for genomic sequencing and analysis

10:20–10:40 a.m. CI Compass: Navigating the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Major and Midscale Facilities data lifecycle (Salon C)

This talk will present the work of CI Compass, the U.S. NSF Cyberinfrastructure Center of Excellence that serves research infrastructures. CI Compass focuses on the data lifecycle from data collection at sensors and instruments to the dissemination of science products to research and education communities and the public. The talk will give examples of engagements with selected research infrastructures and touch upon opportunities for collaborations with Canadian research infrastructures.

Presenter:

• Ewa Deelman, Principal Investigator, CI Compass

10:40–11:10 a.m. Coffee break (Salon C)

11:10–11:30 a.m. Update from the MSIF Data Working Group: Data lifecycle needs of research facilities funded through the MSIF (Salon C)

The chair of the MSIF Data Working Group, established after the 2023 MSIF workshop, will present an update on the group’s progress over the past year. The talk will highlight findings from a community-wide survey that identified common data lifecycle needs and challenges faced by Canadian research facilities. Attendees will gain insight into the emerging issues and priority areas shaping the group’s ongoing work.

Presenter:

• Naveed Aziz, Chair of the MSIF Data Working Group and Vice-President, Research and Innovation at Genome Canada

11:15 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Discussion with the CFI Finance team:​ A forum for participants to share their MSIF finance-related experiences and ask CFI Finance staff their questions (Meeting room 2)

This interactive session will be a more focused and smaller group discussion for participants to ask finance-related questions to the CFI’s Finance staff. Participants are encouraged to share their experiences, challenges and good practices for financial oversight and administration of research facilities.

Following the moderated talk, participants are invited to remain in the meeting room and network ahead of lunch.

Moderators:

• Dominique Brisebois, Director of Finance, CFI
• Gabriela Manoiu, Associate Director of Financial Data and Awards, CFI

11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Panel 2: Facilities funded through the Major Science Initiatives Fund (MSIF), in the context of the National Data Governance Framework ​ (Salon C)

The report of the National Data Governance Framework Advisory Committee to the Chief Science Officer of Canada argues that we need a coordinated approaching to treating data as a national asset, as well as a national governance framework to ensure that data assets are managed and used for the benefit of Canada. The report recommends addressing two key areas of fragmentation: (1) practice fragmentation, which can be in part addressed by implementation of FAIR practices (findability, accessibility, interoperability and reusability) driven by disciplines and domain clusters; and (2) organizational fragmentation, which is timely as discussions around the new capstone organization are underway and the Major Research Facilities framework is being defined and set for implementation. This panel brings together senior staff from research facilities supported through the MSIF who are members of the Advisory Committee, alongside members of the CFI’s MSIF working group on data, to discuss how research facilities can feed into and benefit from a national strategy for (research) data, and what issues are most relevant to our collective research infrastructures.

Moderator:

• David Castle, Chair of the SuperDARN National Advisory Committee

Panelists:

• Natalie Harrower, Executive Director, CRDCN
• Benoît Pirenne, Chief Innovation and Technology Officer, Ocean Networks Canada (ONC)

1–2 p.m. Lunch (Salon C)

2–3 p.m. Panel 3: Strategic decision making for a national portfolio of research facilities​ (Salon C)

The panel brings together leaders from national funding and research institutions to discuss their strategic outlooks at a time of changing national priorities.  Seeking tangible results and outcomes for their public research funding, governments are considering linking funding to mission-driven research as part of national strategies to promote competitiveness, innovation and productivity.  With this new focus, decisions about the composition and support provided to the portfolio of national research facilities, both academic and government labs, take on important strategic dimensions. The panel aims to engage in a dialogue about how to link institutional strategic and operational plans to the achievement of national economic, industrial and social strategies.

Panelists:

• Sylvain Charbonneau, President and CEO, CFI
• Mitch Davies, President, National Research Council (NRC)

3–5 p.m. Working session on practices for impact scoping, monitoring and measurement (Salon C)

This session will offer a comprehensive introduction to the realm of research infrastructure impact assessment, drawing on a decade of collaborative learning and insights from working with European research infrastructures. A particular focus will be placed on reviewing existing impact assessment practices, showcasing real-world examples of how research infrastructures integrate impact requirements into their operations and exploring future opportunities in this field. The goal of the session is to share, discuss and co-create actionable insights and practical tips that will help research infrastructures advance their impact assessment practices.

Presenter:

• Elina Griniece, Principal Researcher, European Future Innovation System (EFIS) Centre

6–7 p.m. Reception (Foyer)

7–9:30 p.m. Dinner (Salon C)

Keynote speaker:

• Nigel Lockyer, Director, Cornell Laboratory for Accelerator-based Sciences and Education

7:30–8:30 a.m. Breakfast for board chairs (Meeting room 1)

8:30–9:30 a.m. Board chairs meeting ​(Meeting room 1)

8:30–9:30 a.m. Research security considerations for research facilities​ funded through the MSIF (Salon C)

Research security requirements are continually evolving. In this context, it is crucial to deepen our understanding of research security practices and policies at Canada’s research facilities of national importance. The discussion will explore opportunities and challenges across key areas, including physical security measures, cybersecurity, infrastructure procurement processes, human resources and user access policies.

Moderators:

• Patrick Pilot, Associate Director of Programs Operations, CFI
• Véronique Gougeon, Senior Programs Officer, CFI

9:30–10 a.m. Update from board chairs​ (Salon C)

• Janet E. Halliwell, Board Chair, Canadian Research Data Centre Network (CRDCN)

10–10:30 a.m. Coffee break​

10:30 a.m.–12 p.m. Consultation: Implementation plan for the Major Research Facilities framework (facility directors and board chairs only)​ (Meeting rooms 1 and 2)

In April 2024, the Government of Canada officially recognized the Canada Foundation for Innovation's pivotal role in supporting Major Research Facilities (MRF) by entrusting the CFI to implement, in collaboration with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), a newly approved decision-making framework for these facilities. The framework designates a group of research facilities currently supported through the Major Science Initiatives Fund (MSIF) as MRF.

In collaboration with ISED, the CFI has been tasked with developing an MRF implementation plan to deliver to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry by April 30, 2025. As a follow up to the CFI's consultations with the research community in September 2024 and engagement with the community at the Canadian Science Policy Conference in November 2024, in this workshop session, the CFI will present some key elements from its revised implementation plan for discussion.

Presenter:

• Claudia Fall, Associate Director for Research Facilities, CFI

10 a.m.–12 p.m.  Networking and/or site visits​

12–1:30 p.m. Lunch​ 

1:30–3 p.m. Panel 4: Contributions of research facilities of national importance to the training of the next generation of highly qualified personnel for Canada​ (Salon C)

In today's rapidly evolving, knowledge-driven world, preparing the next generation of highly skilled technical professionals is both a critical responsibility and a key strength of Canada's national research infrastructures. Here, students and postdoctoral researchers benefit from a rich and dynamic training environment that bridges academia and industry. Hands-on experience with cutting-edge equipment and collaboration with users from various disciplines expand and enrich the skillsets and perspectives of our trainees. This panel will explore the mission of training, assess the needs of young graduates and feature insights from former trainees and infrastructure leaders on the unique opportunities and broad experiences provided by infrastructures with advanced technical equipment.

Panelists:

• Catherine Lefebvre, Senior Advisor, Open Quantum Institute, Geneva Science Diplomacy Anticipator
• Volker Gerdts, Director and CEO, Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Organization
• Andrew Shiner, AI and ML Architect, Network Insight and Optimization, Ciena
• Aidan Guttormson, Field Technician, IISD Experimental Lakes Area

3–3:30 p.m.​ Closing remarks (Salon C)

• Mark Lagacé, Director of Programs​, CFI

3:30–5 p.m. Asset and operational planning for Major Research Facilities: Forum for facilities to share good practices (Salon C) 

(For representatives of CCGS Amundsen, CLS, ONC, OTN, SNOLAB, TRIUMF and VIDO only)

Moderator:

• Kate Moran, President and CEO, Ocean Networks Canada (ONC)