Powering Discovery The Expert Panel on International Practices for Funding Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Powering Discovery The Expert Panel on International Practices for Funding Natural Sciences and Engineering Research The Council 0f Canadian Academies 180 Elgin Street, Suite 1401, Ottawa, ON, Canada, K2P 2K3 The project that is the subject of this report was undertaken with the approval of the Board of Directors of the Council of Canadian Academies (CCA). Board members are drawn from the Royal Society of Canada (RSC), the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE), and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS), as well as from the general public. The members of the expert panel responsible for the report were selected by the CCA for their special competencies and with regard for appropriate balance. This report was prepared in response to a request from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). Any opinions, findings, or conclusions expressed in this publication are those of the authors, The Expert Panel on International Practices for Funding Natural Sciences and Engineering Research, and do not necessarily represent the views of their organizations of affiliation or employment, or the sponsoring organization, NSERC. Library and Archives Canada ISBN: 978-1-926522-91-3 (book) 978-1-926522-90-6 (electronic book) This report should be cited as: Council of Canadian Academies, 2021. Powering Discovery, Ottawa (ON). The Expert Panel on International Practices for Funding Natural Sciences and Engineering Research, Council of Canadian Academies. Disclaimer The internet data and information referenced in this report were correct, to the best of the CCA’s knowledge, at the time of publication. Due to the dynamic nature of the internet, resources that are free and publicly available may subsequently require a fee or restrict access, and the location of items may change as webpages are reorganized. © 2021 Council of Canadian Academies This assessment was made Printed in Ottawa, Canada possible with the support of the Government of Canada iv | Council of Canadian Academies The Council of Canadian Academies The Council of Canadian Academies (CCA) is a not-for-profit organization that supports independent, science-based, authoritative expert assessments to inform public policy development in Canada. Led by a Board of Directors and advised by a Scientific Advisory Committee, the CCA’s work encompasses a broad definition of science, incorporating the natural, social, and health sciences, as well as engineering and the humanities. CCA assessments are conducted by independent, multidisciplinary panels of experts from across Canada and abroad. Assessments strive to identify emerging issues, gaps in knowledge, Canadian strengths, and international trends and practices. Upon completion, assessments provide government decision-makers, researchers, and stakeholders with the high- quality information required to develop informed and innovative public policy. All CCA assessments undergo a formal peer review and are published and made available to the public free of charge. Assessments can be referred to the CCA by foundations, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, and any level of government. www.cca-reports.ca @cca_reports Council of Canadian Academies | v The Academies The CCA is supported by its three founding Academies: The Royal Society of Canada (RSC) Founded in 1882, the RSC comprises the Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences, as well as Canada’s first national system of multidisciplinary recognition for the emerging generation of Canadian intellectual leadership: The College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists. Its mission is to recognize scholarly, research, and artistic excellence, to advise governments and organizations, and to promote a culture of knowledge and innovation in Canada and with other national academies around the world. The Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE) The CAE is the national institution through which Canada’s most distinguished and experienced engineers provide strategic advice on matters of critical importance to Canada. The Academy is an independent, self-governing, and non- profit organization established in 1987. Fellows are nominated and elected by their peers in recognition of their distinguished achievements and career-long service to the engineering profession. Fellows of the Academy are committed to ensuring that Canada’s engineering expertise is applied to the benefit of all Canadians. The Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS) The CAHS recognizes excellence in the health sciences by appointing Fellows based on their outstanding achievements in the academic health sciences in Canada and on their willingness to serve the Canadian public. The Academy provides timely, informed, and unbiased assessments of issues affecting the health of Canadians and recommends strategic, actionable solutions. Founded in 2004, the CAHS appoints new Fellows on an annual basis. The organization is managed by a voluntary Board of Directors and a Board Executive. vi | Council of Canadian Academies The Expert Panel on International Practices for Funding Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Under the guidance of its Scientific Advisory Committee, Board of Directors, and founding Academies, the CCA assembled the Expert Panel on International Practices for Funding Natural Sciences and Engineering Research to undertake this project. Each Panel member was selected for their expertise, experience, and demonstrated leadership in fields relevant to this project. Shirley M. Tilghman, O.C., FRS (Chair), President Emeritus and Professor, Molecular Biology and Public Affairs, Princeton University (Princeton, NJ) Janice Bailey, Scientific Director, Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologie (FRQNT) (Québec, QC) Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, former President, European Research Council; Honorary Professor, Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques (Bures-sur-Yvette, France) Yuko Harayama, Executive Director, RIKEN (Wako, Japan) Victoria Kaspi, C.C., FRS, FRSC, Director, McGill Space Institute; Professor of Physics, McGill University (Montréal, QC) Kei Koizumi, Independent science policy consultant (Washington, DC and Shanghai, China) Philip Nelson, CBE FREng, Professor of Acoustics, Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, University of Southampton; former Chief Executive, UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (Southampton, United Kingdom) Denis Thérien, Vice-President Research and Partnerships, ServiceNow Element AI (Montréal, QC) Council of Canadian Academies | vii Message from the President and CEO When NSERC first approached the CCA in early 2020 about conducting an assessment on research funding practices, we agreed to do so with the same enthusiasm and seriousness we apply to every project. Indeed, having recently completed reports on the increasing risks from climate change and the frightening consequences of antimicrobial resistance, we were looking forward to focusing on a topic that was less ominous. One challenge we had not anticipated, however, was undertaking an assessment during a global pandemic. By the time the Panel first convened in the spring of 2020, the world had changed. COVID-19 had forcefully disrupted daily life in Canada and around the world, limiting travel, commerce, education, family, and professional life. It constrained our existence and interfered with the social systems, institutions, and exchanges that society so crucially depends on. We continue to witness its devastating impact, knowing this is a tragedy that we, as Canadians and as global citizens, will be grappling with for years to come. Yet while COVID-19 changed many things, it did not change everything. It did not eliminate the need for research of the type funded by NSERC. On the contrary, the pandemic underscored just how vital scientists and their work are to safeguarding society (from threats known and unknown), and how challenging it is for funders to balance responding to immediate needs with preserving support for fundamental, curiosity-driven research. Such agencies face complicated decisions when considering how to structure their funding programs and maximize their impact. NSERC’s interest in ensuring its funding approaches are grounded in the best available evidence, guided by experts with experience across a wide variety of funding systems and research domains, is very much to its credit. viii | Council of Canadian Academies A second thing that COVID-19 did not change, thankfully, is the CCA’s ability to do what we do best: convene experts, assess evidence, and inform decisions. Since March 2020, the CCA, like many organizations, has been operating in the virtual environment. This is the CCA’s first assessment undertaken entirely online. With CCA staff in Ottawa and Victoria, and with panel members on three continents spanning multiple time zones, the assessment was not delayed at any stage. I am awestruck by the professionalism of our staff and the rigour of the Panel, led expertly by Shirley M. Tilghman. In thanking the Panel for its work, I also extend gratitude and appreciation to NSERC for referring this assessment to the CCA. The future we all face will be shaped by the research supported by funding agencies like NSERC, and I have no doubt that the insights in this report will prove their value as a guide to this critically important work for many years to come. Eric M. Meslin, PhD, FRSC, FCAHS President and CEO, Council of Canadian