NSERC awards $583 million in 2007 Discovery Grants and scholarships

The results of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council's (NSERC) annual research grants competition are in, with $583.2 million awarded in a variety of areas. Discovery Grants account for $458.8 million, including sub-atomic physics ($24.9 million), research tools and instruments ($49.2 million) and research resources support ($48 million). These will support about 3,300 professors over the next five years.

The remainder ($124.4 million) was awarded to a nearly 6,000 fellowships and scholarships, industrial awards ($3.8 million) and new Discovery Accelerator Supplements ($6 million). The latter were awarded for the first time to 50 researchers whose work has the potential for real breakthroughs in their respective fields.

Examination of Discovery Grant data over the past 11 years shows a gradual increase in the number of requests which jumped by 10% in the latest competition, fuelled in part by a surge in new applicants. At the same time, however, the success rate has dropped to an historic low (70.3%) as has the average grant size ($32,348), once inflation is factored in.

The 2007 funding rate for Discovery Grants has also reached an all-time low (38.6%) as dollars requested experienced a year-over-year surge of 12.7% to $213,333. That compares to 41.2% in 2006 and a high of 54.8% in 2002. NSERC analysts attribute the decline in part to the inability to keep up with inflation while accommodating more new applicants.

At the university level, the 15 receiving the largest grant allocations accounted for two-thirds of all Discovery Grants and Scholarships funding awarded. The top three universities accounted for 25.8%. (see chart below).

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