The Short Report, June 12, 2019 – artificial intelligence, tech demos, cybersecurity

Gaming company Unity Technologies is expanding its operations in Montreal with a new artificial intelligence lab. More than new 450 hires are expected over the next few years, including artificial intelligence experts, developers and engineers. - Newswire

The federal government is awarding $50-million to three private equity funds under the clean tech stream of its Venture Capital Catalyst Initiative. The winners are: Renewal Funds, Cycle Capital Management and ArcTern Ventures. - GoC

The federal government is investing $10 million over five years, matched by the BC Women’s Health Foundation, to support cervical cancer research led by Dr. Gina Ogilvie and her team at the Women’s Health Research Institute, and her colleagues at the Gynecological Cancer Initiative. Researchers will study human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and screening methods and work to implement their findings nationally. - GoC

The fifth stream of the Strategic Innovation Fund has been launched to support industrial research and technology demonstration, with the goal of accelerating commercializing and scaling up businesses in Canada’s most innovative sectors. Funding will support collaborations between large and smaller companies, academia, non-profits, accelerators and incubators. - GoC

Sixteen consumer-interest R&D projects will receive more than $3 million over two years under a federal program managed by the Office of Consumer Affairs. - GoC

Dawson College will spend over $1 million in a new artificial intelligence initiative, which includes: peer-to-peer mentoring for faculty; the development of AI teaching materials; research funding for AI and machine learning, ethics of AI, and digital humanities; development of programs of study; professional development, knowledge sharing and networking; hiring of external consultants; and licensing cloud based computing engines for AI programing. A new Dawson AI Advisory Board will help guide the project. - Dawson College

The National Research Council of Canada and the University of New Brunswick have opened the Canadian Institute for Cybersecurity-NRC Cybersecurity Collaboration Consortium in Fredericton, NB. Some 50 researchers and students from both institutions will conduct cybersecurity research for critical infrastructure with a focus on internet of things security, artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction, and natural language processing. – GoC

More than 200 women entrepreneurship projects will receive up to $100,000 each under the Women Entrepreneurship Fund, which recently saw its federal funding increase from $20 million to $30 million. To date, 107 projects have been funded and more will be listed as announcements are made. - ISED

The Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation, led by Baycrest in Toronto, and Tokyo-based SOMPO Digital Lab, are partnering with companies globally to test, validate, disseminate, adopt, and scale promising innovations to assist older adults living with dementia and their caregivers. SOMPO operates innovation hubs in Tokyo, Silicon Valley, and Tel Aviv. - Newswire

Polytechnique Montréal and HEC Montréal today have signed an agreement to launch a double bachelor of business administration (B.B.A.) and bachelor of engineering (B.Eng.) degree starting in 2021. The program—a first for Canada—will ensure engineering graduates also have strong management, entrepreneurial and communications skills. - Polytechnique

Appointments

Spectrum Therapeutics, Smiths Falls ON, has appointed Dr. Marcel Bonn-Miller as global clinical scientific director. The former director of cannabinoid research at Zynerba Pharmaceuticals, Bonn-Miller brings 18 years of experience researching cannabinoids and their various effects, including leading or contributing to 19 clinical trials. - Newswire

Vancouver-based Pasha Brands Ltd., Canada's largest organization of craft cannabis brands, has brought aboard a chief scientific officer to ensure cannabis it purchases is of high quality and traceable. Dr. Brigitte Simons is an expert in technical quantitative reporting using mass spectrometry to deliver accurate potency and testing of cannabis products. For over 16 years, she operated mass spectrometers for the U.S. National Institutes of Health and contracted partners of Canadian federal and provincial government agencies. - Newswire

Dr. Neil Owens, director of scientific affairs at Medicure Inc., will take over as the Winnipeg pharmaceutical company’s president and chief operating officer effective July 1. Current president Dr. Albert Friesen will continue as CEO and board chair. - Newsiwre

Science minister Kirsty Duncan has appointed six new members to the National Research Council Canada Council: Dr. Susan Blum, associate VP Research and Innovation, Saskatchewan Polytechnic; Norma Beauchamp, former president/CEO, Cystic Fibrosis Canada; Dr. Steven Murphy, president, University of Ontario Institute of Technology; Dr. Karen Bakker, Canada Research Chair in Political Ecology, University of British Columbia; Ray Hoemsen, president and Managing Director, NEXUS Manitoba and executive director, Research Partnerships and Innovation, Red River College; and Dr. Pierre Rivard, founder and executive chair, TUGLIQ Energy. - GoC

Five new members have been appointed to the Governing Council of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research: Dr. Jeannie Shoveller, research director, BC Centre on Substance Use; Don Ferguson, former deputy minister of Health for New Brunswick; Debbie Fischer, executive associate, KPMG; Dominic Giroux, president/CEO, Health Sciences North and the Health Sciences North Research Institute; and, Dr. Brianne Kent, postdoctoral research fellow, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School. - GoC

Dr. Anthony Clarke starts a five-year term as dean of science at Wilfrid Laurier University beginning August 1. Clarke is currently a professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Guelph. - WLU

CANARIE has launched an open call for applications for its board of directors. Two candidates are being sought: a researcher at a Canadian higher education institution and a VP Research at a Canadian university. To apply, visit CANARIE’s Board of Directors page.

CanWIT (Women in Tech), a division of CATAAlliance, has named Suzanne Grant, CEO of Stealth Company in Ottawa, to its board as Executive in Residence to help advance advocacy for women in tech. - CATA