Winning research

In the Oct. 14 Leader-Post, Professor Emeritus John Whyte eloquently described the purpose of university research and the many facets of our work. From groundbreaking exploration in particle physics to the analysis of the health of our lakes, our researchers at the University of Regina are actively engaged in the global pursuit of knowledge, getting noticed nationally and internationally for their work.

The university is home to 10 Canada Research Chairs, and is this year the only Canadian institution home to two Fulbright Scholars. This is a significant accomplishment given that only 11 Canadian scholars in total this year were awarded the honour of participating in this prestigious scholarly exchange program to the United States.

Such accomplishments are encouraging, but should not be surprising. Over the last decade the U of R has led all other medium-sized universities in “research impact” according to Thomson-Reuters and Web of Science data. Just this week, Research InfoSource named the U of R the top performer among comprehensive universities in international research collaboration.

Together, these measures show that our researchers are connected globally and producing highly-influential research in their respective fields, building Saskatchewan’s international reputation as a leader in innovation.

So while we should be mindful of the challenges raised by Prof. Whyte, we can also celebrate our place as an institution that punches above its weight in terms of research impact, and fosters a culture of collaboration that is connecting our researchers to innovation leaders across the globe. DC Malloy, Regina Malloy is vice-president of research, University of Regina.