January 24: CME “People in Motion” Project Receives $750,000 in Funding

CME has received $375,000 federal funding for the ‘People in Motion’ project headed by economics professor Kris Inwood. Gary Goodyear, minister of state (science and technology) and Gilles Patry, president and CEO of the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) made the announcement Friday that it will invest $61 million in revolutionary research at 48 Canadian universities. Overall the University of Guelph received more than $815,000 for five projects ranging from studying breast cancer invasion and bacterial processes to creating a population database to reducing injuries to better understanding evolution.

“This is an investment in the talent and creative explorations at U of G that are key to helping uncover the roots of global problems and the solutions for those problems. Many of the breakthroughs that have revolutionized the world started out as ideas in the minds of great researchers. Our goal is to use U of G knowledge and discoveries to change lives and improve life,” said U of G president Alastair Summerlee.

Funding for the U of G projects, which involve faculty from five colleges, comes from CFI's Leaders Opportunity Fund (LOF), intended to allow Canadian universities to attract and retain leading faculty and researchers.

The CME project also involves the College of Arts and Ontario Agricultural College (OAC).  Inwood, along with history professor Graeme Morton and John Cranfield from OAC, uses data mining and related computing science techniques to prepare data revealing how adult health, migration and social mobility are influenced by family origins, previous life experience and even genetic heritage. “The historical perspective provides a unique perspective on these issues and their implications for public policy,” commented Inwood.

"I am grateful to the CFI, my colleagues and Dean Christensen Hughes for their tremendous support," stated Inwood. "The benefit of this research is far-reaching and inclusive. Social scientists and policy-makers increasingly want to understand how early-life and family experience shapes social and economic outcomes. The project will also provide a stepping stone to future research, strengthening sustainability and developing industry specific programs and policies."

CFI funding for the ‘People in Motion project was matched by the provincial Ministry of Research and Innovation for a total of $750,000.