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John Barrett, Chair of the Board of Directors of Neutrons Canada, published a commentary through the Canadian Science Policy Centre in response to the Report of the Advisory Panel on the Federal Research Support System. The Report called for a new paradigm in decision-making regarding investing in Canadian Major Research Facilities.
The current state of research that relies on national infrastructure to produce neutron beams reveals the need to use the Report as an opportunity to go beyond the status quo and adopt a new paradigm in Canadian research infrastructure governance and decision-making.
John Barrett
Barrett reviews the current state of Major Research Facilities, and how a lack of a suitable framework for their stewardship contributed to the closure of the Canadian Neutron Beam Centre.
Barrett argues that the Advisory Panel has made a valuable contribution to Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) policy. Now, the federal government needs to demonstrate strong national leadership. Barrett holds that Canada needs a robust framework for investment, governance, and management of research infrastructure, including especially Major Research Facilities.
The future of Canadian research using neutron beams, particle accelerators, ocean networks, genome-sequencing platforms, and data centre networks depends on that leadership.
John Barrett
