The New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) 2020 Exploration competition has awarded funds to support 117 research projects across Canada that bring diverse disciplines together in pursuit of breakthrough ideas and high-reward outcomes. The NFRF program, a federal research funding initiative, mobilizes cutting-edge interdisciplinary, international, and transformative research that strengthens Canadian innovation and benefits Canadians.
This year's 2020 Exploration awards-with grants up to $250,000 over two years for research teams of two or more-support research projects with the potential to yield game-changing results in social, cultural, economic, health-related or technological areas. With $14.5 million awarded, some of the innovative research projects receiving funding include: using machine learning algorithms to help predict suicidal behaviour in young people; and developing a film to cover urban buildings to mitigate flooding and provide cooling in extreme-weather events.
The fund's Exploration stream specifically targets interdisciplinary, high-risk, high-reward research that defies current models, bridges disciplines in novel ways, or tackles fundamental problems from new perspectives. The stream's design recognizes that interdisciplinary research is often risky, but worthwhile given the potential for significant groundbreaking impact. All funded teams must demonstrate commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion in the research environment.
