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Two Assistant Professors who joined the Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology last July are among the nine McMaster researchers who have received New Frontiers in Research Fund 2020 Exploration grants.

Katherine Bujold and Sarah Styler join Juliet Daniel, Acting Associate Dean of Research & External Relations, as the three Faculty of Science researchers who received grants of up to $250,000 over the next two years.

Launched in 2018, the New Frontiers Research Fund supports high-risk, high-reward and interdisciplinary research. Researchers are encouraged to think outside of the box, undertake research that would defy current paradigms, and bring disciplines together in unexpected ways and from bold, innovative perspectives. The fund is an initiative of the Canada Research Coordinating Committee and is managed as a tri-agency program on behalf of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. Funds were awarded to 117 research projects across Canada this year.

“Congratulations to our researchers who have been recognized for their innovative ideas and the potential value their research holds for Canadians,” says Karen Mossman, McMaster’s Vice President, Research.“I applaud the government on this investment that ensures Canada’s research community is positioned to lead the way on the next big discovery.”

Katherine’s research will focus on unlocking the gate to targeted drug delivery, Juliet will explore genes and geography through disparities in cancer incidence and outcomes in a Black Canadian community while Sarah’s research will examine applying atmospheric chemistry strategies to advance cultural heritage conservation.