Business
In Canada, scientists are struggling with stagnant funding
OTTAWA, CANADA—Earlier this month, researchers attending Canada’s major annual science policy conference here got some seemingly good news when science minister François.
Philippe Champagne announced the government would be awarding CA$1 billion to research projects. But disappointment soon set in. The $1 billion, scientists realized, was existing, not new, money.
The episode added to researchers’ gloom about Canada’s science funding. In recent years, the nation’s spending on research has not kept pace with inflation, and actually shrank slightly as a proportion of gross domestic product between 1999 and 2019—making Canada the only country among the Group of Seven advanced economies to see such a decline. A large.
multiyear boost in funding that began in 2018 has run its course, and budgets at the federal government’s three main funding councils remained flat this year.
“The research councils are facing a significant challenge in funding for investigator-initiated research because of stagnating budgets,” says Brad Wouters, a cancer researcher and executive vice president for science and research at the University Health Network. “It’s hitting science in Canada in a major way.”
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), for example, has for years applied a 23.5% to all awarded grants in its largest funding program, the investigator-initiated Project Grants, in order to boost application success rates. Between 2018 and 2020, the trimming allowed CIHR to fund an additional 87 grants per competition. But the average grant size shrank from CA$950,000 to CA$725,000.
For Tania Watts, an immunologist at the University of Toronto, the cuts have meant hiring fewer trainees and technicians. “It cuts out a whole person” on some projects, she says. There’s never enough money to do what we want to do.”
The funding crunch is falling hardest on graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, Wouters says. As a result, jobs for students or postdocs are increasingly scarce, and those who receive scholarships or fellowships from the funding councils are no better off, as the value of those awards has remained flat for the past 20 years. A master’s scholarship amounts to just CA$17,500 a year, whereas a Ph.D. gets CA$21,000 and a postdoc CA$45,000.
That leaves many graduate students and postdocs struggling to live in the cities where their universities are based, and some are leaving Canada or giving up on science altogether, Wouters says.
Students and postdocs tot the 16 November policy conference, Champagne said he had heard their calls, and things were “moving in that direction.” As yet, however, there is no indication that any new funding will be forthcoming.
Wouters fears things are coming to a tipping point for young scientists. “If we don’t get more investment, we will lose a whole generation of talent,” he says.
Many researchers are also concerned that the proportion of funding going toward basic, investigator-led grants has been falling compared with funding going to fields and projects the government has identified as strategic priorities—such as quantum computing, genomics, and, more recently, pandemic preparedness. Watts says in 2001 about 80% of CIHR’s research funding went to investigator-led proposals, but that has fallen to about 54%.
The government’s strategic concerns are also shaping decisions about whether to fund individual projects, researchers complain. This past summer, CIHR requested proposals for to support clinical trials. But it came with a twist. After peer review, two additional committees, one of which included senior civil servants who did not necessarily have scientific training.
made the final funding decisions, based on whether the proposals aligned with the government’s In some cases, that meant proposals with lower scores from peer reviewers jumped ahead of those with better scores.
For example, Dylan MacKay, a nutritional biochemist at the University of Manitoba, submitted a proposal to compare two approaches to treating kidney disease. Peer reviewers ranked it fourth out of 130 proposals. But the proposal was not one of the 22 selected for funding by the second round of reviewers. MacKay was shocked. “No one has seen anything like this at CIHR,” he says. “We never thought they wouldn’t follow the peer-review order.”
A spokesperson for CIHR says applications were rated on how well they addressed one of several strategic objectives, including better preparing Canada to respond to pandemics. But those objectives were not listed in the original call for proposals.
MacKay says giving the final say to committees not composed of scientists feels like a violation of the idea that funding decisions are made by your peers, which he calls a “core tenet” of how Canada’s funding councils are run. “Unrestricted research,” he says, “is how Canada punches above our weight.”
Brian Owens is a freelance writer in St. Stephen, New Brunswick.
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Business
Nine Restaurant Franchise Goes Global with $120 Million Crypto Crowdfunding Joint Venture, Led by Adnan Ashraf
Adnan Ashraf, a multifaceted entrepreneur with interests spanning pharmaceuticals, technology, and real estate, is embarking on an exciting new venture to expand the renowned Nine restaurant brand into a global franchise. With its reputation for upscale Japanese cuisine and stunning panoramic views, Nine has captured the attention of discerning diners worldwide, and Mr. Ashraf aims to bring this exceptional dining experience to numerous locations across the globe.
To realize his ambitious expansion plans, Mr. Ashraf has engaged in discussions with a pioneering crypto crowdfunding platform, forging a strategic partnership for a joint venture involving 100 stores with an estimated investment of $120 million. Harnessing the power of cryptocurrency, Mr. Ashraf intends to expedite the growth of the Nine franchise and achieve his objectives more efficiently.
The first milestone in this expansion journey involves acquiring a prime waterfront location in Canary Wharf, a prestigious business district in London. Serving as the flagship Nine restaurant, this iconic setting will exemplify the brand’s exquisite cuisine and offer guests unparalleled views. Mr. Ashraf’s vision extends beyond this initial location, as he plans to continue expanding into other prime spots in London and beyond, introducing the Nine dining experience to cosmopolitan cities worldwide.
By partnering with a cryptocurrency crowdfunding platform, Mr. Ashraf aims to tap into the immense potential of this innovative funding mechanism. Cryptocurrency not only streamlines the investment process but also attracts a global community of investors passionate about supporting groundbreaking ventures in the hospitality industry. This collaboration is expected to fuel the rapid expansion of the Nine franchise, ensuring that more diners can savor its exceptional culinary offerings and immerse themselves in the extraordinary ambiance that defines the brand.
Drawing on his extensive entrepreneurial experience, Adnan Ashraf brings a wealth of expertise to this venture. His track record of success across various sectors attests to his ability to navigate complex business landscapes and identify unique opportunities for growth. With his diverse business interests and unwavering commitment to excellence, Mr. Ashraf is poised to spearhead the global expansion of the Nine restaurant brand, establishing a network of exceptional dining establishments worldwide.
Business
Alliance Rental: Alexey Ivanov Latest Venture in Luxury Transport by Alliance Trucks
Alliance Trucks, the leading Japanese and Korean car dealer in Russia, is proud to announce the launch of its new luxury transport rental aggregator, Alliance Rental. The project is the brainchild of Alexey Ivanov, the CEO and owner of Alliance Trucks, a successful businessman, traveler, and blogger. With over 59 countries visited, Alexey Ivanov has gained valuable experience in the automotive industry, which he has leveraged to create Alliance Trucks, a company that generates a trade revenue of $50 million annually.
Founded in 2014, Alliance Trucks has become the biggest Japanese and Korean car dealer in Russia, with four authorized and certified workshops, warehouses in the capital, and numerous certificates of first dealer with top-rated sales and service quality. The company’s mechanic team has won different national and international competitions of professional skills, including the ISUZU GRAN PRIX, where they were the first Russian and second in the world.
Alexey Ivanov’s awareness and commitment to 10 corporate rules have enabled Alliance Trucks to achieve its current status as a respected and reputable brand in the automotive industry. The rules include prioritizing emotional intelligence, respecting corporate culture and business ethics, seeking opportunities for growth in every crisis, and being socially active and engaged in charitable projects.
Alliance Parts, Alexey Ivanov’s latest venture, is a cars and spare parts distribution business in the United Arab Emirates with a global partnership with different car brands. The company leverages Alexey’s life and professional experience to scale similar projects in different market areas.
Alliance Rental is Alexey Ivanov’s latest project, an aggregator that offers a one-stop-shop for luxury transport rentals. The project’s main idea is to provide all the luxury transport rentals that customers may need for emotional holidays, celebrations, dream realization, business meetings, or just for premium lifestyle in one mobile application.
The application, marketing brand, and all business processes are complete, and legal compliance with local laws, rules, and regulations is under process.
Alliance Rental offers taxi Rolls-Royce, luxury sport cars, yachts, helicopters, and aircraft rentals. Partnerships with operators of luxury services are currently being signed, and the project is ready to launch soon.
Alexey Ivanov’s mission is to make the world a better and cleaner place, live a long, bright, and memorable life, create a family, raise children, create and invent something that deeply touches the feelings of people, be a mentor, teach knowledge, and leave a significant mark in history, society, and culture.
For more information on Alliance Rental and Alexey Ivanov, follow him on Instagram at @a.a.ivanov
Business
Januthan Logathas: A video and photography professional who seeks to leave his name among the best in this area
JANUTHAN LOGATHAS was born in a small town in Switzerland and is the son of a Tamil couple from Sri Lanka. His father was the one who began to inspire him to become a video and photography professional, which is why he is currently widely recognized as well as having followed in the footsteps of his father who also worked in this profession. With time people started noticing his Instagram modeling shoots and he became very prominent among European Tamils.
His tik tok videos also boosted his image and recognition a lot as they were filled with a subtle humor that was very pleasing to his followers who were part of Januthan reaching a much larger audience.
People celebrated the German/Albanian co-worker combo in a peculiar way.
In addition, he was also the first Tamil photographer to win the renowned award for the best wedding photography from Radisson in Europe, he gained great popularity especially with the collaboration with Usha Jay in her dance video which achieved many views and this made his audience grow exponentially.
He knows that in order to continue growing in what he does, he must continue working very hard as he has done up to now, and all this with the aim of increasing his public and the quality of his work, and for this it is necessary to continue going through this long learning process in the one that advances a little more every day to reach the desired objective that is to position its name among one of the best in the video and photography industry. In his social networks you can find a lot of material about his work in addition to him also seeing content about his future works which are more than promising
To grow in this industry, you must continue to constantly learn, since this industry is very competitive and only those who know how to implement their ideas and creativity very well when creating new jobs stand out.
Unveiling Life Through the Lens: Explore the captivating world of talented photographer @jpresidento on Instagram and TikTok, as he captures unique moments that have earned him accolades at the Wedisson Awards. Discover his visually mesmerizing art at these links!
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