Recruiting the world’s top research talent

“Recruiting the world’s top research talent kvd1 Thu, 06/04/2026 - 20:16 Recently, the federal government announced the first phase of its $1.7 billion effort to attract researchers from around the world to Canada. The Canada Impact+ Research Training Awards supports the recruitment of doctoral and postdoctoral researchers to drive research innovation and growth in strategic industries. Queen’s has secured 14 awards in this latest round of funding – eight doctoral students and six postdoctoral researchers – to support priority research areas in artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, clean energy, and cancer therapeutics. These awards represent $1.8 million in funding for Queen’s. The announcement, made by the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry, represents a milestone for Canada's broader effort to recruit world-leading researchers. Across the country, a total of 659 training awards has been offered to nominees from 72 countries, representing a commitment of $84.3 million over three years, the first phase of a $133.6 million total investment. Research areas identified as national priorities under the initiative include advanced digital technologies, health and biotechnology, clean technology, environment and climate resilience, and defence and dual-use technologies. Doctoral scholarships are valued at $40,000 per year for three years, and postdoctoral research awards at $70,000 per year for two years. "Canada's International Talent Attraction Strategy is delivering real results,” says the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions. “We are investing strategically to attract the world's top talent, who will pursue bold research that will strengthen Canada's industrial and research base. While other countries constrain academic freedoms and undermine cutting-edge research, we remain committed to supporting the scientific discoveries that will power the strongest economy in the G7." The Canada Impact+ Research Training Awards are one stream of the Canada Global Impact+ Research Talent Initiative , a $1.7 billion strategy announced in Budget 2025 that aims to attract more than 1,000 international researchers, including Francophone researchers, to Canada. The initiative also includes the Canada Impact+ Research Chairs program , the Canada Impact+ Emerging Leaders program , and the Canada Impact+ Research Infrastructure Fund . The awards are administered by Canada's three federal research funding agencies: the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC). Queen’s has been actively recruiting for these opportunities since late-2025. “Queen’s champions the recruitment of outstanding talent through the Canada Impact+ Research program,” says Nancy Ross, Vice-Principal (Research). “We look forward to welcoming these ambitious early-career researchers into our community and supporting their research pursuits. Congratulations to the Impact+ doctoral and postdoctoral recipients.” Queen’s recipients Negin Rahimiyazdi (Supervisor: Bahman Gharesifard): NSERC Doctoral – Model collapse in generative AI Sabbir Ahmed (Supervisor: Salimur Chowdhury): NSERC Doctoral – Quantum machine learning for decision making Quynh Ho (Supervisor: Cao Thang Dinh): NSERC Doctoral – Selective and stable catalysts for carbon dioxide conversion Baoyan Liu (Supervisor: Graeme Howe): NSERC Doctoral – Designer biocatalysts for nylon recycling: AI-driven enzyme engineering to transform plastic waste Zelalem Demeke (Supervisor: Heather Aldersey): CIHR Doctoral – Improving early powered mobility services in childhood disability Seyedeh Sepideh Javadi (Supervisor: Saeed Gazor): NSERC Doctoral – AI-driven signal processing for sustainable and intelligent wireless networks Kamaraja Siddartha Chaganti (Supervisor: Bhavin Shastri): NSERC Doctoral – Development and scaling up of photonic ising machines Abdul Rauf Alhassan (Supervisor: Elijah Bisung): SSHRC Doctoral – Climate shocks, household resource securities, and social protection Abhinav Sharma (Supervisor: Mark Daymond): NSERC Postdoctoral – Effects of irradiation on fatigue Mohammad Amin Dabbagh Ohadi (Supervisor: Douglas Cook): CIHR Postdoctoral – Optimizing self-amplifying RNA therapeutics for glioblastoma Eun Ju Son (Supervisor: Sari van Anders): SSHRC Postdoctoral – Ensuring democratic resilience amidst racialized anti-feminist backlash Andre Guerra (Supervisor: Kevin Stamplecoskie): NSERC Postdoctoral – Machine-learning cancer drug design: force field development for N-heterocyclic carbene functionalized gold nanoclusters Zeeshan Manzoor Bhat (Supervisor: Amir Fam): NSERC Postdoctoral – Next generation climate-resilient and energy-efficient housing Paramesh Jangili (Supervisor: P. Andrew Evans): NSERC Postdoctoral – High-payload antibody–dendrimer conjugates for targeted inhibition of cancer metastasis To learn more about Queen's University's involvement in the Canada Global Impact+ Research Talent Initiative and the university's strategic research priority areas, visit the Vice-Principal Research Portfolio website . Mon, 06/08/2026 - 12:00 Eight doctoral and six postdoctoral researchers will join Queen's as part of the federal government's strategy to attract top international researchers to Canada. Samuel Bradley, Communications and Strategic Initiatives Assistant Student Research Environment and Sustainability Health and Medicine Physical Sciences and Engineering Technology and Innovation 0 A total of $1.8 million in funding has been awarded to Queen's as part of this first phase of the Canada Impact+ Research Training Awards. Deck Eight doctoral and six postdoctoral researchers will join Queen's as part of the federal government's strategy to attract top international researchers to Canada. Pillars Global Engagement Research Prominence

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