TMU researcher appointed first Scholar in Residence for NSERC
Faculty of Science professor Imogen Coe has been selected as the first Scholar in Residence for the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada.
The Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC) has announced the appointment of a Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) researcher as its inaugural Scholar in Residence.
During her one-year term, Faculty of Science professor Imogen Coe will offer her expertise and perspective to NSERC’s Vice-President’s Office, Research Grants and Scholarships. During this pilot initiative, she will engage in dialogue with the funding agency and advise on topics such as programming and delivery, equity, diversity and inclusion, as well as training and supporting the next generation of researchers.
Professor Coe, in addition to her work as a cell biologist, has long been an advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility principles in science. She has also worked with NSERC in the past, participating in selection committees and evaluation groups.
“I’ve always found working with the tri-councils to be very rewarding, very interesting, so it’s a real honour,” said professor Coe. She is looking forward to collaborating with NSERC’s teams, highlighting researchers’ voices and helping to develop this residency pilot into a permanent program. Her term as Scholar in Residence is now under way, and she has begun the work of both advising and learning from the tri-agency organization. “How can I help NSERC deliver more support for foundational research more effectively in the Canadian context?” she said of her goals for the year-long pilot.
“I’m thrilled to offer my congratulations to professor Coe on this exciting appointment,” said Steven N. Liss, TMU’s vice-president, research and innovation. “As the inaugural Scholar in Residence she has the opportunity to offer her experience and perspective as a researcher and a champion of equity, diversity and inclusion as input into the programs and issues that will support innovation in Canada now and in the future.”