News Release

FREDERICTON (GNB) - The Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour and the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation announced $900,000 in funding today to support 34 undergraduate and 73 graduate student research assistants at the province's universities.

Working with one of the foundation's funded applied researchers, each student will earn wages while gaining experience in the lab.

"Our government is focused on putting our resources to work by investing in people, skills and jobs," said Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Jody Carr. "The province's contribution to the foundation's Research Assistantship Initiative demonstrates our commitment to innovation and ensures that students with an interest in applied research get the training they need to find work in their field or go onto higher levels of study."

"To build an innovation-based economy for the province, organizations need more than funding, they need a cultural change as well," said foundation chair Bob Hatheway. "Putting students to work in their professors' labs allows them to earn while they learn, and be inspired by the innovations being developed. It opens their minds to the possibility of a career in applied research or entrepreneurship right here in New Brunswick."

Awards by institution:

●    University of New Brunswick: $615,000
●    Université de Moncton: $215,000
●    Mount Allison University: $30,000
●    New Brunswick Community College: $15,000
●    Coastal Zones Research Institute: $25,000

The provincial government's $80 million investment in innovation has allowed the foundation to almost double the program for 2014. Since 2003, more than $8 million has been awarded to create 1,054 research assistantships.

The New Brunswick Innovation Foundation is an independent, not-for-profit corporation that invests in new growth-oriented companies and applied research activities.