Five researchers studying areas such as vision science, spatial analysis, blood clots and radiation treatments for cancer patients are McMaster's newest Canada Research Chairs.

The five were among 76 new recipients announced as part of the second round of funding of Canada Research Chairs at Canadian universities.

Yesterday's announcement brings McMaster's total to 22. The University garnered 17 appointments in December during the first round of awards.

“This is good news,” President Peter George said at the Board of Governors meeting earlier today.

He said the University expects to acquire between 73 and 75 research chairs during the five years of the federal government program to boost leading-edge research initiatives.
“We got off the mark quickly and our success has shown early,” George said.

The group of five includes veteran professors who have conducted the bulk of their research at the University and newer faculty, including two who are coming from the University of Toronto to join McMaster's renowned vision lab.

The recipients are:

• Patrick Bennett, psychology

  Canada Research Chair in Vision Science

  Research area: Studying how we process visual stimuli and images.

• Pavlos Kanaroglou, professor of geography in the School of Geography & Geology

  Canada Research Chair in Spatial Analysis

  Research area: Using spatial analysis and mathematical modelling to understand complex systems.

• Allison Sekuler, psychology

  Canada Research Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience

  Research area: using an expanded integrative approach to understand the neural mechanisms underlying vision.

• Jeffrey Weitz, professor of medicine

  Canada Research Chair in Thrombosis

  Research area: New techniques for identifying and treating the underlying causes of blood clot formation.

• Timothy Whelan, associate professor of medicine and unit director of clinical epidemiology & biostatistics, Supportive Cancer Care Unit

  Canada Research Chair in Health Services Research in Cancer

  Research area: Clinical trials regarding optimal radiation treatment for patients with cancer and Health Services research in supportive cancer care.

For more information about all of McMaster's Canada Research Chairs go to Chairholder Profiles.

Ottawa allocated $900 million in the 2000 budget to help universities attract and retain the best researchers and achieve research excellence in the natural sciences and engineering, the health sciences, the social sciences and the humanities. Two thousand research chairs will be established by 2005.