NRC Annual Report 2001-2002

NRC-IRAP – new strategicplan on the wayIn 2001-2002, NRC-IRAP began work to develop anew strategic plan to provide more benefits toSMEs. The strategy is built on a number of keyelements that will strengthen the program furtherand move in new directions to promote innovation:• More assistance, advice and funding for highrisk/high-returnR&D at earlier stages – to helpsmall firms grow to medium-size, and mediumsizefirms grow to large firms• Increased efforts to create international networksand partnerships – global reach – to help SMEsaccess foreign technology, alliances and marketsvia missions, visits, joint ventures, partnershipsand collaborative R&D• Help to nurture new and emerging communitybasedtechnology clusters – supporting SMEparticipation, enhancing community infrastructurefor clustering, and seeking international opportunitiesthat promote community clusterdevelopment• Building a national competitive technology intelligence(CTI) capacity for NRC-IRAP – to help SMEsanticipate the future and make key technologydecisions sooner – keys to their growth and thecreation of new jobs• Greater focus on commercializing publicly fundedR&D – encouraging collaboration betweenresearch organizations and SMEs, promotingtechnology exploitation by SMEs, creatingreceptor capacities and creating tools, programsand forums for best practices, intelligence andinformation exchanges.Knowledge forCanada – a vital currencyIn today’s economy, the creation of new knowledgeand its transformation into new productsand services are fundamental to economic growth.NRC creates new knowledge directly through itsresearch activities, through publication in peerreviewedjournals, conferences and other key fora,through its participation on committees, and byorganizing and attending conferences andworkshops.In 2001-2002, NRC published 1,003 papers inleading peer-reviewed journals, including suchprestigious publications as Science and Nature. Ithad 800 papers published in conference proceedingsand produced 1,527 technical reports. NRCstaff held editorships or sat on the editorialboards of some 159 S&T publications. NRC staffalso sat on 432 national committees and 589international committees, organized 151 conferencesand workshops, and attended 646international conferences. NRC staff also held270 adjunct professorships with universitiesand colleges across Canada.NRC publications1997-19981998-19991999-20002000-20012001-2002*600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600Total publications in referred journalsTotal papers in conference proceedingsTotal technical reports* Technical reports have more than doubled primarily due toNRC-INMS having authored substantially more calibrationreports, as a result of the International Laboratory AccreditationCooperation Mutual Recognition Agreement.31V a l u eS C I E N C E A T W O R K F O R C A N A D A