The science behind a great story

Established in 1997, the Ontario Innovation Trust supported 1,250 projects at 44 Ontario institutions - each at the forefront of scientific innovation in our province. There are so many great stories to tell with so many illuminating ideas behind them.

Using Our Heads takes you inside twenty-two of the scientific breakthroughs that are being made in research projects throughout our province Ontario.

And what can you expect?

You will discover how medical imaging is being used for scientific diagnosis. Learn ways scientists are trying to predict what drugs will work during the discovery phase. Get a perspective on how virtual-reality software can take you inside a mine. Hear how scientists are aiming to establish a species bar code for all living matter. Find out about a world-class facility where physicists can think deep thoughts. Gain insight about quantum computing. And more.

What's more, we have tackled weighty issues, such as the importance of continued investment behind innovation and the impact of collaboration, infrastructure and public policy on innovations.

Simply choose the stories you want to read using the drop down menu located above. And see how innovation is taking shape in our province.

Q What have been the biggest changes in science since you received your doctorate nearly 65 years ago?
A In my time, the ratio of good ideas to productivity was about one to one. Now I think in many ways technology has taken over, and today it may be 10 times more important than ideas. You still can't be stupid to succeed in science. But if you are just clever, but very good at using the technology, you can do extremely well indeed.
Read full Q A session
Together, Ontario Innovation Trust and Canada Foundation for Innovation invested more than $150M in high performance computing in the following institutions or consortiums: $17,915,975 at the University of Toronto; $65,526,892 at HPCFL, a Queen's University led consortium; and $67,331,697 at SHARCNET, a Western University led consortium.