Research Programs
OUR APPROACH
We convene extraordinary minds to address the most important questions facing science and humanity.
CIFAR's research programs bring together international, interdisciplinary researchers who work together for five-year terms. Programs are led by a director or two co-directors, engage approximately 20-40 fellows and advisors from around the world, and include two or three CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars for two-year terms.
CIFAR research programs create impact beyond academia through a highly collaborative strategy. Target areas for impact emerge from the program’s core research agenda, and the strategy is informed by long-term, iterative exchange of ideas and perspectives between program members and non-academic stakeholders.
2003, 2007, 2012, 2019
Child & Brain Development
How do childhood experiences affect lifelong health?
2019
Earth 4D: Subsurface Science & Exploration
How do life, water and energy interact between the Earth’s vast subsurface and surface environments?
1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016
Gravity & the Extreme Universe
What is extreme gravity, and how can it help us understand the origin of the universe?
2014, 2020
Humans & the Microbiome
How do microbes that live in and on us affect our health, development and even behaviour?
2004, 2008, 2014, 2019
Learning in Machines & Brains
How do we understand intelligence and build intelligent machines?
2002, 2007, 2012, 2019
Quantum Information Science
How do we harness the power of quantum mechanics to improve information processing?
1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2019
Quantum Materials
How could quantum materials transform our society?
The following are completing their work as CIFAR programs:
2005, 2010, 2016
Genetic Networks
How do the interactions among genes influence health and development?
2014
Molecular Architecture of Life
How does life originate and what are the processes that make life possible?
OUR FELLOWS
CIFAR fellows are collaborative researchers at the top of their fields.
Our community of fellows, advisors, CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars, and Canada CIFAR AI Chairs includes more than 400 researchers from 18 countries. They regularly contribute to papers in the top 1% of most-cited papers worldwide. Fellows are selected for academic and communication excellence, and for how their expertise fits into the goals of a program.
CATALYST FUND
We encourage our community of researchers to work across programs and disciplines.
Through Catalyst Funds, we facilitate and support high-risk ideas and projects within and across CIFAR’s portfolio of research programs. The time-limited grants provide flexibility for early-stage projects, encourage interdisciplinary collaborations, and address emerging and exploratory themes within or between research programs.
Research News
Discover the latest advances from our community.
AI and Society
Generative AI doesn’t have to generate climate disaster
A new report published by CIFAR outlines basic steps for policymakers on how to measure and address the environmental im...
September 25, 2023
AI and Society
CIFAR AI Insights: Towards Measuring and Mitigating the Environmental Impacts of Large Language Models
Advice for government, regulators and developers on how to minimize environmental impacts across the full life cycle of...
September 25, 2023
Advances
The racial wealth gap: How it started and how we can fix it
The racial wealth gap in the United States hasn’t changed in 70 years. CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar Ellora Derenoncour...
September 06, 2023
Advances
Social media fuelling youth mental health crisis? CIFAR researcher cites other causes
In May, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory about the impact of social media on adolescent mental health, refuel...
August 25, 2023
AI and Society
CIFAR AI Insights Policy Brief outlines strategies for federated health data access in Canada
A timely new report published today by CIFAR provides expert guidance for policy-makers, regulators and service provider...
August 03, 2023
AI and Society
CIFAR AI Insights: Towards a Proportionate and Risk-Based Approach to Federated Data Access in Canada
Advice for policy-makers on how to plan, develop and implement federated learning systems to safely advance machine lear...
August 03, 2023
AI and Society
CIFAR announces launch of two AI for Health Solution Networks
Today CIFAR announced details about two successful Solution Networks selected from a competitive call for proposals issu...
July 13, 2023
Advances
CIFAR members among team to find first evidence of low-frequency gravitational waves
Astrophysicists have found first evidence for gravitational waves that oscillate for periods of years to decades. This n...
June 29, 2023
AI and Society
Report: CIFAR Symposium on AI for Energy and the Environment
On March 21, 2023, CIFAR brought together Canadian stakeholders from across academia, government and the private sector...
June 02, 2023
AI and Society
Machine MD: Case Study 4
This report is the outcome of the Machine MD: Law and Ethics Case Study on Cardiac Arrest Prediction.
April 19, 2023Support Us
CIFAR is a registered charitable organization supported by the governments of Canada, Alberta and Quebec, as well as foundations, individuals, corporations and Canadian and international partner organizations.