| LITHOPROBE is supported on a continuing basis
by a collaborative special project research grant from the Natural
Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and
through the regular budget of the Geological Survey of Canada
(GSC). NSERC is a quasi-independent agency within Industry Canada
which has as its mission fostering the discovery and application
of knowledge through the support of university research and the
training of scientists and engineers. NSERC supports both basic
university research through research grants and project research
through partnerships of universities with governments and industry.
NSERC does this by awarding grants and scholarships through a
peer-reviewed competitive process and by building the partnerships.
The Geological Survey of Canada is a 155 year-old scientific
institution of the federal government which is part of the
Earth Sciences Sector of Natural Resources Canada. Its principal
activity is the generation and dissemination of geoscience
information to meet a variety of purposes. The GSC's present
mission is "to provide Canada with a comprehensive geoscience
knowledge base contributing to economic growth, sustainable
development, health and safety, and environmental protection
by acquiring, interpreting and disseminating geoscience information
concerning Canada's landmass and offshore territory".
When the scientific program of LITHOPROBE takes place in a
particular province or territory, scientists from the provincial
or territorial geological surveys often take part. Support
for their activities is derived from their government budgets,
representing an important contribution to the overall collaborative
program of LITHOPROBE. Similarly, when the scientific activities
are in a region of interest to industry or involve techniques
of interest to industry, LITHOPROBE activities often derive
both direct financial support and provision of scientific data
or information from the private sector. One example of industry
support is the contribution of part of the funds required for
a large, crustal penetrating (i.e., to about 50 km depth) seismic
reflection survey in northwestern Alberta.
|
