Today the Southern Ontario Smart Computing Innovation Platform (SOSCIP) announced a $20 Million investment to add new areas of focus—such as advanced manufacturing and cybersecurity—to its research projects.
This investment will open the doors for a number of small- and medium-sized businesses, who can benefit from access to smart computing platforms. These new partnerships will lead to the discovery and development of innovative new technologies and will help build a healthy information infrastructure here in southern Ontario,” said Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for FedDev Ontario. He made the announcement at Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) Discovery Conference April 28.
The new funding will be received by the University of Toronto on behalf of SOSCIP, and it will be used to increase access to advanced computing and big data analytics, tools and systems and to develop new collaborative projects. The ultimate goal is for these projects to bring new products and services to market.
In addition to the FedDev funding, IBM Canada Ltd., as the lead industrial partner of the consortium, will contribute $65 million of agile, advanced computing infrastructure and big data analytics as well as related support through research, IT and business expertise.
SOSCIP was founded with a focus on research into five core areas—cities, health, energy, water and advanced computing. Using state-of-the art technology, such as the IBM BlueGene/Q (the fastest supercomputer in Canada), research has progressed by way of scientists such as U of T Engineering Professor Eric Miller (CivE), who is analyzing urban transportation and Professor Richard Peltier, who is investigating climate change.
SOSCIP has made important progress over the past three years in these important areas. This new investment will enable the consortium to support collaborative projects in the additional areas of mining, advanced manufacturing, digital media and cybersecurity,” said Professor Vivek Goel, U of T’s vice-president, research and innovation. He added that the new projects will include at least eight medium-sized businesses and are expected to create or maintain about 100 jobs, including training and skills development opportunities for students and postdoctoral fellows.
