Well, the day has finally come; I began my new position a few days ago, and already I have a new boss! The challenges facing us are great and the expectations are even greater. It is however with much enthusiasm that I begin my mandate as the first Chief Scientist of Québec. I am fortunate to be able to rely on the solid base created over the years through the investments made by the Government of Québec in the « Fonds Nature et technologies », « Santé » and « Société et culture ». The excellence of our researchers is reknown worldwide and this achievement must not only be sustained, but must be increased in the future.
In September, I will be working closely with the Board of Directors to recruit the Scientific Directors for each of the three « Fonds ». The schedule is extremely tight because the list of candidates must be sent to the government no later than September 30th. I will also be traveling throughout Québec to visit our partners (universities, colleges, ministries, companies, etc.) in order to discuss the various challenges facing the Québec research community with respect to increased worldwide competitiveness.
The training and recognition of our young scientists, the major inter-sectorial projects, as well as the competitiveness of Québec researchers within Canada and abroad will be among my top priorities during these discussions.
Please do not hesitate to contact me. My colleagues and I welcome your comments because without you, there is no reason for us to exist. I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
Rémi Quirion, O.C., C.Q., PhD, FRSC
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