Conference proceedings

ICRI 2021 took place virtually from Ottawa, Canada, June 1-3, 2021 with over 600 delegates. The conference featured more than 100 speakers, 70 exhibits, seven plenaries and 16 parallel theme sessions — all focused on the conference theme, “The role of research infrastructures in building bridges to a sustainable world.”

Click below to find:

Videos: Pre-conference conversations, plenary discussions and parallel theme summary and pre-recorded parallel session presentations
Exhibits: Global infrastructure showcase
Resources: How we responded to the pandemic
Connect: List of delegates
Now available: ICRI 2021 proceedings report

VIDEOS: PRE-CONFERENCE CONVERSATIONS

Sharing data and balancing priorities: A view from Canada’s research funders

Moderator
Roseann O’Reilly Runte, President and CEO, Canada Foundation for Innovation

Panelists
Alejandro Adem, President, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
Ted Hewitt, President, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
Michael Strong, President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Read the transcript

Canada and the world: Research collaboration is more important than ever

Moderator
Roseann O’Reilly Runte, President and CEO, Canada Foundation for Innovation

Panelists
Mitch Davies, President, National Research Council
Mona Nemer, Chief Science Advisor (Canada)
Fred Wrona, Special Science Advisor, Laboratories Canada

Read the transcript

PLENARY DISCUSSIONS

Pre-conference plenary – Sustainable development: What role for research?

Moderator
Annette Verschuren, Chair and CEO of NStor Inc.

Panelists
Ashok Khosla, Chairman, Center for Development Alternatives
Mona Nemer, Chief Science Advisor (Canada)
Janez Potočnik, Co-Chair of the International Resource Panel, Partner at SYSTEMIQ, former European Commissioner for Research and Innovation and for Environment

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The role of research and infrastructure in building a sustainable world

Moderator
Elizabeth Cannon, President Emerita, University of Calgary

Panelists
Edith Heard, Director General, European Molecular Biological Laboratory
Jan Hrušák, Chair, European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures
Youba Sokona, Vice Chair of the IPCC and former Executive Secretary of the Sahara and the Sahel Observatory

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Marshalling global research infrastructure to address emergencies: Incorporating resilience and agility in research infrastructure planning, financing, and operations

Moderator
Joy Johnson, President and Vice-Chancellor, Simon Fraser University

Panelists
Xavier Barcons, ESO Director General
Werner Kutsch, Director General, Integrated Carbon Observation System
Beryl Morris, Director, Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network
Anna Panagopoulou, Director, European Research Area and Innovation

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Parallel session summary reports: Hear from parallel session leads on their conference outcomes

Moderator
Michael A. O’Neill, Director, Policy and Strategic Engagement, Canada Foundation for Innovation

Panelists
Heidi Bandulet, Senior Programs Officer, Canada Foundation for Innovation
Martha Crago, Vice-Principal (Research and Innovation), McGill University
Matthew Hawkins, Head, Large Facilities Office, National Science Foundation
Frédéric Sgard, Project Administrator, Global Science Forum
Daan du Toit, Deputy Director-General, International Cooperation and Resources, South African Department of Science and Innovation

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Possibilities and potential of global collaboration

Moderator
Roseann O’Reilly Runte, President and CEO, Canada Foundation for Innovation

Panelists
Simon Kennedy, Deputy Minister, Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development of Canada
Jean-Eric Paquet, Director General, Directorate for Research and Innovation, European Commission

Read the transcript

PRE-RECORDED PARALLEL SESSION PRESENTATIONS

Visit YouTube to watch the pre-recorded parallel session presentation videos (Please note that not all sessions were pre-recorded and that the live discussions were not recorded.) (Available in English only)

GLOBAL INFRASTRUCTURE SHOWCASE

More than 40 infrastructures and organizations from around the world created virtual exhibit booths on the conference platform to showcase their facilities and expertise. Link to their websites, below.