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Provincial GovernmentAlberta Science and Research Authority
Established in 1994, the Alberta Science and Research Authority (ASRA) is
a board of trustees, appointed by the provincial cabinet, from Alberta's
business, academic and research communities. ASRA was created to promote
science and research as a fundamental part of Alberta's developing
knowledge-based economy. The policy of the ASRA is to stimulate scientific
research and development and related areas in the province. This is done
on behalf of the Alberta government and is compatible with government
social and economic policy on innovation to establish Canada as a world
leader in high-tech business and research and development. ASRA does not
directly invest in research, but it provides strategic direction to
research funding from the government. They operate in the same, following
three areas as Alberta Innovation and Science
- Energy. ASRA is committed to cooperation between Alberta's researchers
and industrial processors over the long term. Their policy on energy hopes
to ensure that the government invests strategically throughout the
research, development and commercialization process. ASRA has established
the Alberta Energy Research Institute (AERI)the
unified energy body for the province. AERI goals include developing
cleaner-burning coal, upgrading oilsands technology, managing the
province's carbon dioxide emissions, improving oil and gas production, and
developing an energy research infrastructure.
- Information and Communication Technology (ICT). ASRA has made
significant contributions to developing an ICT infrastructure. The major
project undertaken by ASRA is developing the
Alberta SuperNet. The SuperNet provides affordable,
high-speed network connections and Internet access to all schools,
libraries, hospitals and provincial government offices. Approximately
4,700 facilities in 422 communities across Alberta are expected to receive
this service within three years. The Alberta SuperNet will allow for
information sharing across the province at unprecedented speeds, giving
Alberta one of the worlds most advanced networks.
- Life Sciences. ASRA has identified the life-sciences sector as an area
of significant growth, expecting that life sciences will dominate the
world economy by the late 2020s. In preparation for the predicted boom in
this field, ASRA has created and funded many projects and companies in
life sciences, including
Genome Prairie.
The Genome Prairie project, in partnership with Genome Canada, researches
the structure and function of the human genome, the genetic building
blocks contained in each person's DNA. By investing in advanced
technologies such as genomics, ASRA is attempting to bring Alberta to the
forefront of research and development and establish the province and the
country as centres for innovation.
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