Definition & Mandate
The CNSP-RCPS is a pan-Canadian network of professional/staff working in any aspect of research scientific platforms (i.e. technology resources, core facilities) at the technical, managerial or administrative level. The aim of the network is to represent diverse technologies and institution types from regions all across the country.
Who we are
AWARENESS
Raise awareness, promote utility of shared scientific platforms and affect how these resources are funded in Canada. Engaging with granting and governmental agencies, institutions, researchers and scientists, instrument manufacturers, industry service providers, industry scientific platform users and industry leaders or any other relevant stakeholders.
EDUCATE
Educate research personnel working in scientific platforms by providing resources for leadership, administration and management of facility operations. Educate institutions on the importance of appropriate professional development for leaders of scientific platforms.
BEST PRACTICES
Encourage and support scientific platforms in their goal to advance research and improve their service to facility users by setting and promoting best operations & management practices. Promote sharing of these practices between institutions and network members.
NETWORK
Create opportunities for scientific platform leadership and staff to network, exchange ideas and move the field of shared resource management forward in an efficient manner.
Specialized instrumentation and services
Discrete units within the Institutions like centralized and shared laboratories. They are directed by dedicated expert research personnel or faculty, have dedicated equipment and dedicated space and offer specialized instrumentation and services that are required by multiple investigators.
Component in the business model
SPs provide access to equipment with a fee-for-service component in the business model. The business model may consist of cost recovery of a diverse nature including any or all of the following: direct institutional support; external grant funding; donations ; hourly user fee charged to operating grants; and annual SP membership fee charged to operating grants.
Open access
SPs provide individual researchers with open access to specialized instrumentation, technology, service and expertise including in-depth education and training initiatives that are generally too expensive, complex or specialized for investigators to reasonably provide and sustain in individual laboratories through operating grant funding and laboratory personnel.
Meet the collective needs
SPs are usually supported by the Institution to meet the collective needs of its research community. A number of SPs may share a centralized administrative and management structure. Such structures are integral part of SPs and are thus welcome to join the CNSP.
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Want to know more about CNSP, what we might offer to your scientfic platform?
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