The Partnership Group for Science and Engineering (PAGSE): A Brief Introduction

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PAGSE, in partnership with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), sponsors a monthly breakfast meeting held on Parliament Hill known as “Bacon and Eggheads”, to inform parliamentarians about recent advances in science and engineering.PAGSE is a cooperative association of more than 25 national organizations in Science and Engineering, representing approximately 50,000 individual members from the industry, academia, and government sectors. It was formed in June 1995 at the invitation of the Academy of Science of the Royal Society of Canada to represent the Canadian science and engineering community to the Government of Canada.The member organizations of PAGSE provide core support for its meetings and activities. These include defining the economic benefits of research in Canada and the effects of research budgets, analyzing intellectual property issues and other potential impediments to improving academic-industry symbiosis, showcasing the international dimensions of research projects and associations, and informing decision makers about science and engineering and their importance to Canada.PAGSE represents an extensive resource that, through contracts and agreements, can hold events and undertake studies and assessments of benefit to government departments and agencies, to non-government organizations, and to the general public. In addition to “Bacon and Eggheads”, PAGSE organizes an annual event focused on science and engineering issues. Furthermore, PAGSE submits a brief to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance each fall to provide consensus views from the science and engineering research community on policy issues and initiatives.