Two Western researchers have received funding for partnership research projects that will help understand and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The COVID Alliance Grants awarded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) support pandemic-fighting collaborations among university researchers, the public and not-for-profit sectors and industry.
Researchers and collaborators receive up to $50,000 for one-year projects supported by the $15-million fund.
At Western, COVID Alliance Grants have been awarded to :
Jin Zhang, professor of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, to develop a quick evaluation of advanced personal protective equipment (PPE) during COVID-19 by using nanostructured sensing assay. The partner company is  Grafoid Inc; and
Eric Savory, professor of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, to provide evidence-based guidance for mitigating transmission of COVID-19 virus droplets and surface contamination (partner companies are 3M Canada and Corus)
To date, NSERC has awarded more than $10 million in COVID Alliance Grants to more than 200 projects.
