The Sylvia Fedoruk Canadian Centre for Nuclear Innovation (Fedoruk Centre) is driving Saskatchewan’s ambitions to become a global leader in nuclear research, development, and training.
Established in 2011 as a not-for-profit corporation, the Fedoruk Centre invests in partnerships with academia and industry, aiming to deliver significant societal and economic benefits through advances in nuclear science, building on Saskatchewan’s rich legacy of nuclear innovation.
Investing in nuclear science and education
At the heart of the Fedoruk Centre’s mission is a commitment to foster nuclear expertise in Saskatchewan.
Through partnerships with local post-secondary institutions, the Centre has established four academic leadership positions, known as Fedoruk Chairs, in the areas of radiation detectors, radiopharmacy, veterinary nuclear imaging, and neutron imaging.
These positions have attracted top talent to inspire a new generation of researchers to consider careers in the growing fields of nuclear science.
As the province anticipates the introduction of nuclear power by the 2030s, the Fedoruk Centre is ramping up efforts to build a workforce of highly skilled professionals capable of supporting the safe and reliable operation of nuclear technologies. More Chairs are envisioned.
Advancing nuclear innovation
A cornerstone of the Fedoruk Centre’s work is the support of innovative nuclear research projects. Since its inception, the Centre has awarded over C$7.8m in grants to 50 projects that address nuclear energy, health, materials, and the environment.
These projects offer hands-on training for students and postdoctoral researchers, building capacity for Saskatchewan people to participate in the forefront of nuclear innovation.
One particularly impactful project, led by Professor Esam Hussein of the University of Regina, focused on evaluating the feasibility of introducing small modular reactors (SMRs) in Saskatchewan. This project engaged faculty researchers from a spectrum of disciplines, ranging from engineering to social sciences, all studying the practical and regulatory challenges of deploying nuclear power in the province for the first time.
Operating the Saskatchewan Cyclotron Facility
The Fedoruk Centre also operates the Saskatchewan Cyclotron Facility, a first-class nuclear research and radiopharmaceutical production hub.
This Facility includes a TR24 Cyclotron, which produces isotopes crucial for cancer diagnostics and treatment.1 The Facility supplies a nuclear imaging agent to the nearby Royal University Hospital, enabling PET-CT scans for over 3,000 cancer patients annually.
The Facility also supports research in radiochemistry, nuclear imaging, and preclinical life sciences, empowering users from academia and industry to pursue their programs of innovation in nuclear imaging or therapeutic applications.
Bridging academia, industry, and policy
The Fedoruk Centre serves as a valuable resource for stakeholders across the nuclear landscape, offering advisory services to policymakers, industry, and academic institutions.
In 2023, the Fedoruk Centre partnered with the University of Saskatchewan and Discover Saskatoon to manage the 11th International Conference on Isotopes as a service to the World Council on Isotopes, attracting close to 300 industrial and academic participants from more than 20 countries for knowledge exchange and business development.
From 2017 to 2022, the Fedoruk Centre provided management support to the Canadian Neutron Initiative working group, culminating in the establishment of Neutrons Canada, a not-for-profit corporation aspiring to manage Canada’s neutron beam infrastructure, ensuring that Canadian researchers have access to cutting-edge tools for materials research to tackle major social and economic challenges in decades to come.
Shaping the future of nuclear research
As Saskatchewan prepares for the nuclear energy developments of the coming decades, the Fedoruk Centre continues to serve as a catalyst for research, innovation, and education in nuclear science.
With its strategic investments in academic leadership, research funding, and first-class facilities, the Centre is advancing nuclear technology and fostering a new generation of nuclear professionals.
Through its efforts, the Fedoruk Centre is helping to place Saskatchewan among the global leaders of nuclear energy, health, and environmental sustainability, creating the conditions for the province to emerge as a powerhouse in the nuclear domain.
