CEDENNA opened its annual seminar series with a visit from Dr. Sébastien Garbarino, Director of Infrastructure and Innovation at PRIMA Québec, a Canadian regional government entity dedicated to creating a research and innovation hub in advanced materials by funding collaborative research projects between science and industry, focused on applications in energy, mining, the environment, health, additive manufacturing, artificial intelligence, quantum technology and much more.
The opening talk he gave to CEDENNA and Usach researchers, academics and students focused precisely on the work of this entity, which he described as “a unique formula for collaborations between research and industry”.
PRIMA Québec is led by a 17-member board, of which 12 belong to the industrial sector, 3 to the research sector and 2 are additional members, with whom Dr. Garbarino has been actively involved since 2018.
He stressed that it is a multisectoral industrial research group that seeks to increase the competitiveness of the advanced materials industry by stimulating collaborative innovation. “What matters,” he said, “is being proactive in approaching companies and offering our scientific and technological capabilities to solve their problems with advanced technologies, funding their first adoption of them”.
Some thirty research centers and more than a hundred industries of all sizes (from small producers to the German company Siemens) work in association with this entity. In this way, he said, an interface of mutual trust in research and development is created that brings together the different players in the ecosystem, so that industry and companies of all sizes can benefit from high-tech knowledge, making this strategic sector one of the most innovative.
Another of its objectives is to facilitate access to state-of-the-art equipment and ensure knowledge transfer through training and the retention of qualified personnel in industry.
ENTHUSIASM FOR DEVELOPMENT
Passionate about structuring materials in the field of electrocatalysis, functionalized nanoparticles and the development of sensors and micro-supercapacitors, Dr. Garbarino got to know each of CEDENNA’s laboratories in detail before giving his talk to an audience that brought together researchers from the Center’s different lines of research.
“I am amazed by the diversity of the human teams and physical resources they have. By the combination of students, postdocs and researchers who work together with great passion for their developments,” he said at the end of the tour.
Finally, he was interested in the way the center promotes (like PRIMA) consideration of occupational health, safety and high academic and technological requirements.
As a researcher, Dr. Garbarino has more than 15 years of experience in materials research and development, holds three patents, is the author of 67 publications and has been recognized in several innovation competitions, giving him extensive knowledge of Québec’s innovation ecosystem and funding opportunities.
