“What We Need is Another Report!”- Three Structural Challenges in Canadian Science Policy

Abstract: Effective public policy begins with a clear diagnosis of the problem. Canadian science faces three structural tensions that future public administrators must understand. First, the federal government champions research but leaves provincially funded universities to bear the heavy operational costs [e.g., Usher, “Erasmus for Canada? Not so Fast,” Sept 21, 2026]. Second, a fragmented commercialization pipeline fundamentally limits our national productivity [e.g., Bouchard Report, 2023]. Finally, scientific research is no longer an insulated enterprise; it is now central to national security and deeply entangled in broader public and ideological debates [e.g., SRSR Report, Sept 21, 2026]. Drawing on my journey from academic to start-up founder to science advocate, this talk explores what these challenges look like in the trenches. The goal is to equip policy students with the foundation to architect better solutions—or, at the very least, to truly understand the problems at hand.

Biography: James Fraser is a Professor of Physics, Engineering Physics & Astronomy at Queen’s University where his research team explores laser applications ranging from fundamental searches for dark matter to new manufacturing practices for e-mobility and additive manufacturing. He has co-authored over 50 peer-reviewed articles in journals ranging from Physical Review Letters to Additive Manufacturing. James has been issued 10 patents and in 2012 co-founded Laser Depth Dynamics, which was acquired by IPG Photonics Inc in 2017 and now operates as IPG Photonics (Canada) Inc. in a recently opened $21M R&D and manufacturing facility in Kingston ON. James has won numerous teaching awards and was named a 3M National Teaching Fellow in 2017, the top teaching award in the country. James currently serves as the Associate Dean (Graduate) in the Faculty of Arts and Science. He also serves as the Director for Science Policy and Advocacy with the Canadian Association of Physicists. Outside interests include short-track speed skating and wood-fired pizza (but not at the same time).

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