Ontario to appoint a science boss

metronews.ca
By David Hains
March 16, 2017

Ontario is looking for a science czar, but first it wants public input on what the new role should look like.

The position will, according to an online notice, “champion high-quality science,” among other science-friendly job duties. The premier announced the office in June.

“Ontario’s first chief science officer will help...develop a long-term vision and strategic research agenda for Ontario,” wrote Jessica Hume, an advisor to the minister of economic development and growth.

After the consultation process ends on March 27, Hume added, the job will be officially posted for applicants. A budget for the office hasn’t been set yet.

By hiring a chief science officer, Ontario is following a broader trend. The federal government is going through the same process to fulfill a 2015 campaign promise. Similar roles exist in the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Israel and New Zealand, Hume notes.

The chief science officer role is also increasingly popular in the business world. While the role is commonplace in science-oriented fields like the biotech and pharmaceutical industries, others have joined the trend. Unilever and Hotels.com recently created chief science officer roles, with a particular focus on data analytics.