For eleven years, Daniel has played a key role as a strategic thinker in the development and implementation of key initiatives for Canada’s capabilities for materials research. He is a conscientious advisor, who conducts background research thoroughly, following good practices in supporting conclusions with traceable, objective evidence. He analyzes complex scientific issues, proposes feasible solutions to policy challenges, and articulates the practical impacts of research to non-experts. For example, Daniel developed a narrative vision of the future of Canadian materials research with neutron beams, which supported a university Vice-President of Research to form a working group with executive leaders from academia, government and industry to establish a pan-Canadian, university-led neutron-beam program: the “Canadian Neutron Initiative” (CNI). He engaged additional stakeholders, attracting 16 organizations from across Canada to participate in the CNI working group. He wrote the CNI’s $20M/yr funding request, which was endorsed by the House of Commons Finance Committee for the 2018 and 2019 federal budgets.
– John Root, Director, Sylvia Fedoruk Canadian Centre for Nuclear Innovation
