SOSCIP Review

About SOSCIP

SOSCIP: Fueling Canadian Innovation through Advanced Computing Tools

SOSCIP is a unique organization that brings together academic and industry researchers to drive innovation in Canada. The acronym stands for Southern Ontario Smart Computing Innovation Platform, and it was founded in 2012 as a collaboration between seven universities, including the University of Toronto, Queen's University, and Western University.

The goal of SOSCIP is to provide researchers with access to advanced computing tools that they might not otherwise have access to. This includes high-performance computing (HPC) resources, big data analytics tools, and cloud computing platforms. By pairing these tools with the expertise of academic and industry researchers across various fields, SOSCIP aims to accelerate innovation in Canada.

One of the key benefits of SOSCIP is its ability to bring together researchers from different backgrounds. For example, an academic researcher studying climate change might be paired with an industry researcher working on renewable energy solutions. By combining their expertise and utilizing advanced computing tools provided by SOSCIP, they can work together more effectively than if they were working separately.

SOSCIP has already made significant contributions to Canadian innovation since its founding. For example:

- In 2016, SOSCIP partnered with IBM Canada on a project aimed at improving weather forecasting using big data analytics.
- In 2018, SOSCIP announced a partnership with Microsoft Canada focused on developing new AI applications for healthcare.
- In 2020, SOSCIP launched a COVID-19 rapid response program aimed at providing HPC resources for research related to the pandemic.

These are just a few examples of how SOSCIP is driving innovation in Canada through its partnerships between academic and industry researchers.

In addition to providing access to advanced computing tools and facilitating collaborations between researchers from different backgrounds, SOSCIP also offers training programs for students and professionals looking to develop their skills in areas like HPC or big data analytics. These programs help ensure that there will be a pipeline of skilled workers ready to tackle complex problems using advanced computing tools well into the future.

Overall, SOSCIP is an essential organization for anyone interested in driving innovation in Canada through advanced computing technologies. Its unique approach brings together experts from academia and industry across various fields while providing them with cutting-edge resources needed for success. With continued support from partners like IBM Canada and Microsoft Canada as well as ongoing investment from government agencies like FedDev Ontario (which provided $20 million CAD funding), we can expect even more exciting developments coming out of this innovative platform soon!