THe Canadian Light Source (CLS) is a national research facility of the University of Saskatchewan. CLS is the only synchrotron in Canada and one of the largest scientific infrastructure investments in our country’s history. Since the start of operations, in 2005, CLS has enabled the research of over 5,500 scientists from 57 Canadian academic institutions and 46 countries, including over 3000 students and postdocs who travel here to conduct scientific experiments using our 22 beamlines.

The experience of conducting research using CLS is a highly valuable part of the training of highly qualified personnel, who then apply their skills throughout the Canadian economy. That has always been part of our value to Canadian governments who have invested in the CLS.

We needed objective, aggregate career on these alumni to measure the value that CLS adds in this regard. Alumni Analyzer came highly recommended to us, and we weren’t disappointed. Alumni Analyzer found career data for over 40% of our alumni, and produced a comprehensive report that benchmarked findings against a control group of highly qualified personnel in the same research fields.

Alumni Analyzer’s results show that our alumni have a strong tendency to pursue higher academic degrees, to stay in Canada and in Saskatchewan, and to return to Canada if they study abroad. A strong majority of these alumni are employed in Canada’s top four most high-tech and research-intensive economic sectors. CLS alumni also achieve more or higher leadership positions over time. For example, after 10 years, CLS alumni are over 400% more likely to be in executive positions than the control group.

Bill Matiko
CEO, Canadian Light Source

Alumni Analyzer’s findings were immediately useful in CLS government relations’ activities, enabling us to tell objective, data-driven stories about our impact on the training of highly qualified personnel.