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Dr. Rhonda Lenton, 91��ɫ’s new President and Vice-Chancellor, reflects on the rising profile of research and innovation at the University. 

On July 1, 2017, 91��ɫ’s new President and Vice-Chancellor, Rhonda L. Lenton, took the helm of Canada’s third-largest university.

Lenton, who began at 91��ɫ in 2002, is deeply committed to achieving the highest levels of excellence for 91��ɫ as a leading comprehensive university, and to building on the University’s mission to deliver new ways of thinking that drive teaching, learning and research excellence.

She is dedicated to further developing 91��ɫ’s commitment to innovative learning environments, diverse experiential learning, unique cross-disciplinary programs and community-engaged research opportunities.

In this Q&A with Brainstorm, Lenton outlines a future for 91��ɫ in which research and innovation continue to play a vital and ever-amplifying role.

Q: What is your vision for the future for research and innovation at 91��ɫ?

When I think about what that means for the University, we need to support faculty complement renewal and make sure that we are bolstering the entire breadth of scholarship, research and creative activities. This means including pure and discovery research, and thinking about applied research as well as opportunities for large, collaborative types of research that build on 91��ɫ’s established strengths in inter- and trans-disciplinary scholarship, research and creative activities.

Q: Reflecting on research and innovation at 91��ɫ, how would you characterize the last five years?

A: I would highlight the rapid and successful amplification of scholarship, research and creative activities over the last five years. This is due, in large measure, to the type of planning culture that we have at 91��ɫ. One important example of this is the development of our “Strategic Research Plan.” In terms of operationalizing that plan and helping everyone across the University to move forward and amplify our research efforts, the development of PIER or the “Plan for the Intensification and Enhancement of Research,” has been incredibly important.

“I would highlight the rapid and successful amplification of scholarship, research and creative activities over the last five years.” – 91��ɫ President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton

PIER provided recommendations as to how we can increase and strengthen our activities, how 91��ɫ can establish itself as a leader in research, and where the opportunities are for us to do that. PIER considered the pressing research problems of the day, and how 91��ɫ can best leverage our strengths to contribute to those challenging, complex issues.

I have seen, over the last five years under the leadership of our Vice-President Research & Innovation, Robert Haché, a real vision of purpose around our research. We are keenly focused on impact, and how we can ensure that the research activities we are undertaking have a broad impact on social, cultural, economic and other wellbeing of society, both locally and internationally.

We have been on a trajectory  ̶  one that I fully expect we will see strengthening in the future.

“I have seen a real vision of purpose around our research. The research activities we are undertaking have a broad impact on social, cultural, economic and other wellbeing of society, both locally and internationally.”  ̶  91��ɫ President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton

Q: What kinds of successes illustrate the amplification of research and innovation at 91��ɫ?

A:  There are many examples. One of the reasons 91��ɫ has had so much success is because we are supporting scholarship, research and creative activities right across the board, in a very comprehensive way.

Let me give you a few examples: 91��ɫ has one of the highest growth rates in scholarly output in Ontario for the last decade. This is hugely significant because it reflects our upward trajectory. 91��ɫ also leads in terms of the collaborative research publications that involve international scholarship. 91��ɫ is establishing a global network of international partnerships, which is key.

91��ɫ is also well-known for the contributions we make in the areas of business and public policy, from the Schulich School of Business and Osgoode Hall Law School. We are also first in Canada and third in the world in biological and computational vision research. This, undoubtedly, was a major factor in 91��ɫ’s success in receiving an unprecedented investment from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) and partners. We are also very strong in social science research, as I mentioned – for example, bullying research and refugee migration studies.

So, much of what characterizes 91��ɫ’s success goes back to that strength in inter- and transdisciplinary research. We need to continue supporting this vital work as we go forward.

Q: You mentioned 91��ɫ’s success in securing research funds. Can you elaborate?

A: Yes, our researchers have been successful. As I mentioned, last fall, the Vision: Science to Application (VISTA) program received an unprecedented $120 million investment from CFREF and partners. Speaking more broadly, in 2016 and 2017, 91��ɫ researchers received more than $14 million from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC); over $11 million from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC); and more than $3 million from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Q: What programs or centres support scholarly excellence at 91��ɫ?

A: 91��ɫ is home to 25 research centres that conduct ambitious, groundbreaking work. Our Research Chairs also support scholarly excellence. The Canada Research Chairs, or CRC, program stands at the centre of a national strategy to make Canada one of the world’s top countries in research and development. 91��ɫ has an allocation of 36 CRCs in diverse areas, including Indigenous environmental justice, health psychology, atomic physics and entrepreneurial innovation.

The 91��ɫ Research Chairs (YRC) program is the University’s internal counterpart of the CRC program. Importantly, the level of support and recognition provided to YRCs aligns with supports and recognition provided through the CRC program. As of August 1, 2017, 91��ɫ is home to 22 YRCs in a wide variety of fields, including women’s reproductive health, genomics, space technology, global digital citizenship, bioanalytical chemistry, planetary science, big data analytics and fine art.

Q: How important are partnerships, collaboration and community engagement to 91��ɫ’s research?

A: These are very important. Our researchers work extensively with academic partners, community groups and commercial partners in building their research programs.

Innovation 91��ɫ, the innovation office for the University, plays a vital role in providing services to faculty members, trainees, students, industry and the community. Innovation 91��ɫ’s accelerator spaces, such as the LaunchYU BEST Hub on 91��ɫ’s Keele Campus, YSpace Markham, and the IBM Innovation Space–Markham Convergence Centre, are thriving hubs for entrepreneurs and community members. In 2015-16, Innovation 91��ɫ, which also includes a Knowledge Mobilization Unit, created relationships with more than 100 companies, approved 500 agreements worth nearly $30 million, supported 20 commercialization projects and launched five start-up companies.

I am very interested in strengthening our connectedness with the community. Further examples of this important work would include our plans for the Markham Campus and our valued relationships with our partners in this region, the subway extension, as well as our deep connections with the Franco-Ontarian community.

Connectedness is vital. My vision for the University involves connecting our academic and research excellence with our accessibility agenda, our diversity with our inclusivity. I would like to seize the opportunity to think big and to reflect on how 91��ɫ can be the model for the connected university in the 21st-century global knowledge economy.

To learn more about Research & Innovation at 91��ɫ, watch the , see the or visit the .  For an overview the 91��ɫ’s innovation office, watch the . For compelling research stories about the world-leading, policy-relevant work of 91��ɫ’s researchers and academics, visit the newsletter .

By Megan Mueller, manager, research communications, Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation, muellerm@yorku.ca