Beginning Feb. 17, Research Matters is launching a , a two week, province-wide contest that takes the public on a journey to learn about Ontario university research that impacts their daily lives.

For the last two weeks of February, students, staff and faculty can answer daily clues and be entered in a draw to win daily prizes. There will be 21 clues in all – one from each of Ontario’s 21 universities.

Ontario university students, with a valid student ID from an Ontario University, who complete the scavenger hunt, will be eligible to win one of five cash grand prizes of $500 each. New this year, Ontario K-12 classrooms that complete the hunt will be eligible to win one of five pizza lunches with a researcher.

The Scavenger Hunt is part of a collaborative project called Research Matters, hosted by the Council of Ontario Universities. The project, a multi-platform endeavour in its third year, is designed to give Ontarians unprecedented access to the wealth of ideas and innovations happening at Ontario universities.

The contest is open to all Ontarians. Members of the general public who answer all 21 clues correctly will be able to unlock a secret message that they can then submit to be entered for a draw of 21 grand prizes of gift bags filled with Research Matters merchandise.

“The Research Matters Virtual Scavenger Hunt is a fun contest that enables Ontarians to learn more about the impact of university research and the many important contributions of Ontario’s leading university researchers,” said Robert Haché, vice-president research & innovation.

To participate, register at or visit the website for contest details.

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Michael Jenkin

91��ɫ is taking part in , a campaign hosted by the Council of Ontario Universities a collaboration among Ontario’s 21 universities, which finds new ways to tell stories about how research is changing lives.

As part of the initiative, Professor Michael Jenkin in the Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science in the Lassonde School of Engineering, will be participating in a panel presentation held at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection gallery located at 10365 Islington Avenue in Vaughan on April 9. Jenkin will discuss “Is there a robot in your future?”

The event is free to the public and will be held from 6:30 to 9pm.

Research Matters brings together Ontario university researchers to discuss why their research matters to Ontarians on how they live, work, and play. Five researchers will present and there will be a Q & A period for participants to ask questions. Below is a list of the researchers and the questions they will be answering at this event:

• Michael Jenkin from 91��ɫ - Is there a robot in your future?
• Irene Gammel from Ryerson University - What is missing from Canada’s culture?
• Emma Master from University of Toronto - Can plant materials replace plastic?
• Pierre Côté from UOIT - What can be done about a pain in the neck?
• Kathleen Martin Ginis from McMaster University - How can Canadians with physical disabilities live more active, healthy lives?

“Members of the 91��ɫ community and the general public are welcome to attend and learn more about the important research taking place in Universities across Ontario,” said Robert Haché, 91��ɫ’s vice-president Research & Innovation.

This event is moderated by CBC radio host Piya Chattopadhyay.

Jenkin is a professor of computer science and engineering, and a member of the Centre for Vision Research at 91��ɫ. Working in the fields of visually guided autonomous robots and virtual reality, he has published more than 150 research papers including co-authoring Computational Principles of Mobile Robotics with Gregory Dudek and a series of co-edited books on human and machine vision with Laurence Harris.

To indicate your attendance, RSVP to organizers.

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Among the researchers featured in the campaign is 91��ɫ humanities Professor Andrea Davis. The campaign profiles the work Davis is doing to alleviate the causes of youth violence.  Through her research, Davis is working with community partners to help black youth  in Canada and Jamaica challenge physical and systemic violence and find new paths toward social and civic engagement. Her work helps young people form new social identities through participation in the arts, social history and literature.  to view the profile.

"This campaign provides a unique opportunity for researchers across the province to share the wide range of research they do,” says Davis. “The project my team and I are leading is certainly only one of many amazing research projects at 91��ɫ, but it resonates specifically with Ontarians because it addresses immediate questions about youth violence. There is no doubt that the stakes are high, and the potential for change and transformation is enormous."

“The work of thousands of university researchers in Ontario affects industry, government and community life in a multitude of ways,” says Alastair Summerlee, chair of COU and president of the University of Guelph. “Those stories about how researchers help people build stronger communities, get more out of work and leisure time, and achieve a better quality of life deserve to be told.”

“This campaign will connect more Ontarians directly with researchers and their ideas,” says Bonnie Patterson, COU president and CEO. “Ontarians can rightly take pride in the fascinating and highly diverse research underway here.”

“The Research Matters campaign is highlighting the important contributions that University research makes to the lives of Ontarians through the voices of many of Ontario’s leading university researchers,” said Robert Haché, vice-president research & innovation.  “91��ɫ is most pleased that Professor Andrea Davis and her important research is being highlighted in this initiative. Andrea’s research is making a positive difference in the lives of individuals, locally and abroad.  Her project identifies youth violence prevention strategies and facilitates opportunities for youth to engage more constructively in their communities.”

Ontario university research is the common thread that ties these and hundreds of other stories together. Visit the COU's website, follow the campaign on Twitter at , or join the community on .

Republished courtesy of YFile– 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin.

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The competition is an initiative organized by the Council of Ontario Universities (COU), in partnership with the Government of Ontario. The province-wide competition is being overseen by the IDeA Working Group, comprised of representatives from engineering and design Faculties at several Ontario universities.

Students will vie for $3,000 in prizes, with entries that must address barriers to accessibility in five categories: attitudinal, physical/structural, information and communications, technological, and systemic.

“Ontario universities are strongly committed to the important goal of leading the country towards greater accessibility,” says Alastair Summerlee, chair of COU and president of the University of Guelph. “Tapping into the innovative capabilities of our students is an excellent way to build awareness and to advance ideas that lead to a more accessible world.”

91��ɫ students can find rules and registration information . The deadline for contest submissions is March 31. Students interested in submitting their idea or concept should review the rules and criteria, register and then submit the concept by e-mail to ideas@yorku.ca by the end of the business on March 31.

Submissions will first be evaluated by 91��ɫ and then successful candidates will move on to a second round of judging conducted by a panel of experts in the five categories. Evaluations will be based on innovation, cost-effectiveness and practicality. Judges will also place a premium on entries whose format itself demonstrates consideration to accessibility issues.

The winner will be announced at an event at the Ontario Centres of Excellence Discovery Conference in May 2012.

Republished courtesy of YFile– 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin.

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