economy Archives | Research & Innovation

91��ɫ's chief knowledge mobilizer nominated for a major award

muellerm — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 08:00:00 +0000

David Phipps, executive director of research and innovation services and adjunct professor in the Faculty of Graduate Studies, has been nominated and selected by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) as one of three finalists for the prestigious SSHRC Impact Award, recognizing his outstanding achievements in postsecondary knowledge mobilization.

David Phipps

Phipps, who has been nominated in the Connection Award category, which has a prize valued at $50,000, has been instrumental in building 91��ɫ’s Knowledge Mobilization Unit. Through a series of partnered collaborations, the unit has worked with 231 community and government organizations in 91��ɫ Region and the Greater Toronto Area, including the United Way 91��ɫ Region, Parkdale Activity & Recreation Centre, Nottawasaga Futures, Youth Emergency Shelter Services of Peterborough. Phipps has had a successful and sustained track record in SSHRC funding. The activities enabled by these grants have helped Phipps, research teams associated with these grants and collaborative partners to create 122 jobs and have generated more than $56 million in investments and funding for engaged scholarship as well as community programs and services.

His national leadership in knowledge mobilization is seen in the leadership of Canada’s knowledge mobilization network. Researchers, students and research partners in 10 universities in 9 communities across Canada are developing knowledge mobilization support services based in part by those Phipps developed at 91��ɫ. His expertise has also been used by agencies and universities in the United Kingdom, Australia, and the US and by a network of 24 African universities all of whom are seeking to develop an institutional capacity for knowledge mobilization. Phipps’ publishing in the knowledge mobilization blog, has been viewed over 115,500 times by readers in 148 countries.

“David Phipps’ innovative work has transformed the flow and exchange of research knowledge within and especially beyond the academic community,” said Robert Haché, 91��ɫ’s vice-president research & innovation. “The impacts of his work on Canadian research, community organizations, government policy, and the Canadian economy are dramatic, exciting and unparalleled. He is recognized nationally and internationally for his leadership in knowledge mobilization. The award nomination is well-deserved.”

The Connection Award recognizes an outstanding SSHRC-funded initiative to facilitate the flow and exchange of research knowledge within and/or beyond the academic community. It is given to an individual or team whose project has engaged the campus and/or wider community and has generated intellectual cultural, social and or/economic impact.

Phipps has also been named the most influential knowledge broker in Canada in 2011 and 2012, according to a report by Knowledge Mobilization Works, a consulting and training company based in Ottawa and he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 for his work in knowledge mobilization. In 2012, 91��ɫ’s Knowledge Mobilization Unit received a global best practice award from the EU based Knowledge Economy Network.

The announcement of the winners will be made at a ceremony during the in Montreal on Oct. 15.

Republished courtesy of YFile– 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin to research stories on the research website.

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Canada and the United Kingdom commit to social innovation

fmaquito — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 08:00:00 +0000

A joint diplomatic commitment to social innovation between Canada and the United Kingdom that was formalized May 9 has a connection to work underway at 91��ɫ in the area of knowledge mobilization.

The signed by David Fast, Canada’s minister of international trade and minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, and Stephen Green, the United Kingdom’s minister of state for trade & development, highlights the importance of collaboration between the two countries in the area of social innovation. Social Innovation takes new ideas and puts them into practice for the public good. David Phipps, director of 91��ɫ's Research Services and Knowledge Exchange and leader of 91��ɫ’s Knowledge Mobilization Unit and ResearchImpact-RéseauImpactRecherche (RIR), Canada’s knowledge mobilization network, played a role in realizing the commitment by both countries to social innovation.

David Phipps

It began in September 2011, when British Prime Minister David Cameron met with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The pair discussed many matters, including international diplomacy, national security, the economy and innovation. During their meeting, they decided to build on their countries’ mutual interests in science and innovation by committing to a joint innovation statement. to view a video of Cameron's address to the Canadian Parliament.

In November 2011, some two months after the prime ministers agreed to draft the joint innovation statement, Phipps travelled to the UK for a series of meetings on knowledge mobilization and social innovation. While there, he met with representatives from the at the University of Edinburgh and the at the University of Brighton.

“At that time, I wrote in [a blog about ResearchImpact and knowledge mobilization] about my meetings ,” said Phipps. “What I didn't write about at the time were my meetings with agencies interested in social innovation. I met with the , a global leader in social innovation, and with , the UK’s innovation foundation.”

Accompanying Phipps to the meetings was Caroline Martin, trade commissioner for science and technology with the Canadian High Commission in London. “We discussed the importance of social innovation to Canada and the United Kingdom, a conversation we then continued with Nicole Arbour, team lead for the Science & Innovation Network at the British High Commission in Ottawa. Together we explored opportunities for collaboration on social innovation with Canadian organizations such as and the , organizations whose leadership in social innovation parallels that of NESTA and the Young Foundation.”

Phipps learned that Martin and Arbour were assisting with drafting the Joint Innovation statement that was called for by the prime ministers. “Our conversations helped inform the decision to include social innovation in the text of the Joint Innovation statement,” said Phipps.

Once completed, the Joint Innovation statement included this declaration: “The Participants will consider taking joint initiatives in the following priority areas [including] Social Innovation: Working with academic, government and civil society partners to leverage research and innovation activities for greater societal benefits.”

Phipps said the joint diplomatic commitment to social innovation between Canada and the UK has found another home with the Governor General of Canada David Johnston. On Feb. 17, 2012 he wrote about in an opinion piece published in The Globe & Mail. “So how do we bring about a smart and caring world that is at once prosperous, sustainable and resilient?” wrote Johnston. “Our ability to work together – to practise the diplomacy of knowledge – will be the key to our success.”

"Social Innovation is one outcome of knowledge mobilization for which 91��ɫ is developing an international reputation,” said Robert Haché, 91��ɫ’s vice-president research & innovation. “New discoveries are being made to address persistent social challenges through social innovation. Our conversations with the British and Canadian High Commissions helped inform the decision to include social innovation in the text of the Joint Innovation statement. The outcome reflects the growing international appreciation of the work of 91��ɫ’s Knowledge Mobilization Unit and its leadership role in ResearchImpact, Canada's knowledge mobilization network, in working to turn research into action."

“Collaborating for social innovation is now recognized as a priority for Canada and for the UK,” said Phipps. “RIR-91��ɫ was there and will be there working with colleagues from Canada and the UK to support knowledge mobilization as a process that enables enhanced social innovation.”

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

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91��ɫ researchers awarded $7 million by NSERC

fmaquito — Thu, 24 May 2012 08:00:00 +0000

The Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) announced Wednesday that 60 researchers at 91��ɫ have been awarded more than $7 million in NSERC grants, while eight graduate students have received a total of $318,500 in funding for scholarships and fellowships. The funding was awarded following national, peer-reviewed competitions conducted by NSERC.

“On behalf of the 91��ɫ research community, I am very pleased by this announcement,” said Robert Haché, 91��ɫ’s vice-president research & innovation. “NSERC’s investment in science, engineering and technological research reflects the exceptional quality of the research activities undertaken by 91��ɫ’s researchers, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Our growing success in NSERC grant competitions allows our researchers to continue to grow and strengthen their innovative research programs across these disciplines from a base of excellence.”

Scientists, engineers and students at universities across the country will receive more than $410 million in grants and scholarships over terms ranging from one to five years. These awards comprise the 2012 competition results for NSERC’s Discovery Grants, Discovery Accelerator Supplements, Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarships, NSERC Postgraduate Scholarships and Postdoctoral Fellowships Programs.

Forty-nine 91��ɫ researchers received funding in the Discovery Grants Competition, securing $6,086,000 in funding – a success rate of 71 per cent – highlighting the strength of University research programs in the science and engineering disciplines.

In the Discovery Grants and Discovery Accelerator Supplements Competition, the funding was granted for research programs covering a wide range of topics, including:

Experiments in the atmospheres of Mars and Earth
Structural and functional imaging of the human thalamus
The role of electrical synapses in vision
The development and application of dynamic smart surfaces
Thoracic and lumbar spine biomechanics
Development and application of mass spectrometry imaging to biological models

91��ɫ researchers were also awarded $601,733 in funding in the Research Tools & Instruments competition.

"Our government's top priority is jobs, growth and long-term prosperity. To remain at the forefront of the global economy, our government is investing in the people and ideas that will produce tomorrow's breakthroughs," said Gary Goodyear, federal minister of state for science and technology. "Through these investments, we are creating the best-educated and most skilled workforce in the world."

"Through these programs, NSERC provides direct support to an exceptionally strong base of scientific and creative talent in every field of the natural sciences and engineering," said Suzanne Fortier, NSERC president. "Our scholarships and fellowships programs help us recruit and retain the bright young minds that will lead the next generation of Canadian discoverers and innovators. The flexibility and broad base of research supported by our internationally recognized Discovery Grants Program maintains our capacity to promote important breakthroughs."

The Discovery Grants Program supports ongoing programs of research in every scientific and engineering discipline. Valued at $120,000 over three years, Discovery Accelerator Supplements are awarded to researchers whose research proposals suggest and explore high-risk, novel or potentially transformative concepts and lines of inquiry, and are likely to have impact by contributing to groundbreaking advances in the proposed areas of research.

Research Tools and Instruments (RTI) grants foster and enhance the discovery, innovation and training capability of university researchers in the natural sciences and engineering by supporting the purchase of research equipment and installations.

The NSERC scholarships and fellowships awards announced Wednesday − comprised of the Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarships, NSERC Postgraduate Scholarships and Postdoctoral Fellowships − offer support at the master’s, doctoral and postdoctoral levels.

For more information, visit the website.

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

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President bound for Brazil as part of AUCC mission

fmaquito — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 08:00:00 +0000

91��ɫ President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri will visit Brazil from April 25 to May 2 as part of a delegation to promote Canada-Brazil partnerships in research, innovation and higher education.

The mission, led by the Governor General of Canada David Johnston, is the largest of its kind in Canadian history, with more than two dozen Canadian university presidents making stops in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Campinas and Brasilia. It is organized by the Association of Canadian Colleges & Universities (AUCC).

Canadian university presidents will be visiting Rio de Janeiro as part of their tour of Brazil

In the next five years, Brazil is expected to become the fifth-largest economy in the world; the delegates will work to establish partnerships that will address the research interests of both countries and foster long-term prosperity.

As part of the mission, 91��ɫ will announce two undergraduate entrance scholarships for Brazilian students, along with a pair of scholarships to study English through the 91��ɫ English Language Institute (YUELI).

Shoukri will also be a signatory on a Memorandum of Understanding between 91��ɫ, Simon Fraser University, Ryerson University, Concordia University and the State of São Paulo research foundation, (FAPESP). The memorandum encourages collaboration between researchers at SFU, Concordia, 91��ɫ and Ryerson and those working in public or private research or teaching institutions in the State of São Paulo, Brazil.

“It is important that 91��ɫ participate in this mission,” Shoukri says. “Our aim is that our students become ‘citizens of the world’, by increasing their knowledge and skills through globally connected, internationalized programs, research and campuses. This new era of partnership with Brazil is an extension of 91��ɫ’s leadership in international education, international research and collaboration with international institutions.”

The Fundação Dom Cabral - Campus

91��ɫ’s Schulich School of Business will also sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Brazil’s Fundação Dom Cabral, a centre for executive development, for collaboration in research and teaching. The institutions will share knowledge around sustainability and responsible business, and jointly provide executive education training and development programs with Brazilian companies. Schulich will also establish the Brookfield Brazil Internship Program, an opportunity for up to four of the school’s MBA/IMBA students to participate in a structured work term in the Brazilian operations of a globally oriented Canadian-based firm.

In keeping with strengthening ties between Schulich and Brazilian institutions, Schulich Dean Dezsö Horváth will give a special address to the Federation of the Industries of Sao Paulo (FIESP), with introductory remarks provided by Shoukri.

Stephen Toope, chair of AUCC and president of The University of British Columbia, says the delegation aims to strengthen existing partnerships with Brazil and create new opportunities.

“This is the largest international mission of university presidents in Canadian history, which speaks to the importance of building connections with this emerging economic powerhouse,” says Toope. “Our focus is on establishing and strengthening partnerships in research and innovation. We will also enhance opportunities for student mobility between our countries, providing experiences that will better prepare students in both countries for the new knowledge-driven economy.”

Canada’s universities, including 91��ɫ, will welcome an estimated 12,000 Brazilian students between 2012 and 2016, through the Canadian component of Brazil’s ambitious Science Without Borders scholarship program. Through these scholarships, more than 100,000 Brazilians will study, undertake internships and conduct research in selected countries around the world over a four-year period.

The Brazil mission is being led by the Governor General of Canada David Johnston. AUCC is the national voice of Canada’s universities, representing 95 Canadian public and private not-for-profit universities. For more information, click .

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

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Interactive computer assessments may help foster health equity

fmaquito — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Through the use of interactive, computer-assisted health-assessments, Professor Farah Ahmad hopes to foster equity in health care, especially at the intersections of gender, ethnicity and migration. Ahmad will present her research and discuss how embracing eHealth innovations can boost community empowerment as part of the 91��ɫ eHealth Alliance Lecture Series.

The lecture, “eHealth Innovations to Address Health Inequities: A Case of Computer-Assisted Health-Assessment in Primary Care,” will take place Thursday, Feb. 16, from 3 to 4pm, at 402 Health, Nursing & Environmental Studies Building.

Farah Ahmad

“Equity in health-care access is a key social determinant of population health,” says Ahmad, who is based in the Faculty of Health’s School of Health Policy & Management. “Fostering equity mechanisms is more salient today than ever before due to the challenges of economic recession and changing demographics.”

One way to embrace eHealth is by using interactive computer-assisted health-assessments in primary care for prevention and health promotion. Her recent research demonstrates that these kinds of assessments can enable patients to disclose socially stigmatized issues, such as partner violence and compromised mental health, as well as assist providers to offer needed care and referrals.

Ahmad’s action research on eHealth for psychosocial healthcare re-orientation takes place at the critical intersections of gender, ethnicity and migration. It is grounded in principles of social science includes quantitative and qualitative studies with inner city women, refugees and health-care providers. She will highlight the potential to develop integrated care models as an important pathway for simultaneous actions on the multiple health determinants that improve life conditions.

Ahmad is affiliated with the Centre for Research on Inner City Health, St. Michael’s Hospital as an associate scientist and with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Strategic Training Initiatives on Health Research on Health, Care, Place & Technology as a mentor. She held several prestigious fellowships, including awards from the CIHR during her doctorate and post-doctorate.

For more information, visit the Faculty of Health website.

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

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