More than 200 Conestoga employees representing all ten academic schools participated in the college’s Research and Scholarship Symposium on October 24 at Tapestry Hall in Cambridge.
More than 200 employees participated in the college’s Research and Scholarship Symposium on October 24.
The event was hosted in collaboration with Teaching & Learning, Degree Quality & Accreditation, and Research, Innovation & Entrepreneurship to showcase research and scholarship activity at the college and connect faculty to resources.
“Through research and innovation, faculty and students actively contribute to the economic prosperity of the communities we serve,” said Conestoga President John Tibbits. “We are creating connections between academia, industry and the community by fostering collaboration that transfers knowledge, technology and ideas to the benefit of our partners and society.”
The event featured a keynote presentation from Dr. Ginger Grant, dean of Research & Innovation at Humber College, who provided insights into creating a culture for research excellence. Attendees also heard from speakers across the college about Conestoga’s seven research centres, funded research projects, scholarship activities, and college resources to support applied research, innovation and entrepreneurship, including Library Services, Open Access Teaching Case Journal (OATCJ) and the Research Ethics Board.
Included in the project spotlight was research supported by the Conestoga New and Emerging Research Grant (CNERG). Launched in 2022, CNERG is funded entirely by the college to support small-scale projects in new and emerging areas of research. To date, more than 20 researchers have received funding. In October, the Office of Research Services announced an additional funding stream, CNERG+, to support large-scale projects.
“We are delighted to have the college’s support in providing opportunities for faculty and staff to engage in research,” said Michelle Chrétien, associate vice-president, Research & Innovation. “The expanded CNERG program will accelerate our research capacity growth and enable even greater impact on our partners and communities.”
Over the last year, more than 200 Conestoga students and 40 faculty were engaged in $5.6 million in funded research involving over 80 partners across Canada. The college works in collaboration with industry, community and government partners to deliver innovative solutions to real-world challenges.
Conestoga consistently ranks among Canada’s top research colleges, finishing in 15th place overall in 2022. Last year, the college was among Canada’s top ten large colleges for its number of paid student researchers and completed research projects, as well as its industry income.
Visit Conestoga Applied Research and Innovation for more information.