Hamilton,
19
May
2020
|
12:07 PM
America/New_York

​Mohawk College receives $2.85 million for research projects

Funds support research in energy and power, City School, student success

Mohawk College has received $2.85 million in funding for five research projects as part of an announcement by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada today.

NSERC announced an investment of over $76 million for 128 new applied research projects that will help provide innovative solutions for local and regional business challenges through the expertise of Canadian colleges, CÉGEPs and polytechnics.

This funding from the tri-agency College and Community Innovation Program and the College-Industry Innovation Fund from the Canada Foundation for Innovation will connect colleges with local companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, to work together on applied research projects that will facilitate the development of new products and technologies for the benefit of their local communities and beyond.

“We are grateful to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada for its generous support. Mohawk is one of Canada’s top-ranked research colleges and this funding helps to support us in our mission to educate and prepare highly skilled graduates for success in the workforce. This announcement allows us to intensify our engagement with social agencies and local employers as we work together to support a strong and healthy community.”

 - Ron McKerlie, President, Mohawk College

“Mohawk College is one of Canada's leading colleges and a source of great pride in the Hamilton community. The funding announced today not only recognizes the crucial role Mohawk College holds in the area of applied research, but will also strengthen their ability to continue producing highly skilled graduates ready to meet the rapidly shifting needs of employers.”

- Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister of Labour, member of Parliament for Hamilton-West Ancaster Dundas

“Colleges play a pivotal and unique role within their communities by providing cutting-edge applied research expertise and state-of-the-art facilities that drive local innovation. These R&D collaborations contribute not only to the development and commercialization of new products and services for Canadians, but also the creation of new quality jobs and valuable training experience for our future generation of workers.”

- Alejandro Adem, President, NSERC

The awarded Mohawk College projects include:

Energy and Power Technology Access Centre - The Energy and Power Innovation Centre (EPIC) at Mohawk College will expand its services as a Technology Access Centre. The TAC will focus its support on the agri-food sector to address energy and other resource challenges and help food and beverage companies in the Golden Horseshoe Region reduce their costs and environmental footprint. The agri-food sector has a particular interest in energy conservation and efficiency measures because over 66 per cent of its energy consumption is used in operations that do not add value to the product. TAC funding - $1,750,000

City School Employer Demand-led Research - City School will research the impact of employer-designed career access programs in improving outcomes for under-served communities. This research project will examine City School participant perceptions concerning life-long learning throughout the program; how the programs affect local employers’ perceptions about these non-traditional recruitment strategies and populations; and evaluate how well employer engagement addresses the barriers faced by marginalized communities. CCSIF - $360,000

City School Wellness Connect - The Mohawk College Access team is developing a Wellness Connect initiative aimed at strengthening the capabilities, resilience and well-being of students enrolled in the college's Access programs, such as City School, Academic Upgrading, and Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada. This study will involve consultation with partners in community partner organizations, current and former students, faculty and staff members in the Access programs through surveys, interviews and focus groups. The hoped result is that student well-being will improve, they will remain in their programs and will pursue further postsecondary education. CCSIF - $359,803

Future Ready Skills Translator - CSSIC and Mohawk's Future Ready Premium Program are developing a first-of-its-kind intervention that will help translate employer skills expectations to impact college curriculum. Researchers, employer partners, faculty and students will collaborate to develop interactive, workplace simulations delivered within an artificial intelligence platform, allowing for the improvement and assessment of 21st century skills within real-world workplace scenarios. CCSIF - $232,746

Operational Technology Monitoring and Testing System – EPIC at Mohawk College will acquire a communication network emulator for its Operational Technology system to expand its ability to cost-effectively replicate energy networks to allow for the testing of cyber security threats and events. This system will expand the demonstration, testing and training platform at the Centre’s decommissioned substation in downtown Hamilton, where utilities, engineering firms and industry partners are able to more safely implement new technology in the area of electrical protection and control. ARTI grant - $149,145