My second month in the position of Executive Lead of Research at Algoma University has shown me that research by our faculty is both of high quality and important for the community, locally, regionally and beyond. In the past month, the Office of Research received external requests for expert advice in key pressing topics in various areas such as the economy (NAFTA negotiations), the environment (invasive species, climate change, water quality) and healthy communities (Truth and Reconciliation with First Nation peoples).
Faculty at Algoma University is not merely interested in teaching by simply reproducing existing information. Instead, they strive to generate new knowledge through research and this is demonstrated by the number and quality of publications and scholarly work put out in 2017 alone (see the link provided below). It is also demonstrated by the number of enquires the Office of Research is receiving from faculty regarding the establishment of international institutional research partnerships, IP agreements, grant applications, publications, etc. Such research activity is offering our students a high level of quality in post-secondary education by exposing them to the latest knowledge as well as opportunities to be involved in new discoveries. Furthermore, research these days is highly collaborative at the global scale, which further creates unique opportunities for our faculty and students to expand their horizons at other Universities.
I am really happy that the Office of Research is well positioned to keep responding to the needs of our faculty and students and, in turn, to those of our community. Our call for proposals for the Algoma University Research Fund is currently out and for next year we are budgeting for a new University Innovation Fund, with the goal of enhancing the Office of Research's capacity to respond to new and emerging research opportunities in a timely manner. Furthermore, in the coming months we'll see improvements in physical space and additional capacity in communications. It is exciting to work in a team that understands and supports research and innovation as reflected in our institutional strategic plan.
LIST OF PUBLICATIONS 2017
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TEU8NcXGPU_0xD660htMhCpwgMUsDqOZ8_Gk9hG0a3U/edit?usp=sharing
