CollaborativeR D - The Globe and...

T here was a timewhen the vastmajority of top

innovations came fromcompanies workingindependently in theirown labs. In the last twodecades, however, theleading consumer-productand technology innova-tions have come fromresearch done collabora-tively between businesses,academia and government.

Proponents of this newmodel say the change is forthe better.

“Innovation is a race,but more importantly, itis a relay race. Increas-ingly, collaboration acrosssectors and disciplines isessential to bring ideas tosociety and the global mar-ketplace,” says SuzanneFortier, president of theNatural Sciences and Engi-neering Research Councilof Canada (NSERC).

The Association of Uni-versities and Colleges ofCanada (AUCC) conduct-ed a comprehensive study

of private-sector researchinvestment in Canada. Mo-mentum: The 2008 report onuniversity research and knowl-edge mobilization founduniversities perform over athird of Canada’s researchwith industry, whichdirected $881 million of its$13.8-billion investment inR&D to university researchin 2007.

The Association ofCanadian Community Col-leges, meanwhile, reportsthat colleges received$103 million in externalfunding in 2009-10, $45million of which camefrom the private sector.

As global competi-tion gets tougher, DanielMuzyka, dean of UBC’sSauder School of Business,says industry-academic col-laboration on innovation iscritical.

“We are a wealthysociety, but our com-petitiveness is slipping. Ifwe want to increase ourproductivity in a worldwhere competition is only

increasing, we will needhigher levels of innova-tion,” he says. “Canada isgood, but not great, at theinnovation game. To real-ize the economic benefit ofour R&D investment, weneed to invest in partner-ships with industry.”

Dr. Muzyka chairedNSERC’s Strategy forPartnership and Innova-tion Advisory Committee– an initiative launched in2009 to foster sustainablerelationships between busi-ness and post-secondaryresearchers, and increasecorporate Canada’s R&Dcapabilities.

“By creating partner-ships between the aca-demic sector and business,we are better able to bringthe value of discovery andideas from the researchlab to society. That willprovide us with the righttools…in building an inno-vation environment in ourcountry,” says Dr. Fortier.

As one of Canada’sleading public funders of

scientific research, NSERCinvests $320 million of its$1-billion-plus annual bud-get, supporting more than1,900 industry-academicpartnerships.

“We have set a goalto double the numberof companies that workthrough our programs toconnect with post-second-ary institutions,” says Dr.Fortier. “We plan to be upto 3,000 over the next fiveyears.”

NSERC has facilitated450 new relationships

already this year.“R&D is a high-risk

investment. NSERC co-invests in research pro-grams to diminish the riskto industry and stretch itsdollar,” says Dr. Fortier.

Paul Davidson, presidentof AUCC, says, “Canadais 97 per cent small ormedium-sized enterprises.In order for them to growinto medium and largeenterprises, they need towork with the academicsector to harness and com-mercialize ideas.”

Mr. Davidson says inorder for Canada’s nearlyone million universitystudents – more than everbefore – to become thenext generation of wealthcreators, they need to beconnected to researchersand entrepreneurs alike.

“Interest from theprivate sector has beenextremely high becauseentrepreneurs see valuein the pathways betweentheir operations and theuniversity and collegecommunities,” he says.

Innovation. It benefits us today –with new ideas andproducts that address society’s challenges. Its pursuit alsoyields scientific results whose uses may not be fully appreciated for years to come. With our social, economicand environmental future hanging in the balance, experts say it’s time for Canada’s public and private sectors toexplore evenmore fully the power and potential of research partnerships.

�� THE GLOBE AND MAIL A special information feature R&D 1

inside: Industry thoughtleaders sayinnovation is key

What innovationmeans for Canada’soil sands

Improving health careone new technologyat a time

2 4 6online? Visit www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca for more information.

I f two heads are better than one, imagine200 or 2,000.

That’s what Canada’s modern R&Dnetworks amount to, according to KevinHall, research vice-president at the Univer-sity of Guelph’s School of Engineering.

“What we’re really talking about isthe building of clusters of research andinnovation strength that institutions – bethey academic, corporate or government –simply may not have by themselves,” saysDr. Hall.

“An individual institution may be verygood at a few things, but any one by itselfcertainly doesn’t have all the pieces to beinnovative in all areas, so the networks areabout reaching out and having partner-ships, not just with other universities andcolleges, but also with government andindustry as well.”

A good example of the networking para-digm at work is the Advanced Food andMaterials Network (AFMNet).

R&Dnetworks yieldpowerful results

PEOPLE

CollaborativeR&D

NSERC researchpartnerships moveinnovation forward

8

Pilot training research takes flightDISCOVERY

When Roland Bissell needed helpdeveloping a new product, heturned to Niagara Research,

Niagara College’s Research & InnovationDivision.

“We did it for two reasons,” says theCEO of St. Catharines-based ConvergentTelecom. “We were looking for technical ex-pertise to help us develop new applicationsfor smartphones, and we also wanted to getthe inside scoop on the best-of-the-best thatwere graduating from Niagara College.”

It was the start of a beautiful partnershipand a win-win situation for both Conver-gent and Niagara College.

Convergent got “a brand new revenuestream” with the development of theMileageGenie Pro, a BlackBerry applica-tion that tracks time, travel, location andincidental expenses using GPS technology.It also got promotional assistance wheninternational marketing students developeda tailor-made business plan.

Collegehelps companybuild anew revenue stream

INNOVATION

H elp Wanted: Pilots.With the In-

ternational CivilAviation Organizationpredicting a worldwideshortage of pilots, andflight training programs inlimited supply, a researchinitiative is underway to

evaluate whether flightsimulators can replace aportion of the in-air train-ing hours required to geta pilot’s licence.

Seneca College, whichgraduates 35 to 40 pilots ayear from Canada’s onlybachelor’s degree in flight

training, was given $2.3million in flight-trainingresearch funding from theNatural Sciences and En-gineering Research Coun-cil of Canada (NSERC).

And the research is at-tracting some high-flyingattention.

“We have a lot ofpeople out in industrywaiting for our results,the first of which will bepublishable by next fall,”says Lynne McMullen,chair of Seneca’s Schoolof Aviation and FlightTechnology.

“We want to demon-strate, with solid data,that simulator time is ofhigh enough value that itcan be worth more credittowards a pilot’s licencewith Transport Canada,”says Ms. McMullen.

Currently, only three

hours of simulated flighttraining counts towards aprivate pilot’s licence.

Advantages to usingthe flight simulator areenvironmental,economic and safety-related.

University, Page R&D 3 Industry, Page R&D 7

Simulator, Page R&D 6

PHOTO

:ISTO

CK.COM

At UWindsor, we’re taking responsibility for the futurethrough research and scholarly achievements thatmatter to you and the world you live in. To learn more,visit uwindsor.ca or uwindsor.ca/research

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�� THE GLOBE AND MAILA special information featureR&D 2

T he ships that ply theSt. Lawrence Seawayare a powerful sym-

bol of the trade ties thatbind the global economy.But for Hugh MacIsaac,they are also a dailyreminder of the toll thatinternational trade exactson sensitive ecosystemsaround the world.

The Great Lakes inparticular have been hardhit by invasive speciesintroduced inadvertentlythrough the ballast waterof thousands of vesselsever since a series of canalsin 1871 first made accessfrom the sea possible.

Dr. MacIsaac, a professorat the University of Wind-sor’s Great Lakes Institutefor Environmental Re-search (GLIER), is directorof a new network of 30 ofthe country’s top scientistswho are seeking solutionsto the growing problem ofaquatic invasive species inCanada’s rivers, lakes andcoastal waters.

Backed by a NaturalSciences and Engineer-ing Research Council(NSERC) grant of $6.5million, the CanadianAquatic Invasive SpeciesNetwork II (CAISN II)will continue the workstarted in 2006 with

CAISN’s first phase. Thenetwork is also supportedfinancially by TransportCanada and Fisheries andOceans Canada.

Dr. MacIsaac says inva-sive species are a leadingcause of biodiversity loss,a potential transmitterof disease to plants andhumans, and a profoundeconomic problem dueto the potential damagethey can do to commercialcrops. And there’s growingconcern that the situationcould become even moreserious in the years ahead.

“Invasive species are ofconcern in the CanadianNorth, which is primed fornew invasions as ship-ping traffic increases andclimate warming rendersArctic habitats more suit-able for invaders,” says Dr.MacIsaac. “With fundingsupport from NSERC, ourteam will be able to bettermanage and improve thedelicate balance of ouraquatic ecosystems.”

Aquatic Invasive Species(AIS) often leave ecosys-tems inhospitable to nativespecies. For example, sealamprey, zebra mussels,round gobies and the spinywater flea have alreadydevastated some nativefish species and fisheries in

Canada, while the Asiancarp may pose a significantthreat to the Great Lakes.AIS are responsible forbillions of dollars annuallyin lost revenue and controlmeasures. Coastal marineresources have also beenplaced at risk with the in-troduction of new invasivespecies.

Dr. MacIsaac saysearly detection and rapidresponse are the most ef-fective ways of combatingthe spread of AIS. Col-laboration with shippingcompanies is also criticallyimportant, so that they un-derstand the risk and howto minimize it, particularlyin the Great Lakes, where anew law in New York Statethreatens the industry.

A key focus of CAISNII will be on the develop-ment of an innovativegenetic technology thatwill allow researchers totest bulk samples of waterfrom anywhere in Canadafor the DNA of AIS. DNAmay be easier to detectthan the invasive speciesthat produced it earlyon in an invasion. Oncethe DNA is identified, itwill then be far easier toeradicate the spread of theinvaders through rapid re-sponse, says Dr. MacIsaac.

Why research,whynow?

DNAholds solution toenvironmental impact of trade

PROTECTION

Don MavinicProfessor and AssociateHead of Research andFaculty Relations, UBC CivilEngineering

Canada is at a crossroads – asa self-sustaining nation andas a world leader in R&D.

We are falling behind otherOECD (Organization for EconomicCo-operation and Development)countries in R&D spending.As baby boomers (likeme) pull

the plug, academia will lose up to25,000 professors and instructors.Tri-council funding cannotkeep upwith current and futuredemand for HQP (highly qualifiedpersonnel).The global environmental

industry (myworld) now boaststhe third-largest annual budget.Our own young company,OSTARA Inc., is already expandinginternationally, with R&D anintegral part of our corporateculture.We are, however, uniquein Canada –mirroring the R&Dshortfall of many federal ministries.It’s time towalk the research talk.

Gino PalumboPresident and CEO,Integran Technologies Inc.

A s a global leader in thedevelopment of novelclean-techmaterials, inno-

vation has been, and will continueto be, critical to our corporatesuccess. The emergence of low-cost manufacturing jurisdictionswith lax intellectual property-rights enforcement has renderedour competitiveness increasinglydependent upon our ability tocontinuously deliver new, high-value products and processes toour international customers. Ourfuture growth will depend uponour ability to continue to acceler-ate the pace of innovation (con-cept tomarket) via fundamentalchanges to business strategy andpractices, and by continued accessto high-calibre, pre-competitivefundamental and applied researchfindings and capability such as thatwhich is supported by NSERC atour Canadian universities.

David MartinExecutive Chairman,SMART Technologies

In a world where our under-standing doubles every sevenyears, it is clear that Canada

needs to participate in the knowl-edge economy.We need to solveproblems with our brain power,package these solutions and takethem to worldmarkets. That ishow Canada will contribute to theworld economy, sustain our stan-dard of living and provide goodwork opportunities for our youngpeople.To do this, managers of cor-

porate R&D programsmust beselective in developing the bestproducts for global markets. If theyare, it is possible to succeed glob-ally, from a Canadian base.SMARTTechnologies exemplifies

how innovative ideas can be nur-tured into a thriving company thatbenefits the Canadian economywhile developing new industryopportunities.

Mike IrwinTechnical Director,3M ExecutiveDepartments, 3M

R&D is a key contributor to3M’s ability tomeet custom-er needs andmaintain com-

petitive advantage in the globalmarketplace. As an innovativecompany, our history of continu-ous and sustainable growth is astrong indicator of the positive cor-relation between R&D investmentand performancemeasures suchas sales growth and share price.In the short term, 3M’s global

investment in R&Dwas increasedin 2010 to help us emerge from therecession ahead of our competi-tors.In the long term, investment in

R&D allows 3M to create thousandsof innovative products for dozensof diversemarkets.Innovation creates better prod-

ucts and services, more efficientand sustainable processes, and thehigh-quality jobs associated withsuccessful businesses.

Ron CrotoginoPresident and CEO,Aboranano, Canadian ForestNanoProducts Network

Canada is blessed with anabundance of high-qualitynatural resources that have

contributed greatly to our prosper-ity. To best use these resources,wemust alsomake better use ofanother resource – our researchcommunity. Our university, publicand private research laboratoriesare where value is added to ourmaterials before they reach ourcustomers.And knowledge is the key ingre-

dient in the innovation process,driving new, high-value goodsand services that are successful inglobal markets. Strategic research,driven by a sound innovationstrategy, creates that knowledgeand trains the highly qualifiedpersonnel needed to transformknowledge into products.Strategic research puts our re-

sources to good use for the benefitof all Canadians.

HughMacIsaac collects invasive species samples with former graduate studentSandra Parker. PHOTO BY: UNIVERS IT Y OF WINDSOR

Collaborative R&D

“Knowledge is the key ingredient in the innovation process, driving new, high-value goodsand services that are successful in globalmarkets.” Ron Crotogino, President and CEO, Aboranano, Canadian Forest NanoProducts Network

“From prototype to practice” - AR&C coordinates applied research projects

with Canadian and international small- and medium-sized enterprises, as

well as large and multi-national businesses to solve real-world problems;

this practical approach provides students with world-class training

opportunities, and industry partners with access to cutting-edge technology,

applied research expertise, and business support services to test, develop,

and commercialize their inventions and innovations.

AR&C gratefully acknowledges the substantial support and investment

received from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council,

Canada Foundation for Innovation, Manitoba Research & Innovation Fund,

National Research Council Canada, and Western Economic Diversification.

Applying Knowledge,Delivering Results™

To learn more please contact:Ray Hoemsen, M.Sc., P.Eng.Director, Applied Research& Commercialization

Tel: 204.632.2523E-mail: [email protected]/appliedresearch

The Applied Research & Commercialization(AR&C) arm of Red River College (RRC) is yourgateway to the applied research tools, skills, andexpertise that reside at Manitoba’s largestinstitute of applied learning. AR&C takes anentrepreneurial approach to meeting the needsof community, business, and industry.

�� THE GLOBE AND MAIL A special information feature R&D 3

By Dr. Suzanne FortierPresident, Natural Sciencesand Engineering ResearchCouncil of Canada

When James Watson andFrancis Crick discov-ered the structure of

DNA, they had not set out to be“innovators.” They were drivenby their own curiosity about themolecule of life, and were com-peting with other scientists to bethe first to uncover its secrets. Thefirst diffraction images of DNA,produced by Rosalind Franklin,gave the two researchers the keythey needed. In addition to win-ning the Nobel Prize for their dis-covery, Drs. Watson and Cricklaid the foundation for the entirebiotechnology industry.

Just as their discovery gaverise to a new industry, Canada’seconomy can reach new fron-tiers with a determined, consis-tent and strategic approach tointegrating the spirit of discoveryand innovation into all that wedo.

Today, the most importantresource is human talent. Jobs,investment and prosperity willgo to those places that cangenerate original ideas, producefresh thinking and pioneer newapproaches.

The Natural Sciences and

Engineering Research Councilof Canada (NSERC) is proudto support researchers who arepursuing some of the most ambi-tious and creative ideas in theworld. In total, the governmentinvests more than $1 billion eachyear through NSERC. Withthese funds, NSERC helps topush the boundaries of scientificknowledge that could lead to theindustry of tomorrow. We arealso investing in the next genera-tions of discoverers and innova-tors, supporting some 28,000post-secondary students andpost-doctoral fellows each year.

At NSERC, we make it a pri-ority to connect Canada’s deepresearch talent and knowledgebase with the rich entrepre-neurial talent found in industry.Already having a strong recordof promoting such partnerships,we have given ourselves a goalof increasing our reach to smalland medium-sized enterprises – amajor engine of job creation andeager adopters of new ideas.

We are making these connec-tions in various ways, but oftenthe most productive approach issimply getting business people

and academics into the sameroom and on the same team. Peo-ple engaged in commerce don’talways know how much researchand development is going on inour academic institutions, andacademics are often surprised tolearn of the full potential impactof their research.

For example, researchers andbusiness people gave birth toa Canadian company that theWorld Economic Forum namedas a 2011 Technology Pioneer.The company, Ostara NutrientRecovery Technologies, makesa wastewater treatment systemthat extracts phosphate fromsewage. Phosphate, which is usedto make fertilizer, is in demandbecause there are only a fewplaces where it is mined. Waterauthorities who buy the technol-ogy can recover their costs byselling the phosphate. It’s a winfor the environment and for theCanadian companies that are sell-ing this system to the world.

Canada has many such successstories and a great potential formany more. At NSERC, we arecommitted to making it hap-pen. In 2009, we launched ourStrategy for Partnerships andInnovation with a goal of dou-bling, within the next five years,the connections between ouracademic sector and Canadianbusinesses of all sizes. Given the

level of industry engagement andthe mobilization of our academicresearchers to date, we couldreach this goal even earlier.

A former colleague oncedescribed research as “a racewithout a finish line.” When itcomes to innovation, it is truly arelay race without a finish line.Government, academia and busi-ness must pass the baton to each

other, each doing what it doesbest, and then get ready to do itagain and again. With no finishline, there’s no stopping.

Canada can be among thecountries that lead the pack,continually moving forward witha sharpened competitive spirit,always seeking knowledge andinnovation and ensuring greaterprosperity for all of us.

Innovation: A relay racewithnofinish line

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of

Canada’s (NSERC’s) vision is to helpmake Canada a country

of discoverers and innovators for the benefit of all Canadians.

NSERC is one of Canada’s national granting councils, responsible

for making strategic investments in Canada’s science and tech-

nology capability.

NSERC invests in people, by supporting the advanced studies

of 30,000 post-secondary students and post-doctoral fellows; in

discovery, by funding nearly 12,000 professors every year; and in

innovation, by encouraging about 1,500 Canadian companies to

invest in post-secondary research and training. Over the last 10

years, NSERC has investedmore than $7 billion in basic research,

university-industry projects and training Canada’s next genera-

tion of scientists and engineers.

NSERC: Supporting people,discovery and innovation

Food security is anincreasingly importantarea of global study andconcern. AFMNet repre-sents an enormous matrixof universities, industrialpartners, government agen-cies and non-profits chargedwith reducing hunger andpromoting nutrition.

Dr. Hall cites a collabora-tion that brought togethergeneticists at the Universityof Toronto, plant scientistsat the universities of Guelphand Saskatoon, and nutri-tionists at the University ofVictoria in studies that wereunderwritten, in part, bycorporate sponsorship. Theresult was the identifica-tion of genetic biomarkersin foods that trigger type 2diabetes.

“Maybe one day it willlead to a huge discovery

in terms of a prevention orcure,” says Dr. Hall. “Theo-retically, plant geneticistswho design seeds couldtweak them so they don’tproduce whatever it is that’sturning the biomarker onor off.”

Networking is having afavourable impact on theprivate sector as well, saysRobert Orr, CEO of OceanNutrition, a Dartmouth-based supplier of food andsupplement ingredients inthe functional food sector, inthis case omega-3 fatty acidsfrom fish oil.

“Our collaborations havebeen extensive,” says Mr.Orr, pointing out that theyinclude both clinical trialsand studies with institutionalpartners ranging from Dal-housie University and theUniversity of Laval to the

National Research Coun-cil of Canada’s (NRC’s)Institute of Marine Biosci-ence in Halifax. One OceanNutrition partnership, withNRC’s aerospace group inOttawa, is looking at usingmicroalgal materials to pro-duce biofuels for jet aircraft.

Not surprisingly, as re-searchers around the worlddiscover they are workingon solving the same kindsof problems, these networksare becoming increasinglyinternational.

“In order to solve theproblems we face, weneed to be a consortium ofstrong, research-orientedentities working to developstrengths in certain disci-plines regardless of nationalorigin or location,” says Dr.Hall. “Going global is theway to do that.”

University networks foster industryinnovation

CONTINUED FROM PAGE R&D 1

University of Guelph vice-president of research, KevinHall, launching amulti-universityresearch project bringing together government, industry and community to translateresearch knowledge into new technologies, products and services. PHOTO BY: MARTIN SCHWALBE

“Wemake it a priority to connect Canada’s deep research talent andknowledge basewith the rich entrepreneurial talent found in industry.”

NOWPATIENTSAROUND THEWORLDWILL BE SLEEPING EASIER.DURING SURGERY, THAT IS.Two UBC researchers have teamed up to make operating rooms saferand more efficient. Dr. Guy Dumont, an electrical engineer, and Dr. MarkAnsermino, an anesthesiologist at BC Children’s Hospital, combinedtheir talents to create the Intelligent Anesthesia Navigator. This set oftools greatly enhances anesthesiologists’ ability to monitor patientsduring an operation. It has reduced false alarms and flagged problemsearlier than existing technologies, which will ultimately save lives.

For their advances in anesthesia technology, Drs. Dumont and Anserminohave won the 2010 Brockhouse Canada Prize. The Natural Sciences andEngineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) awards the BrockhouseCanada Prize to outstanding teams of Canadian researchers from differentdisciplines, who achieve breakthroughs of international significance.Their work is just one of four UBC projects NSERC has recognized withawards this year. www.aplaceofmind.ubc.ca/nserc

Collaborative R&D


A t Winnipeg’s Red RiverCollege (RRC), the defini-tion of applied research

is short and sweet: the use ofknowledge to solve real-worldchallenges.

For Ray Hoemsen, director ofthe college’s Office of AppliedResearch and Commercializa-tion, applied research is also a keyelement in improving Canada’sproductivity and innovationcapacity.

That’s why his office providessupport for applied research,knowledge transfer, prototyping,product development, testing andcommercialization – helping busi-ness and industry access RRC’sexpertise in the search for practi-cal, innovative solutions.

“For us, it’s all about applyingknowledge to deliver results. Thehow is more important than thewhy,” says Mr. Hoemsen.

In recognition of RRC’s ef-forts, the Natural Sciences andEngineering Research Council ofCanada (NSERC) awarded thecollege $2.3 million to establisha Sustainable InfrastructureTechnology Research Groupfocused on improving the energyefficiency of commercial andindustrial buildings.

With three independentresearch centres now open orin development, RRC is wellpositioned to continue makingsignificant contributions to tech-nology innovation in Manitobaand beyond.

For example, the Centre forApplied Research in SustainableInfrastructure (CARSI) is the firstdedicated research laboratory ata college in Manitoba. Its aim isto develop advanced sustainableinfrastructure technologies in fourstrategic areas: asphalt, concreteand pavement; advanced com-posite materials; large, light-framewood structures; and buildingenvelopes.

On one of its first projects,CARSI worked with ManitobaHydro to ensure that the utility’snew, $278-million downtownWinnipeg headquarters would bethe most energy-efficient buildingin North America.

At CARSI, Manitoba Hydrowas able to try new technologies

and materials before construct-ing the 22-storey office complex.In the process, CARSI gaineda valuable long-term client andgave its students hands-on experi-ence.

Mr. Hoemsen says RRC’sobjective is innovation ratherthan invention. “We are con-stantly looking for better waysto do things and to adapt andapply existing technology moreeffectively.”

The college maintains owner-ship of the intellectual property itdevelops so that it can continue tobe used for the benefit of studentsand faculty, but the compa-nies that call on RRC to solveproblems get to implement thesolutions for themselves.

Mr. Hoemsen says working onreal-world challenges not onlygives students an opportunity toexperience what they will facewhen they enter the workforce,but also give them a distinctadvantage in their job hunt.

“To be able to recruit collegegrads who have already workedon and solved problems that em-ployers are familiar with meansour students are that much furtherahead than job applicants whohave not had the same experi-ence,” he says.

The college also established theCentre for Aerospace Technol-ogy and Training, the Centre forNon-Destructive Inspection and isdeveloping the Advanced Trans-portation and Energy Centre.

RedRiver Collegeopens third research centre

I f anyone knows the complexityof balancing the developmentof Alberta’s oil sands with the

need to safeguard the environ-ment, it’s Haneef Mian.

Before being appointed theLedcor Group Applied ResearchChair in Oil Sands Environmen-tal Sustainability at the NorthernAlberta Institute of Technology

(NAIT) last fall, Dr. Haneef waswith Alberta’s Energy ResourcesConservation Board (ERCB). Hewas part of a team involved in thedevelopment and implementa-

tion of the province’s oil sandstailings management regulation,regulatory over-sight and policydevelopment.

In his new role, Dr. Haneefleads NAIT’s Green Chemistryand Engineering (GCE) initiative,which has three interacting com-ponents – applied, solution-drivenresearch, an industry consortiumand a bachelor of technologyprogram in GCE. The long-termvision is to position NAIT as aleader in green chemistry andengineering education and ap-plied research and developmentin sustainability. On the appliedresearch side, Dr. Haneef workswith the oil sands industry to ad-dress environmental challenges inthe areas of oil sands tailings andwater management.

“Part of our work will becollaborating with the oil sandsindustry to further enhance theefforts geared towards developingcost-effective solutions to addressthe complex problem of oil sandstailings management,” says Dr.Haneef. “Our hands-on technicalstaff will be fully focused on de-veloping breakthrough solutionsthat demonstrate environmentalresponsibility, cheaper oil sandsdevelopment and cleaner energyproduction.”

Dr. Haneef says his group willbe seeking to bridge the gapbetween the concept and imple-mentation of possible solutions.He knows that moving towardsa more sustainable model for thedevelopment and managementof the oil sands will not be easy,but believes that tremendousprogress is being made to findend-to-end solutions to the envi-ronmental challenges of tailings,water and reclamation.

He says the formation of anoil sands tailings consortium toaddress specific issues is a sign ofoil sands operators’ commitmentto finding solutions to commonchallenges. NAIT is committedto being part of the solution,through its applied researchprograms.

“The oil sands industry hasdone an excellent job in keep-ing pace with the environmentalchallenges we face. However,these are large-scale, very com-plex and inter-related issues,which will take time to address,”says Dr. Haneef. “The work wewill be doing at NAIT is a signifi-cant step towards addressing theenvironmental sustainability of oilsands development by ensuringthat social and economic aspectsare taken into account.”

Efforts aim to address oil sands challengesSUSTAINABILITY

Leonie Nadeau, senior faculty researcher with NAIT’s School ofSustainable Building and Environmental Management, on thegreen roof of Edmonton’sWilliams Engineering Building. PHOTO: NAIT

BE PART OF THE THINKING WWW.CONCORDIA .CA

CONCORDIA RESEARCHERS HAVE

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B IGTHINKING

“Our students aremuch further ahead than job applicantswho have not had the same experience.” Ray Hoemsen, director, Office of Applied Research and Commercialization

Q&A James KnightPresident, Association ofCanadian Community Colleges

What role do Canada’s colleges play inapplied research and development?Colleges were created to develop the ad-vanced skills that local businesses need tothrive, so they have always been close.

Five years ago, there were only 500applied research partnerships between lo-cal colleges and businesses. Last year, wedocumented 3,795. Increasingly, in ourhighly competitive global market, busi-nesses have turned to colleges for supportin applied research and innovation.

How does applied college-industryR&D benefit Canadians?The fundamental benefit is economic suc-cess. Most new jobs are created by SMEs.They are the backbone of our economy.If we can make them efficient, globallycompetitive and productive, we will all

benefit. And, we’ve come up with somegreat products that have benefited theenvironment, the health sector and publicservices – a whole range of areas. Thesecome from innovation.

Why is it important for college stu-dents to participate in applied R&D?Our students are the employees andentrepreneurs of the future. They willsupport the older generation in retire-ment. Their engagement in the economywill drive us forward. Students withinnovation literacy, the ability to workin groups and experience with appliedresearch thrive in the long term. Thiscollaboration is at the root of economicgrowth.

Q&A John DaviesPresident, Humber College;Chair, Polytechnics Canada

What role does college-basedR&D have in Canada’s globalcompetitiveness?Canada has a strong record of investmentin research, yet we lag behind in produc-tivity. We need to improve our late-stagecommercialization of research.

Polytechnics and colleges can helpaddress this research-productivity gap byfocusing on the later stages of innovationthat directly drives productivity. They canimprove productivity in SMEs throughdevelopment rather than research; fromthe creation of prototypes, to the develop-ment of IT or business plans.

How do NSERC programs benefitcolleges?NSERC’s College and Community Inno-vation program provides grants dedicated

to college R&D initiatives. It is still$30 million out of the total $3-billionfederal R&D budget, but it is a start.

What are the benefits of college-basedresearch?Students engaged in applied researchcontribute to a company’s productivityby bringing solutions to pressing prob-lems. Faculty leverage their industry tiesby working with students to conductresearch that solves real business prob-lems, benefiting both students andresearch partners. Industry benefits fromstudent and faculty collaboration onbusiness solutions by gaining access toresources that enable them to do researchthey otherwise couldn’t.

Friday, March 25, 2011 • THE GLOBE AND MAIL A special information feature R&D 5

This report was produced by RandallAnthony Communications Inc. (www.randallanthony.com) in conjunction with the advertising department of The Globe and Mail. Richard Deacon, National Business Development Manager, [email protected].

Institutes and colleges fill critical gaps

College-based applied re-search leads to innovativenew capabilities.

“GoJournalism” is an experi-ment in “community-poweredreporting” – featuring an open-forum website(www.gojournalism.ca), wherejournalists can pitch ideas forinvestigative stories and commu-nity members who want to see

that story written make dona-tions towards the writer’s fee.

In March, GoJournalism waspoised to have its first “partner-funded” story published in theOttawa Citizen, with the paperagreeing to pay half the fee tomatch community donations.Written by an Algonquin Collegestudent, the article delves intoproblems being experienced in a

local Haiti relief project.“We see this as a valid way

for mainstream media to fundimportant stories when theyhave fewer staff with less timefor this type of reporting,” saysJoe Banks, director of GoJournal-ism and a professor of journal-ism at Algonquin. “At the sametime, it’s satisfying the public’sdemand for solid investigative

journalism and making it pay forpeople willing to work on thesestories.”

GoJournalism provides otherbenefits, according to John Omu-ra, a project manager in Ap-plied Research and Innovationat Algonquin. He co-ordinatescollaborative research projects in“user-experience design,” withsupport from the Natural Sci-

ences and Engineering ResearchCouncil (NSERC) and othergranting agencies, including theColleges Ontario Network forIndustry Innovation (CONII).

“GoJournalism as an emerg-ing success story,” he says. “Onegoal in applied research is to sup-port the local economy and helpsmaller businesses grow; in thiscase, freelance journalists.”

Initiative exploring community-powered journalismCOMMUNICATION

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Collaborative R&D


H ealth Studies and ICTstudents and professorsat Toronto-based Centen-

nial College are teaming up withcompanies to develop new healthcommunications technologies.And the result is a host of innova-tive approaches to meeting real-world health care challenges.

Centennial’s Applied Researchand Innovation Centre is in-volved with industry on a numberof projects through the Collegeand Community Innovation(CCI) Program of the Natural Sci-ences and Engineering ResearchCouncil of Canada (NSERC).

One project involves the useof gaming technologies to helppeople manage chronic diseasessuch as diabetes. The college haspartnered with NexJ Systems todevelop a health-game prototypethat includes an avatar represent-ing the individual. “The person

interacts with the avatar and cansee the results that would occur ifthey lost weight, controlled theirblood sugar or exercised more,”says Trish Dryden, Centennial’sassociate vice-president of Ap-plied Research and CorporatePlanning. “This is about usinggaming to effect lifestyle changefor health benefits.”

Centennial has also partneredwith OASYS Healthcare toevaluate a software interface tocontrol equipment in operatingrooms. “Because we train nursesand have a simulated OR, weare helping OASYS to test theinterface using students as wellas working nurses,” says Ms.Dryden. “This allows the com-pany to evaluate how the userinteracts with the technology andgives students experience with thestate-of-the-art technology theycan expect to use on the job.”

A project with InterdevTechnologies has produced someexciting results on a number offronts, says Ms. Dryden – includ-ing the fact that the companyhas now hired a graduate, MariaSeastres, who worked on the

technology as a student in theComputer Programmer Analystprogram.

The technology is a dispatchinterface for the computer tabletsused by paramedics. Using GPSpositioning, it sends the address

for an emergency call to theparamedics’ tablets very quickly,improving response time overcurrent standards. “This systemcan cut 60 to 90 seconds offresponse time and, in a medicalemergency, we know secondscount, so that’s a significantreduction,” says Terence Kuehn,Interdev’s CEO.

Interdev turned to Centennialto test and improve its prototype,”says Mr. Kuehn. “We wanted it tobe groundbreaking and leading-edge, and the students providedus with fresh thinking and waysto enhance the software, and userinteraction with the technology.”

Now Ms. Seastres will workwithin Interdev to help bring thetechnology to the field. “The jobopportunities for our graduatesare an incredibly valuable resultof these applied-research proj-ects,” says Ms. Dryden.

Centennial College applies high-techsolutions tohealth care

“Students can experi-ence scenarios where thingsdo go wrong – a systemsfailure, an airport closure– and they can test theirskills in a safe way. Aswell, there are fewer losttrips because the weatherdoesn’t affect whetheryou go out or not; we can

reduce the environmentalfootprint of flight training;and it is more cost effec-tive, allowing a pilot to fin-ish training more economi-cally and in less time,” saysMs. McMullen.

The experience of flyingin Seneca’s flight simula-tors is eerily close to the

real thing, right down tothe uniform required be-fore pilots-in-training canstep foot in the cockpit.

“Simulator time is runlike a standard flight, ex-cept they put in scenariosfor us that are real-life– the presence of icing,issues with the passengers,

issues with the aircraft –and allow us to learn howto handle scenarios thatyou wouldn’t experienceduring regular aircraft-based training,” says AlexJohnston, who will begraduating this spring witha Bachelor of AppliedTechnology – Flight.

“The computers allowyou to track your progressthroughout a lesson,” hesays. “In an aircraft, you

can’t look back and reflectvery much on what hap-pened in the moment. Inthe simulator, you can seewhat you did, pause, re-wind and discuss with yourinstructor any areas forimprovement...making sureyou understand and do itright before moving on.”

Preliminary researchdata, according to Ms.McMullen, suggests thatflight simulation might be

just as effective as, if notmore than, aircraft-basedflight training.

“I can potentially learnmore in one hour than inthree hours in the actualaircraft, especially on highvolume traffic days,”says Mr. Johnston. “I cansimulate multiple experi-ences in the simulator,compound small problemsand learn to prioritize andtime-manage.”

Simulator trainingproves effectiveCONTINUED FROM PAGE R&D 1

Seneca Flight students as they approach their landing in the Frasca CRJ 200 simula-tor. The simulator, at the Buttonville Campus, uses computer-generated backgroundsprojected around the cockpit of a commercial aircraft. PHOTO: RICHARD DOUGLAS DOUGLAS

Centennial College graduateMaria Seastres. PHOTO:JASON STYLES DOUGLAS

We make applied research and development accessible for small- andmedium-sized businesses.

We get involved early on in your development cycle.We help you achieve that important proof of concept.We concentrate on practical, client-driven research.

Give us a call. We have many more success stories to tell you.613-727-4723 ext. 2429.

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APPLIED RESEARCHAND INNOVATION

University of Ottawa Research

Located in the heart of a world-classphotonics research community, theUniversity of Ottawa, with its state-of-the-art photonics facilities andleading experts, can help youdiscover new frontiers in science.

� Harvest the full potential of the sun’s energy to power a home.

� Develop emerging nanotechnologies for early disease detection.

� Control the speed of light to revolutionize communications technology.

PhotonicsUniversity of Ottawa researchers aredeveloping ways to


University ofOttawa’s photonics expertisecontinues to illuminate opportunities

P hotonics is often describedas the “next big scientificrevolution” – a research

area poised to change as manyaspects of our lives as the elec-tronics and digital revolutions.

A leading participant in thistransformation is the Universityof Ottawa (U Ottawa), which isinternationally recognized for itscontributions to photonics – thescience of light and the develop-ment of light-based technologies.Photonics applications rangefrom medicine and solar energy,to communications networks andquantum computation.

U Ottawa has been buildingthis expertise for several years,and exciting developments in thepast year have further strength-ened its global prominence inthe field.

In May 2010, the university’sCentre for Research in Photonicsrecruited Robert Boyd from theUniversity of Rochester, as Can-ada Excellence Research Chair(CERC) in Quantum NonlinearOptics. Dr. Boyd is a pioneerand world leader in photonicsand quantum optics.

“Being awarded a prestigiousCanada Excellence ResearchChair and Dr. Boyd’s appoint-ment underscore our strength inphotonics,” says Mona Nemer,vice-president of research for UOttawa. “We already have eightCanada Research Chairs in pho-tonics. With Dr. Boyd among us,we will provide a critical massof leading-edge researchers in afield that is also very importantto the economy of Canada andto that of our city.”

Ottawa-Gatineau has thelargest concentration of photon-ics companies in the country,and the synergies betweenthese companies, the Universityof Ottawa and other researchinstitutions in the region are animportant driver of photonicsinnovation.

Another positive developmentfor the university’s photonicsprogram was the award, in 2010,of a $1.65-million grant from theNatural Sciences and Engineer-ing Research Council of Canada(NSERC) – under its Collab-orative Research and TrainingExperience (CREATE) program.

The grant was awarded to PaulCorkum, another internationallyrecognized expert in U Ottawa’sphotonics research team, whowill offer specialized training tohelp prepare graduates for vari-ous science-related careers.

“CREATE is very innova-tive,” says Dr. Nemer. “It allowseminent researchers to train

students not only in the fielditself, but also in such areasas regulatory affairs, sciencepolicy and project management.Such training, along with ourinternational connections andmultidisciplinary team, willdevelop the next generation ofhighly qualified future leaders inphotonics.”

Finally, U Ottawa recently re-ceived funding from the CanadaFoundation for Innovation tobuild photonics-dedicated re-search facilities. “With all of thissupport, I believe the Universityof Ottawa is set to make evenmore advances in the diverseapplied fields of photonics,” saysDr. Nemer.

Queen’s University’s SNOLAB, an underground sciencelaboratory located in Sudbury, Ontario. PHOTO: QUEEN’S UNIVERS IT Y

Deep below the surface ofthe Earth, Canadian scien-tists and their international

colleagues are working to answerkey questions about the universe,including, what exactly is it madeof?

This quest is preoccupyingresearchers around the globe, andCanada is playing a key role withSNOLAB – the deepest, cleanunderground science laboratoryin the world. Two kilometresbelow surface, in Vale’s CreightonMine near Sudbury, SNOLAB ishosting numerous internationalexperiments in particle astrophys-ics, with a focus on dark matterand neutrinos.

The lab is an expansion of facil-ities constructed for the renownedSudbury Neutrino Observatory(SNO) solar neutrino experiment.

“High-precision measurementsby astronomers using various cor-roborating techniques concludethat we can only account for fiveper cent of the total mass andenergy of the universe,” says Tony

Noble, director of the SNOLABInstitute and professor of physicsat Queen’s University. “Thesemeasurements imply there isanother source of mass, which wecall dark matter.”

The extreme depth and clean-room approach to the lab allowresearchers to study dark matterand neutrinos via their rareinteractions without interferencefrom cosmic rays or radioactiv-ity. “This research will give usnew insight into the properties ofthe most fundamental buildingblocks of nature at the smallestof scales, and an understandingof the formation and evolutionof structure in the universe,” saysDr. Noble.

Project partners include sev-eral universities: Queen’s, Car-leton, Laurentian, UBC, Albertaand Montreal. Granting agenciesinclude the Natural Sciences andEngineering Research Council ofCanada, the Canada Foundationfor Innovation and the Govern-ment of Ontario.

Celestial answers found2kilometresunderground

NEW FRONTIER

CONTINUED FROM PAGE R&D 1

And Niagara College has alsobenefited, says Natalee Tokar,acting director of the Research &Innovation Division. Students areprovided with practical learningopportunities; getting hands-onexperience working with real-world companies. More valuableto employers with this experience,they can hit the ground running.Convergent has already hired twograduates and plans to take onmore as it grows.

“It’s all part of Niagara College’sstrategic mandate to be an activepartner in economic develop-ment,” says Ms. Tokar. “We are aleader in the Niagara communityfor supporting innovation.”

The timing couldn’t be better,she adds. Small and medium-sizedcompanies continue to experienceincreased pressure due to econom-ic challenges in a rapidly evolvingglobal marketplace. Niagara andother Canadian colleges offering

multidisciplinary, strategic partner-ship programs that are part of thesolution.

Niagara College’s range ofacademic specialties include foodsciences, horticulture and green-house, photonics and electronics,viticulture, and computer pro-gramming, among others.

“If we don’t have the expertiseour local small and medium-sizedbusinesses need, we can refer themout through our college network,”

says Ms. Tokar.Annually, Niagara College

works with 50 to 75 corporate andgovernment partner entities. Asa catalyst and a leader in eco-nomic development, the collegefacilitates applied research projectsthat model or simulate solutions,develops and tests prototypes, anddevelops and evaluates new orimproved products or processes.

“And we’re gaining momen-tum all the time,” says Ms. Tokar.

“There are lots of new funding op-portunities at both the federal andprovincial level, including throughthe Natural Sciences and Engineer-ing Research Council of Canada(NSERC), which has allowedNiagara Research to increase itsoutreach to the community.”

Good thing, too. In a recenttwo-month period, her office wascontacted by as many as 45 com-panies looking to establish partnerrelationships.

Industry partnerships a catalyst for success

A researcher experiments with one of several ultra-fast lasers at the NRC-U Ottawa Joint AttosecondScience Laboratory (JASLab). PHOTO: U OTTAWA

When you want to listen,it helps to be able to hear

The problem with hearing aids is they amplifyeverything, making background noise as

prominent as speech.

Engineering professor Bob Dony aimsto change this.

Thanks to research funding fromNSERC, he is working to makehearing aids more like thehuman mind, capable offiltering sounds in places likean office, a restaurant or a car.

This is one way the Universityof Guelph is turning researchinnovations into soundsolutions.

Connecting great ideas and minds withgovernment, industry & community

INNOVATION MATTERS!

Collaborative R&D

C anada’s pharmaceuticaland life-sciences sectorssee a historic opportunity

arising within the current tradenegotiations between Canadaand the European Union to pro-pel Canada to a leadership rolein life-science innovation andcreate jobs and opportunities inthe knowledge economy.

“The fundamentals of life-science research are grounded inintellectual-property protection,”says Russell Williams, presidentof Canada’s Research-BasedPharmaceutical Companies(Rx&D), noting that in a com-petitive global environment,research investment goes tothose jurisdictions that providethe most attractive environment.

But without timely improve-ments to our intellectual-prop-erty regime, Canada’s ability tocompete on a global scale for the$100 billion invested in life-sci-ences research and development

(R&D) annually will continue toerode, says Mr. Williams.

“If Canada doesn’t have aworld-class intellectual-propertyframework, we won’t be able tocompete. The Canadian Intel-lectual Property Council recentlyexamined the life-sciences andpharmaceutical sectors aroundthe role intellectual propertyplays, finding Canada has lessrobust protection than the other31 countries studied, includingSouth Korea.”

It is no secret that Canadacontinues to lag in innovationand productivity, says ChrisGray, director of innovationpolicy for the Canadian Cham-ber of Commerce. One of thereasons, he says, is that thecountries that are doing well ininnovation – such as those inEurope – are doing much betterat protecting intellectual prop-erty. “That’s really the key.”

“Every time Canada has

moved to improve intellec-tual property,” says Mr. Wil-liams, “the global industryhas responded by increasinginvestment.” Currently, theresearch-based pharmaceuti-cal community invests ap-proximately $1.2 billion inR&D in Canada each year, andis responsible for generating60,000 jobs across the country –including about 10,000 researchpositions.

The cost of inaction is clearlydemonstrated by the negotia-tions currently underway for theCanada-European Union Com-prehensive Economic TradeAgreement (CETA), says Mr.Williams. “Europe has put thison the agenda, with potentialfor $11 billion in trade benefitsover the next seven years, and isasking that we have equivalentintellectual-property protectionto support a trade agreement. Ifwe don’t seize this opportunity

to become world class in the IPregime, Canadians will regret itfor a long time.”

Mr. Gray agrees. “In orderto keep up with the rest of theworld, it is clear Canada alsoneeds changes to its intellectualproperty protection framework.“In Quebec, for example, weare already starting to see somejobs going offshore because ofstronger IP protection in otherjurisdictions.”

CETA would be especiallyfavourable because Canadawould become the only countryin the world to have such agree-ments with both the U.S. andthe European Union, a distinctcompetitive advantage.

Most important, says Mr.Gray, is the development ofa comprehensive intellectual-property strategy. A strategy atthe highest levels of governmentwill communicate that Canada isopen for business, he says. “We

have a competitive corporate taxrate, top notch skills, an educatedand stable workforce and a stableeconomy. Now we just have tomatch the intellectual-propertyprotection provided by the U.S.and Europe.”

“The next few decades holdtremendous promise,” says Mr.Williams. “Research not onlyholds promise to revolutionizehealth care, but also the way wecontinue to discover and devel-op our medicines and vaccines.We want the research done here,in Canada, and to have life-saving medicines and vaccinesmade available to Canadians sothat we can prevent and treatdisease and improve our qualityof life. The global pharmaceuti-cal industry itself is currentlyinvolved in the development of800 potential cancer drugs alone.Competitive intellectual propertywill help Canada harness thispromise.”


Canada’s intellectual propertyworthyof protection

“Every time Canada hasmoved to improve intellectual property, the global industry hasresponded by increasing investment.” RussellWilliams, president president Canada’s Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies

WhypartnerwithNSERC?Varied funding optionsNSERC’s business R&D projects rangefrom short- to long-term, and its indus-trial scholarships and fellowships allowcompanies to hire qualified experts atsubstantial savings.

Reduced financial riskBy cost-sharing with NSERC, Canadianbusinesses can fund R&D for as little as17 cents on the dollar. Companies canalso pool their resources in pre-com-petitive research.

Reduced technical riskR&D funding proposals are reviewedby experts who identify any technicalor feasibility issues.

Highly skilled peopleOn average, NSERC-funded collab-orative R&D projects provide sevenstudents with industry-relevant skills;

partnering companies hire at least one;and new hires’ training cycles are sixmonths shorter.

Unique facilities and equipmentSince 1997, the federal governmentand its partners have investedmorethan $4 billion in university and collegeresearch infrastructure and equipment.

Competitive-differentiatingknowledgeNSERC project researchers are often atthe forefront of their respective spe-cialties, often leading to competitivemarket differentiation.

Investment capital andmarketcredibilityThrough affiliations with post-sec-ondary institutions, companies gaininvestment capital andmarketplacecredibility.

Turn ideas intoreal world solutions

Innovation, creativity and collaboration are vital to building and growing sustainable communities.Centennial’s Applied Research and Innovation Centre provides innovative minds with the resources toresearch and find solutions to help companies grow. To find out more visit centennialcollege.ca/applied.

The Future of Learning

HEALTH

To learnmore about industry – research collaborations at Queen’s University visit: www.queensu.ca/industry

RESEARCHINTERDISCIPLINARYcollaboration

INNOVATION

TheMechanics of Medicine

Dr. David Pichora, Dr. John Rudan, Dr.TimBryant andDr.Manuela Kunz (L to R) examine awrist.

Bringing together orthopaedic surgeons, computer scientists, rehabilitationspecialists and biomedical engineers, the Human Mobility Research Centre(HMRC), a partnership between Queen’s University and Kingston GeneralHospital, is at the leading edge of effective treatment for bone and joint disorders.Employing a multidisciplinary approach to prosthesis design, softwaredevelopment, bio-simulation and computer-assisted surgery, HMRC isrevolutionizing the treatment options for these disorders and helping peoplelead healthier, more active lives.


Grant boosts engineering,medicalcollaborationCollaboration between

engineers and doctors todeal with complex medi-

cal challenges is adding a newdimension to the public’s conven-tional notion of engineering, saysTyseer Aboulnasr, dean of UBC’sFaculty of Applied Science.

And it’s not only public percep-tion that’s changing. The growingpartnership between engineersand the medical community iscontributing to major advances.

For example, earlier this year,Guy Dumont, a professor inUBC’s Department of Electricaland Computer Engineering, andMark Ansermino, an assistantprofessor in the university’sDepartment of Anesthesiology,Pharmacology and Therapeutics,received the Natural Sciences andEngineering Research Council’s(NSERC) Brockhouse CanadaPrize.

A $250,000 research grantaccompanies the prize, whichrecognizes Canadian interdis-ciplinary research teams whohave combined their expertise toproduce outstanding, internation-ally significant achievements inscience and engineering.

Dr. Dumont and Dr. Anser-mino were recognized for theirdevelopment of a new, computer-based technology to help protectpeople while under anesthetic inthe operating room.

“The role of technology inmedicine is not always appreci-ated by patients or the public ingeneral,” says Dr. Aboulnasr. “Butit demonstrates the beneficialcollaboration that exists betweenengineers and doctors.”

Also at UBC, materialsengineering professor Frank Kois working with Aziz Ghahary,director of the B.C. Professional

Fire Fighters’ Burn and WoundHealing Laboratory at VancouverGeneral Hospital and VancouverCoastal Health Research Institute,to help burn victims.

Dr. Ghahary is drawing on

Dr. Ko’s expertise in biomaterialsand nanotechnology to developproducts that use nanofibres toprevent the activation of proteinsresponsible for slowing down orterminating the process of healing

burn wounds.“What we are seeing now in

engineering is more emphasis onusing technology as a tool,” saysDr. Aboulnasr. “We are teachingstudents to focus on functionalityrather than bells and whistles. Weask them to consider how tech-nology will benefit humanity, andfor many students, it’s changingthe way they view engineering.”

Another collaboration is takingplace between UBC electrical andcomputer engineering professorKenichi Takahata and two vascularsurgeons at Vancouver GeneralHospital and UBC’s Faculty ofMedicine, York Hsiang and JoelGagnon. Together, they are devel-oping “smart” stents for patientswith coronary artery disease.

The stents function as radio-fre-quency wireless sensors that allowdoctors to use a portable readerto monitor the patient’s heart.

T echnology integratinglive action and computergeneration hit the world

stage big time with the release ofAvatar.

Now, a new research andtraining centre based at Canada’slargest complex of soundstageswill take digital media innovationeven further.

Sheridan College initiated theScreen Industries Research and

Training Centre (SIRT) just oneyear ago. Located at PinewoodToronto Studios, the researchand training centre is a fullyfunctioning production studioand lab facility dedicated toexploring digital image captureand creation processes for film,television, gaming and otherscreen-based industries.

“We are working on digitalflow from image capture to deliv-

ery in a multi-platform environ-ment – everything from iPodsto IMAX,” says John Helliker,director of SIRT.

He says state-of-the-art digitalcameras, stereoscopic camerarigs, post-production processesand motion capture technologiesare used to investigate tapelessworkflow, stereoscopic produc-tion and previsualization/virtualmoviemaking.

“Our mandate is to develop in-novation and push it out to indus-try as rapidly and effectively aspossible,’ says Mr. Helliker. “Asa convergence centre, we buildon the synergies of our partnersto take education, innovation andcommercialization and feed itback into the next generation ofstorytellers.”

Funding for SIRT was provid-ed by Ontario’s Ministry of Re-

search and Innovation, OntarioCentres of Excellence, OntarioMedia Development Corporationand Sheridan – along with $2.2million from the Natural Sciencesand Engineering Research Coun-cil of Canada (NSERC).

“Government funding was thecatalyst in launching the centre,but our goal is to become a per-manent, self-sustaining facility,”says Mr. Helliker.

Digitalmedia research centre sets sights on thebig screenENTERTAINMENT

UBC Electrical and Computer Engineering professor Guy DumontandMark Ansermino, assistant professor in the Department of An-esthesiology, Pharmacology andTherapeutics, marry their researchprograms tomake operating rooms safer andmore efficient. Theyhave recently received NSERC’s Brockhouse Canada Prize for theircollaboration. PHOTO BY MART IN DEE, COMPL IMENTS OF UBC IC ICS

Innovation is A�itude— Canada has theright ingredients for success: smart, highlymotivated and highly trained people in everyprovince as well as some of the best researchand learning institutions in the world.

But we also need be�er tools, including world-class intellectualproperty protection that can help us turn innovative ideas intothe next generation of new life saving or life enhancing medicine.These new cu�ing edge medicines will also help by reducingsurgery, hospital visits and other health costs.

We want Canada to be one of the leading places where more newmedicines and vaccines are developed to treat and prevent cancer,diabetes, Alzheimer’s, heart disease and other conditions.

Canada is currently negotiating a comprehensive trade agreementwith the European Union (EU) that would put us in the uniqueposition of being the only country in the world to have favouredtrading status with both the Europeans and the U.S.

An internationally competitive intellectual protection regime forCanada is part of the discussions. A deal with the EU will preserveand create jobs in life sciences and provide a $12 billion boost to theCanadian economy while increasing our bilateral trade by 20 %.*

www.raredisorders.ca www.lifesciencesbc.cawww.lsam.ca

www.canada-europe.org

www.canadapharma.orgwww.ipcouncil.cawww.actiononinnovation.ca

www.alzheimer.ca

www.fccq.ca

www.ceocouncil.ca

www.occ.on.cawww.montreal-invivo.com

www.chamber.ca

www.lifesciencesontario.ca

that Canada can be a worldleader in generating jobs andinvestment in life sciencesand the knowledge economy?

that Canada can be a world

By opening the doors toinnovation, we improve thequality of life of all Canadians.

www.optimizinghealth.org www.agwest.sk.ca www.bcbc.com www.bioatlantech.nb.ca www.bioquebec.com

*h�p://www.international.gc.ca/media_commerce/comm/news-communiques/2009/386908.aspx?lang=eng

Canada is currently negotiatin

andsmy?

Collaborative R&D


NSERC-supportedprojects showpower ofunited front

R esearch into newmetal alloys forengines and other

automotive componentsis helping General Mo-tors of Canada (GMCanada) produce lightervehicles that get bettermileage.

Ahmet Alpas, a profes-sor with the Departmentof Mechanical, Automo-tive and Materials Engi-neering at the Universityof Windsor, partneredwith GM Canadato develop this newgeneration of internalcombustion engines andenvironmentally friendlymanufacturing tech-niques for lightweightalloys.

Dr. Alpas’ teamworked together withGM Canada scientists

on a new generation ofliner-less, aluminum-silicon alloy, internal-combustion engines. Theengine they developedprovides exceptional

durability, can be manu-factured at a reasonablecost and weighs 40 percent less than those withtraditional cast-ironblocks.

Newalloys help automakersdrive fuel economy

Having an outstand-ing product is notenough when trying

to tap into the lucrativeChinese market. Establish-ing a relationship withprospective clients – un-derstanding their language,culture and particulartechnical needs – is alsocritical.

Recognizing this,Tembec Inc., the world’slargest producer of high-yield pulp (HYP), hasestablished a long-standingpartnership with YonghaoNi, a professor of chemicalengineering at the Uni-versity of New Brunswick.This research partner-ship has not only led tobreakthrough product andprocess innovations, butalso enabled the companyto better understand andsatisfy the needs of its

customers in China. Thisproductive relationshiphas resulted in significantsales increases in Chinafor Tembec, estimated atalmost $600 million overthe past decade.

“Dr. Ni has been agreat help to us in China,”says Bernard Guimont,senior vice-president ofTembec’s Pulp Division.“He accompanied us ona business trip to help us

build confidence with ourcustomers. He was able tospeak their language andlearn first-hand about theconcerns of Chinese paper-makers, which ensured theresearch project was highlycustomer-focused.”

Tembec has benefitedimmensely from advancesin R&D that respond to thespecific needs of businessesin China, other markets inAsia as well as Europe.

Tembec’s success in Chinarooted inR&Dpartnership

Answering theproverbial questionabout whether the

chicken or egg came firstis a moot point if the eggsdon’t hatch – an all-too-common problem forpoultry producers. Everyyear, a typical hatcheryhandles and incubates upto 20 million infertile eggs,at great cost to producers.

A promising new tech-nique to determine thefertility and hatchabilityof eggs – the product of a$43,000 NSERC Collab-orative Research and De-

velopment (CRD) Grant– holds the promise of bigdividends for Canada’spoultry industry. A one-year research initiative,spearheaded by MichaelNgadi at McGill Univer-sity, is potentially worthmillions of dollars to thesector, according to TimNelson, executive direc-tor of the Poultry IndustryCouncil (PIC), whichsponsored the research.

The current methodto identify and separateinfertile eggs – candling– shines a bright light

behind the egg to observedetails through the shell.It is only effective once anembryo is well developed.

McGill University’s newtechnique delivers a quick,non-destructive and ac-curate method of assessingthe hatchability of eggs us-ing hyperspectral imaging.The technology beamslight through the eggshell,allowing information tobe gathered not only fromthe visible portion of thelight spectrum, but alsothe invisible infrared andultraviolet portions. The

hyperspectral data helpsresearchers detect thechemical profile of theegg and calculate fertilityto almost 100 per cent

accuracy.Mr. Nelson says the

beauty of the McGillUniversity innovation isthat it can predict fertil-

ity with greater accuracyat a much earlier stage– before long and costlyincubation.

“With the McGill tech-nology,” he says, “thereare potentially millions inextra revenues at stake.Any technology that cansignificantly reduce wastein this industry is boundto be a winner.”

Dr. Ngadi is now seek-ing an industry sponsorto automate the processmove from the lab to full-scale commercial demon-stration.

Poultry industry eyesmillions in revenues and savingsfromMcGill partnership

UNIVERSITY OF NEW BRUNSWICK

McGILL UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY OF WINDSOR

“Any technology that can significantly reducewaste in this industry is boundto be awinner” Tim Nelson, executive director of the Poultry Industry Council

“We are definitely ahead of the curve todayas a result of this [research] collaboration.”John Persic, vice-president, R&D, Microbonds

AnNSERC-supported study atMcGill University aimsto address infertility issues that affect Canada’s poultryindustry. PHOTO: ISTOCK .COM

Research involving the University of New Brunswickhas yielded breakthrough product and process innova-tions for paper giant Tembec Inc. PHOTO: ISTOCK .COM

E very business valuesthe chance to geta jump on the

competition by giving itsproducts an edge in themarketplace. Hookingup with higher educationexperts, many of whomare at the vanguard oftheir chosen specialties,is becoming an evenmore important way todo that.

Microbonds Inc. ofMarkham, Ontario,collaborated with theUniversity of Water-loo’s Norman Zhou andMichael Mayer – world-leading experts in weld-ing, joining metallurgyand wire bonding – tolower the productioncosts in its semiconduc-tor packaging businesswithout having to over-haul operations or loseground in its sector.

Microbonds makes the

wire bonds for electri-cal connections betweenmicrochips and the ma-terials on which they aremounted. Until recently,those bonds were madeof gold, but skyrocket-ing prices promptedresearchers to find aworthy substitute.

Microbonds is nowfirst-to-market with wirebonds made of coatedcopper, at a raw materialcost less than one-thou-sandth the price of gold.

“We are definitelyahead of the curve todayas a result of this collabo-ration,” says John Persic,vice-president of R&Dwith Microbonds. “Itwas perfect timing forus because the researchfindings have allowed usto significantly reduceour material costs andplaced us in a muchstronger position techno-logically as we emergefrom the latest reces-sion.”

Spinning copper intogoldgives company the edge

UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO

University ofWaterloo research helped Ontario’sMicrobonds Inc. find a novel way to reduce its costsand boost competitiveness. PHOTO: ISTOCK .COM

Collaborative work between the University ofWindsorand GMCanada has led to a new, significantly lighteralloy engine. PHOTO: ISTOCK .COM

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Partner with us for solutions that drivecommercial and industrial success indigital media, technology, social services,manufacturing and other sectors.

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Let Sheridan Applied Researchand Innovation help. [email protected] call 905 815 4261.

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