Centre for Research and Innovation secures $2,250,000 research grant from NSERC

Fanshawe College’s Centre for Research and Innovation (CRI) has been awarded a grant of $2,250,000 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Mobilize program, as part of the College and Community Innovation (CCI) initiative.

This significant funding will play a crucial role in advancing Fanshawe's commitment to fostering innovation and addressing the evolving needs of the regional labour market. The grant will be utilized to achieve several key objectives:

1. Enhance access to innovation services: The funding will facilitate easier access for companies seeking innovation support services at Fanshawe through streamlining of the four CRI research centres and facility operations.
2. Skills development for students: Fanshawe students will benefit from engaging in research projects and related training activities focused on critical areas of need for the regional labour market, enhancing their skills and knowledge in practical, real-world applications.
3. Advance equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in research: The creation of additional training materials and resources will align project planning, team onboarding and project administration with EDI best practices, providing companies and researchers the benefits of a diverse research environment.  
4. Support for key industries in London, Ontario: Building on the groundwork laid over the last five years, the grant will further support key London industries, including food processing, agriculture and biotechnology.
5. Capacity building in strategic sectors: The funding will add new research capacity in sectors that are important to the London region, such as advanced manufacturing, building technology and the industrial Internet of Things.
6. Creation of new partnerships: The grant will open avenues for forging new partnerships in emerging research areas, contributing to the growth of future regional economies.

"The Mobilize grant funding empowers Fanshawe College’s Centre for Research and Innovation to deepen its work supporting the London and region economy by facilitating easier access for more small-to-medium-sized businesses to R&D support services in key sectors like food processing, agriculture, and biotechnology," says Alison Ewart, dean of the Centre for Research and Innovation. "It also enables us to add capacity in sectors of strategic importance to the region like advanced manufacturing, building technology and industrial Internet-of-Things systems. The funding builds upon the work CRI has undertaken in the last five years to increase its support of industrial partners while developing the skills of Fanshawe students through research projects in critical areas of need for the regional labour market.”