Applied research projects to receive $4.8 million in federal grants

Dr Paolo Mussone

Published on May 02, 2017

Three NAIT applied research projects will benefit from a total of $4.8 million in grants from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

The funding includes $2.3 million over five years for the NAIT Centre for Innovative Media, $750,000 over three years for a joint project NAIT is carrying out with the University of Saskatchewan related to hydrocarbon remediation and $1.75 million over five years for the NAIT Centre for Sensors and System Integration.

The NAIT Centre for Innovative Media will focus on boosting productivity in Alberta’s $573-million digital media industry, which includes companies that develop software, apps, movies, animation and games. The centre will enable NAIT to house the experts, tools and facilities to help these companies develop and commercialize new digital products.

NAIT and the University of Saskatchewan are involved in an applied research initiative looking at new ways to remediate the soil of former gas station sites.
The funding for NAIT’s Centre for Sensors and System Integration is a continuation of a previous grant. Staff within the centre help industry partners develop prototypes that address sensor-based challenges in a variety of industries, including resource extraction, agriculture and biomedicine.
The funding announcement was made by the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science, at the Colleges and Institutes Canada Annual Conference in Ottawa. She announced a total of $37.4 million for 37 projects.

The NSERC College and Community Innovation Program supports applied research and collaborations that lead to commercialization and technology transfer while facilitating the development of new technologies and innovative collaboration in communities across the country.

QUOTE

Chris Dambrowitz, associate vice-president of research and innovation
“Support from NSERC and from NAIT’s other partners in delivering impactful applied research initiatives like the Centre for Innovative Media shows the power of collaboration between established firms, emerging companies, post-secondary institutions and governments. NAIT and our network of partners work together to enhance the competitiveness of Western Canadian businesses within regional and global markets.”