If you have any research or innovation projects that you would like to showcase, you're in luck- Research and Innovation Day at Fanshawe is fast approaching.

It will be taking place on Wednesday, March 21.

Research and Innovation Day is a one-day showcase event, which allows students and staff to showcase some of the projects that they have been working on in and outside of the classroom. Anybody interested in viewing the event will have the opportunity to view the showcases, and ask questions to the contributors of the projects.

“Research and Innovation Day is a one day showcase of all the research and innovation activities that are going on at Fanshawe College,” Stephanie Hernandez, the outreach, special projects and events co-ordinator at Fanshawe said.

“It's an opportunity for students to show great projects that they have been working on inside the classroom, and sometimes outside of the classroom as well. It's also an opportunity to highlight some of the work that our faculty are doing. We have a showcase where our faculty can put up a poster, and people can tour the exhibits and see what the professors are working on,” Hernandez said.

If you are accepted to showcase your research or innovative ideas at the event, you will also have the opportunity to win prizes for your work. A panel of judges will be present to determine criteria such as professionalism, knowledge of the subject matter and other categories.

The event can yield more than innovative ideas and excellent prizes as well. Research and innovation day is also an excellent way to connect with employers or community leaders, and be recognized for hard work and excellent insight on the project subject matter.

“This is an open event to the public. We invite some of the research partners we currently have, we try to invite local industries and people involved in politics as well, so they can see what Fanshawe students are doing,” Hernandez said.

“We look forward with much excitement to our annual Research and Innovation Day at Fanshawe. This is a great opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to come together to showcase the fantastic research and innovation work they have engaged in with our industry, business, and community partners over the past year. Prizes will be awarded across a variety of categories. We hope you will join us for this exciting event,” Dan Douglas, the Dean for Fanshawe's Centre for Research and Innovation said.

Students can expect to see interesting and innovative ideas displayed at the event, and it will be insightful as to what amazing work Fanshawe students have been working on while attending the college.

“We can expect to see a lot of really innovative and interesting projects. [Last year] we had one [project] that was a dementia art show and sale in partnership with McCormick day program. It was a project that was exploring the need for dementia services in the community and reacting to this through day programs, events, fundraisers, and education. Another one that was done was a student who looked at the impact of the use of community policing. Another student group looked at isolation of novel candidate probiotic strains; they were determining the effectiveness of candidate probiotic bacterial strains, to inhibit the growth of a number of well-known human oral pathogens. There's a really wide variety of projects that come in yearto-year, and it's very exciting to see what the students have to showcase,” Hernandez said.

Research and Innovation Day is open to any Fanshawe students, whether part-time or full-time, in any program. The deadline to apply for Research and Innovation Day is Friday, Feb. 16 at 11:59 p.m. After you apply, your suggested project will be reviewed, to ensure it meets the basic criteria for the showcase. After the application is submitted, you will be notified within a few weeks if your project has been approved or not.

If you are interested in participating in the event, and would like to showcase a project that you feel strongly about, you can find the form to apply at fanshawec.ca/ResearchandInnovationDay.