CREDIT: COLLEGE MEMBERS CAN SHOW OFF THEIR WORLD-CHANGING IDEAS AT FANSHAWE'S RESEARCH AND INNOVATION DAY, ON MARCH 18.
FANSHAWE.CA/RESEARCHANDINNOVATIONDAY (FILE PHOTO)

This year’s Research and Innovation Day is looking for research- focused participants to showcase their efforts amongst their peers and innovative industry representatives.

This annual College-wide event gives students the opportunity to bring their innovative ideas to the forefront. Projects are provided by the College’s Centre for Research and Innovation, in partnership with many businesses in a variety of industries.

This year’s Research and Innovation Day will be held on March 18, and features new changes to its format.


“What we really want to do is showcase the breadth of activity going on at the College. So this year students are going to apply to participate in the showcase through their faculty and each school will select who they want to showcase their work,” said Dan Douglas, dean of the Centre for Research and Innovation. “We’re really excited that we will be able to showcase work from across every faculty of the College, including our regional campuses.”

The changes to the event’s format will also allow components from the same school of thought to be judged upon in a fairer way.

“In the past you would get somebody who had a really strong research poster on something that was socially responsible, like sustainability for example, and they were up against a robotic lawnmower. People tend to look at the things that are a little more interactive, but the other piece could be just as important and have a major impact for the community. So what we’re trying to do here is say, ‘here are your peers, here’s your faculty,’ so that now students will be competing within their own sector,” said Douglas.

Many awards are up for grabs and with the change to the format the chances of coming home with hardware increases from years prior. But bragging rights and a cash prize are not the only benefits to attending or participating in the event.

“This goes on their co-curricular record. It’s a way to showcase that you’ve done something more than just your standard academia. It also gives them experience and there’s nothing that replaces experience, when you have to take what you’ve learned, boil it down to a three to four-minute presentation and get your point across to the judges,” said Douglas. “So even if you don’t come out with the top prize, you should be very proud that you’ve been selected, because not everyone gets into the showcase either.”

“We will also be inviting project partners and industry representatives to attend and view the presentations,” said Andrew Kaszowski, outreach and events coordinator.

The invitation should serve as an enticement for students and with an audience of power players in attendance, research and innovation focused individuals are encouraged to attend even if not presenting.

“The more people who come through the better. If a student is not in the showcase, I would encourage them to come and see what the others are doing. If you are in a particular faculty then you get to see what other faculties are doing. You never know when you are going to connect with someone else who could take your research to the next level,” said Douglas.

Submissions are now open on the Centre for Research and Innovation website, but aspiring applicants are also encouraged to speak with their instructors for assistance in the process. The deadline for consideration is Feb. 14 by 11:59 p.m.