NSERC awards $1.8 million to game-changing research projects at Humber

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council grants will support social innovation and design-driven analytics 

By Bridget Yard on
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Six Humber College projects have been granted funding that will help create work experiences for students and make a significant impact on communities and industry. 

The funding comes from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council’s (NSERC) College and Community Innovation Program and from its Innovation Enhancement grant. a male student studies alone at Humber College

"NSERC funding strengthens Humber's ability to contribute knowledge and solutions to foster social innovation and develop competitive advantages for small and medium-sized enterprises in the area of data analytics," said Chris Whitaker, president and CEO of Humber College. 

"We are excited about the opportunities these grants provide for Humber students and faculty researchers." 

Social Impact 

The College and Community Social Innovation Fund (CCSIF) supports social innovation research projects in partnership with community organizations. 

$360,000 was awarded to a project called “Affordable Housing Needs in South Etobicoke.” 

In partnership with LAMP Community Health Centre, it will uncover the cost of living and the resulting social impacts. The project goes straight to members of marginalized communities to develop a baseline of housing affordability. 

NSERC College and Community Innovation Program grants will support five more projects at Humber College: 

  • Community Agency Partnerships: Best Practices for the Creation of Healthy Communities 
  • Engaging and Educating Young-Adult Cannabis 2.0 Consumers 
  • Experiences of hope, self-compassion and authentic collaboration: Foundations for a consumer-informed compassion-based human services delivery framework in a Canadian context 
  • Measuring the Impact of 21st Century Experiential Learning on New Immigrant Workplace Performance 
  • Institute for Design-Driven Analytics 

In collaboration with ACCES Employment, the project entitled “Measuring the Impact of 21st Century Experiential Learning on New Immigrant Workplace Performance,” will help internationally-trained professionals find employment and integrate into the Canadian job market. students look at big boards of sticky notes, pens in hand

"This research will result in a deeper understanding of the impact of our bridging program model in supporting internationally-trained professionals to find work in their field that reflects their past experience," said Allison Pond, President and CEO, ACCES Employment.  

Forward-thinking 

Following the $200,000  NSERC Innovation Enhancement Grant, Humber researchers will establish an Institute for Design-Driven Analytics (IDDA). The IDDA will combine design, business analytics and connected technology to create competitive advantages for companies. 

The project will challenge the traditional emphasis on descriptive analytic reports and visuals to explain what happened in the past. IDDA will focus on using analytics to predict the future or do a job better. 

Ginger Grant, Associate Dean in the Office of Applied Research and Innovation, hopes the NSERC-funded projects will be leveraged into other areas at Humber.   

The IDDA project, for example, may influence how some students and professors look at and process data. 

“I anticipate after initial training with students, that we cultivate interdisciplinary projects through the Centres of Innovation at Humber,” Grant said.  

While the college hosts the projects, the work of students, faculties, and collaborating partners will have an impact far beyond the Humber community.