I recently attended a research day at the local college here in Ottawa, Algonquin College. As some of you know, this was where I hung my hat for many years as a Professor. A few years have passed and WOW, how things change - for the best I should say. For one thing, I was astounded by the state of the art facilities, including research labs that now populate the campus. Yes, the community colleges are now playing in the research arena, but with an important caveat - and that caveat is that they focus on "research that works".
In the true spirit of doing what you do best and "sticking to the knitting", Algonquin (and likely other colleges involved in research), know that their strength and competitive differentiation lies in the practical application of research. Colleges can have a rich collaborative future with universities and industry partnerships if they stay true to their competitive edge -- and that's precisely what I saw at Algonquin.
We toured 5 different labs at Algonquin, all doing important work in applied research. These included: Simulation Centre for Health Studies, the Telecommunications Lab, the HaptoVisual Research Centre, the OptoPhotonics Lab, and the Digital Cinema Centre. These labs are working collaboratively with industry partners to address real-world problems. In many cases, a team comprised of professors, students and industry are working to develop prototypes, design systems, test and analyze products and even develop testing protocols for organizations.
Algonquin is definitely a tour stop for inventors and entrepreneurs trying to nuture ideas. There is a welcome mat at the door for entrepreneurs incubating ideas. You'd be wise to make a visit to the facilities to have a look for yourself. No doubt, the experience of the professors and the leading edge facilities could be a life line for many early stage companies and ideas.
Also, if you need some extra "muscle" on a project, you should contact Nelson Rogers - rogersn@alognquincollege.com who heads up the Applied Research and Innovation. Nelson is scouting for research projects for students to take part in starting in September. We saw the output of the student projects while we were at Algonquin - let me say, these projects are innovation based and not your typical student term project.
Take some time to make a visit - you may discover the support you need is right in your own back yard!
Enjoy Your Journey!
Wendy
author/advisor/lady with the flipcharts!
www.wendykennedy.com
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