The IDEAlogue NSERC grant continues to generate industry leads SCHOL ARLY ACTIVITY NEWSLETTER • FALL 2015 Though Kelly Sveinson’s original NSERC grant is finished, its influence continues to generate new opportunities and avenues for research. YOUR SCHOLARLY ACTIVITY STEERING COMMITTEE Kelly Sveinson’s commitment to hands-on Sveinson adds that networking forced him learning has sparked the creation of one of to think about the next steps in his research Leelah Dawson Dean, Faculty of Langara’s most successful applied research and helped him meet the people who would Social Sciences & partnerships. Through a $25,000 grant take it to the next level. Now he’s looking Management from the National Science and Engineering into new projects, including working with Research Council (NSERC), Sveinson found the medical marijuana industry to help the opportunity to further his studies and get manage their bio-mass waste stream. Janet Douglas Program Review Facilitator, TCDC John Falcus Faculty, Langara School of Management Vivian Feng Coordinator, “The original project funded by the grant has in a landfill. The industry is looking for a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly solution.” come back to explore further research. The Library Services grant are still going strong today,” says Sveinson. Ian Humphreys Vice-President, currently being mixed with clay and disposed of were working with, McCue Engineering, has relationships we were able to build because of the Faculty of Science “The leaves, which are a controlled substance, are been completed, but the industry partner we Reference Services, Margaret Heldman Chair & Dean, In some situations, biochar has been shown to improve crop yield. For this project, Sveinson maintains an experimental garden plot located Although it could seem onerous, Sveinson says in the Langara Community Garden, where the NSERC application process was worth the the cells were treated with various amounts effort for a variety of reasons. of biochar and soil fungi. Now in its second year, the plot shows biochar has a slight, but Strategic Planning “The funding gave my project legitimacy, opened & Business new avenues for research, and helped me build Development my network outside the Langara community. It For Sveinson, “the most satisfying aspect of an was a good exercise in getting out of my teaching endeavor like this is providing opportunities comfort zone and pushing my limits as a scholar.” for our students to engage in meaningful and Lynn Kitchen Manager, Custom Training Wanda Pierson students involved in real-world applied research. positive, effect on the growth of rye. real-world science.” Faculty, Nursing Indira Prahst Coordinator, Connecting Langara with innovation support Sociology John Russell Chair, Langara Research Ethics Board Kelly Sveinson Faculty, Chemistry Suzi Webster Department Chair, Fine Arts Heather Workman Department Chair, Rizwan Kheraj sees three new technology companies a day and meets with many companies to deliver value-added advice and support. About IDEAlogue New ideas. New collaborations. New projects. Same great showcase. The fall 2015 Scholarship Café will The IDEAlogue shares and promotes news be held at Langara’s Main Campus on Thursday, November 26. This semi-annual, open house-style event about scholarly projects and applied research showcases some of the most exciting and unique scholarly research our College has to offer. To facilitate happening in our Langara community. We more student-based projects, the Scholarship Café takes place later in the term and we’ve expanded the aim to shine a spotlight on faculty, staff, and event to feature a keynote presentation and an opportunity for industry partners to get involved. Mark administrators here at the College who are November 26 on your calendar and join us in celebrating faculty, staff, and student scholarly success. reaching out and applying their knowledge and Date: Thursday, November 26 “My department is part of the federal Time: 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm National Research Council of Canada Industrial government. There are 250 people like me Venue: Cafeteria - Main Campus, 100 West 49th Avenue Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP), across Canada: 40 of them in BC and 20 across Rizwan Kheraj’s role is to connect Langara the Lower Mainland. Some are located at faculty, staff, and students with industry. He accelerators which are non-profit centres that helps tech companies in BC accelerate their incubate and mentor technology.” research and development through technical Education assistance, business advice, and financial support programs. Previous companies IRAP For more information, visit www.langara.ca/scholarly-activity Save the date: Scholarship Café - November 26 As an Industrial Technology Advisor with the Co-operative Contact Us Veronica Yeung Administrative Assistant Office of the Academic Deans Phone: 604.323.5690 Email: vyeung@langara.ca Photo by Tomo Tanaka has supported include Hootsuite, Sierra Wireless, Recon Instruments, QuickMobile, and Mobify. At Langara, he is currently supporting instructor Kelly Sveinson to further his biochar research by connecting him to industry partners. The College is newly supported by NRC-IRAP. Kheraj opened the Langara office in April 2015, having served a similar role at the SFU Harbour Centre campus. Kheraj’s goal at Langara is to improve awareness within local industry of the College’s faculty and student-led research capabilities. For example, he is working with the Langara For more information, visit www.langara.ca/scholarly-activity. learning to the world beyond the classroom – whether it be through community partnerships, educational leave, or experimental research. We also aim to connect Langara scholars with information about the potential funding available to them. If you’re working on a Get involved and inspire others project, please let us know by getting in touch at scholarlyactivity@langara.ca. Are you involved in an exciting scholarly project? Do you have students who are conducting interesting research as part of their studies? Are you looking for a forum to present your work? Be a part of our Scholarship Café! Bookstore and a local mobile tech company to We invite faculty, staff, and students to present their scholarship projects, share their set up mobile payment for students purchasing accomplishments, trade ideas with colleagues, and interact with industry contacts to generate textbooks so that instead of standing in line, greater interest in applied research. Proposals are now being accepted for the fall 2015 Scholarship students will be able to buy their books on their Café. Contact Heather Workman at 604.323.5292 or Margaret Heldman at 604.323.5499. EDUCATION LEAVE DEADLINE Thinking about taking ed leave? Submit your application to the Office of the Academic Deans (Room B241) by November 15, 2015. mobile and avoid lines completely. Visit Rizwan Kheraj in Room C210b to learn more about the resources available. GET THE RECOGNITION AND SUPPORT YOU DESERVE Have a great idea? Working on a community project or presenting a paper at a conference? Know someone from the Langara community conducting research? We want to know! Contact us at 604.323.5690 or scholarlyactivity@langara.ca. Educational leave pays dividends Field of vision: Scholarship Café - April 2, 2015 research forward? Check out these The launch of Langara’s Bioinformatics Program inadvertently led biology and health sciences It was standing room only at the spring 2015 Scholarship Café. For more photos, search “Langara Scholarship Café” at www.flickr.com/langaracollege. opportunities. instructor Jessica Kalra to an inspiring and refreshing educational leave. FUNDING INSPIR ATION Looking for some funds to move your Social Innovation (SSHRC/CCSIF) There she participated in projects focused For the development of new ideas or the on the targeted treatment of breast cancer, use of existing ideas to find solutions an extension of her work with the BC Cancer to social challenges. Requires a partner Agency. organization (academic or otherwise). Funds up to $200,000. Deadline is Kalra found that requesting educational November 9, 2015. For details, search leave was straightforward and she highly “sshrc ccsif”. recommends making the effort. She submitted her request proposal in October, it was Technical Innovation approved early in the following year, and by For applied research and collaborations September she was on her way to Stanford. that facilitate commercialization as well as technology transfer, adaptation, and adoption of new technologies. Requires a private sector partnership and funds may vary. No deadline for entry level grants. For details, search “nserc ccip six” . Air Quality Innovation For research to help understand and solve air quality management issues. Funds up to $20,000 available. Langara deadline for overview proposal is October 20, 2015. For details, search “bc clear”. Business Improvement Innovation For collaborations between learning Photo by Shamit Sthankiya When her husband accepted a one-year fellowship in California, Jessica Kalra took “We forget that there is so much out there, so many new things to learn. It pushed me out of my comfort zone.” the opportunity to enrol in the Bioinformatics She had reservations about being away from Graduate Certificate program at the Stanford the College for an extended period, but it Centre for Professional Development. proved not to be an issue. “I thought this would be an excellent chance to “There’s been nothing but positives, and the do some professional development work in the experience has opened up new opportunities biotech hub of North America, and to bring that for me. For example, I connected with new knowledge back to Langara to inform our own collaborators and we are in the process of fledgling Bioinformatics Program. putting together an interdisciplinary, cross- Kalra also applied and was accepted for a boarder project.” position as an International Research Fellow at the Stanford Research Institute (SRI). Photos by Jennifer Oehler Delegated ethics review process for research involving humans Using the ethics review process to refine research institutions and SMEs to bring bigger and better innovations to market faster. Funding varies. No application deadline. For details, search “irap”. Cleantech Innovation For collaborations with industry leaders, researchers, and tech entrepreneurs to solve industry challenges. For details, search “bcic” or email info@bcic.ca. By John Russell, Philosophy Instructor and Chair of the Langara College Research Ethics Board. The Langara Research Ethics Board (LREB) has Research involving humans that is eligible for recently been authorized to conduct delegated delegated review can be submitted for review reviews of some types of minimal risk research. any time using the LREB’s Request for Ethics Cultural Innovation This should shorten the length of time needed Approval Form. Once submitted it will be For Aboriginal and cultural to conduct ethics reviews of research involving reviewed by the LREB chair or delegate with investigators. Funds available and humans that are low risk in nature. an aim to complete the initial review within 10 deadlines vary. For details, search “canadian heritage funding”. To be eligible for delegated review, the working days of receipt of the application. proposed research must (1) meet the Tri- More details regarding the delegated review Social Innovation (Vancouver Foundation) Council Policy Statement definition for process, including a Guideline for LREB For projects or process changes that minimal risk research, and (2) not focus on Delegated Review, can be found on the Langara build healthy communities. Requires vulnerable groups (e.g. incompetent persons, Research Ethics website at www.langara.ca/ a registered charity partner. Funds up children, mental health patients, etc.) An about-langara/research-ethics-board/policies- to $75,000 available. Deadlines on- example of research that may be eligible for and-guidelines.html. going. For details, search “vancovuer delegated review would be anonymous surveys foundation grants”. of adults or Langara students. For more information, contact Margaret Heldman at 604.323.5499. For more information, contact John Russell at jrussell@langara.ca or 604.323.5453. Nursing instructor Rich Lee recently went through the ethics review process as part of his Masters in Nursing. The rigorous process helped inform and added quality to his research into clinical practice applications. Rich Lee wanted to do a qualitative study sample size, his students could possibly be of Nursing Education for publication focusing on the thoughts of clinical instructors identified. Therefore, he needed to get the consideration. and their experiences and impressions teaching permission of the students involved, even students with hearing disabilities as part of his though his research focused on the instructors. Masters in Nursing. As his research involved When one of the students did not give consent, humans, he needed to complete the ethics Lee’s sample size dropped from 15 to five review process to receive approval to go ahead instructors. with his research. “Through this process, my assumptions about deafness affecting one’s ability to perform as a nurse were blown out of the water. I learned that deaf nurses are not a danger to patients, and my worries about the perception of other “One of the biggest lessons I learned from staff towards the deaf nurse were not realized. “The paperwork was daunting, but well worth this exercise was to be flexible and adapt to All staff liked and worked well with the deaf the effort. It gave the College the information proposed changes in my research. I hope my student.” they needed to approve and move my research experience will inspire others to conduct forward. It also gave me an opportunity to research.” evaluate my strategy. I had to consider the impact of my research, who it might affect, and my reasoning behind it,” said Lee. Lee’s research concluded that the attitudes and communication styles of clinical instructors have an impact on the success of deaf nursing Through the process, he also gained valuable students. As his findings have implications insights into how best to complete his research. for clinical practice curriculum development, For example, he realized that due to his small he has submitted his research to the Journal Lee’s advice for those thinking about going through the ethics review process is to make sure that you know what your topic is before you start. For more information about the ethics review process, visit www.langara.ca/about-langara/ research-ethics-board/index.html.