More than 150 employees across the college recently gathered at the Conestoga Skilled Trades Campus for the second annual Research & Scholarship Symposium. The event provided an opportunity for faculty and staff to showcase and celebrate their research and scholarship activities, with opportunities for learning and collaboration through keynotes, panel discussions, project spotlights and poster sessions.
Conestoga's SMART Centre was among the research areas featured at the college's Research & Scholarship Symposium.
The day-long event was hosted by Research, Innovation & Entrepreneurship in collaboration with Teaching & Learning, and Degree Quality & Accreditation.
"The symposium provided a unique opportunity to showcase the broad scope of research opportunities at Conestoga and highlight the work and accomplishments of our talented researchers and scholars," said Dr. Michelle Chrétien, vice president, Research.
"Thank you to everyone who joined us and a special thanks to our keynote presenters for sharing their insights. This event was informative and impactful and we look forward to building on the ideas exchanged and the connections made," added Chrétien.
Keynote speakers included Georgian College researchers Nicole Norris and Lisa Harripersad who presented a research initiative called the Future of Belonging Project - a collaboration between the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka and Georgian College's Social Innovation team. It was co-created based on a shared commitment to addressing the complex socioeconomic challenges faced by rural communities, particularly those disproportionately affecting equity deserving groups such as 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, newcomers and racialized persons.
The second keynote, delivered by Shabnam Haghzare, focused on the ethics and biases of artificial intelligence including the challenges and opportunities of using it in post-secondary settings.
The symposium also included project spotlights and CNERG+ project presentations.
Launched in 2023, CNERG+ (Conestoga New and Emerging Researcher Grant) is funded entirely by the college to support faculty-led large-scale projects across the college. One of the projects, led by faculty member Tanya Staples, explored the reality of women in the Certified Professional Planning profession in Canada and the barriers that exist to entry and advancement.
Conestoga has built its research capabilities to provide invaluable opportunities for students, faculty, industry partners and businesses. The growing scope and impact of Conestoga's applied research activities have placed the college in the top tier of Canada's research colleges. For more information, visit Research, Innovation & Entrepreneurship.
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