Okanagan College (OC) is celebrating a major research milestone with the announcement that Dr. Colin Wallace, who teaches in the Department of Kinesiology at OC, has been awarded the College's first-ever grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to continue his research around traumatic brain injuries.
Dr. Colin Wallace
Funded by CIHR's Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health, the Planning and Dissemination Grant will support the development and mobilization of a return-to-learn pathway for post-secondary students recovering from mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).
"It's amazing to see Dr. Wallace's research recognized at a national level by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research," said Dr. Mary Butterfield, director of Applied Research at OC. "This success speaks to the high-quality applied research carried out at Okanagan College and will create exciting opportunities for kinesiology students to gain hands-on experience that will support them in their future careers."
Dr. Wallace's project, Return-to-learn following concussion: Knowledge translation of a novel care pathway, is delivered in partnership with Parachute, a national charity dedicated to injury prevention, as well as researchers from Langara College and Trinity Western University. The initiative focuses on improving how colleges and universities support students as they reintegrate into academic life following a concussion, an often invisible injury that can significantly affect cognitive function, mental health and academic performance.
"We have excellent research and guidance in Canada on returning to school, but it is focused primarily on elementary and secondary school settings," said Stephanie Cowle, Parachute's Director, Knowledge Translation. "Dr. Wallace's work breaks new ground to support youth and adults in post-secondary, and we see its potential to have impact across the country."
Each year, approximately 200,000 Canadians sustain a mild traumatic brain injury. Younger individuals, including those in post-secondary settings, are 5.2 times more likely to report an mTBI, and at least 30 per cent experience persistent symptoms. Navigating a full academic course load while managing concussion-related impairments can be especially challenging, requiring coordinated academic concessions and sustained support from faculty. Yet, post-secondary instructors and staff often lack training on how to effectively accommodate students recovering from brain injury.
"This grant will allow us to close a critical knowledge gap between what concussion research tells us and what actually happens when students return to the classroom," said Dr. Wallace. "By building evidence-informed, holistic return-to-learn programs, we can improve students' recovery experiences and empower faculty with the tools they need to provide consistent, supportive academic environments."
Through a series of dynamic knowledge translation workshops, the project will equip faculty, administration and students with practical, research-backed strategies for supporting mTBI recovery. These workshops will build on an NSERC-funded Mobilize research project currently underway at Okanagan College. The work completed in this grant will form the basis of an application to the NSERC College and Community Social Innovation Fund this year.
"Applied Research at Okanagan College connects research, industry leaders and community partners to transform ideas into real-world solutions," said Samantha Lenci, OC provost and vice president academic. "Projects such as this one strengthen the College's commitment to developing responsive programs that enhance learner well-being, support academic success and remove barriers to participation."
For more information about Applied Research at Okanagan College, visit okanagancollege.ca/applied-research.
