The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada has awarded Langara College a Mobilize Grant of $2.25 million over five years.
Mobilize grants provide Canadian colleges with flexible funding to acquire necessary resources to address applied research priorities in industry, health, public and not-for-profit organizations within their communitiesy and to provide applied research training opportunities for students.
At Langara, the funds will enable the identification and development of new initiatives across the College and support the Applied Research Centre's three established themes: natural product innovation, data analytics and bioinformatics, and community and Indigenous-led innovation.
"We are grateful for the generous support of the federal government in helping us to meet our ambitious goals in applied research, and for the vote of confidence. The funds will support new initiatives while amplifying the social and economic impact of our established applied research programs," said Nathan Jones, Interim Director of the Langara College Applied Research Centre.
"I recognize and celebrate our applied research team and the many faculty who have successfully led a broad range of research projects in every discipline across the College," said Dr. Paula Burns, President, Langara College. "Thanks to the efforts of the administrative and research staff, dozens of our students have experienced the opportunity and daily responsibilities of research, both in the laboratory and out in the field."
The Mobilize grant will have a trifold positive effect on students, faculty, and partners. It will increase the number of students who can participate in applied research and further enhance their job readiness; it will augment the technical expertise and research capacity of our faculty and staff; and it will help grow the number and diversity of community partners engaged annually by the College.
"We could not have come this far without the dedication, passion, creativity, curiosity, and initiative of every member of Langara's vibrant research ecosystem. I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish with the assistance of Mobilize funding over the next five years," added Jones.
Langara College gratefully acknowledges the prior and ongoing support of the College and Community Innovation Program (CCIP) administered by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
