Oshawa, ON – Durham College’s (DC) Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE) is pleased to announce it has received a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Connection grant for $25,000.

The funds will support DC’s goal of enhancing experiential learning opportunities through the creation of a student research assistant position, as well as increasing social innovation knowledge mobilization by hosting a collaborative event this spring. The goal is to demonstrate the recent successes and importance of social innovation applied research activities to identify and solve community challenges.

Connecting with stakeholders will serve to raise awareness of socially innovative applied research activities led by DC’s Social Impact Hub and to share the knowledge and insights gained through previous and current projects. To enhance knowledge sharing, Public Relations, Video Production and Journalism – Mass Media students will create a promotional social media campaign, as well as supporting material, such as video clips and interviews with researchers, to be presented at the collaborative event. Leading the students is a group of DC faculty members who, as co-applicants on the grant, have contributed time and expertise to the project’s various components. Faculty members include Teresa Goff and Jennifer Bedford from the School of Media, Art & Design; Lorraine Closs from the School of Health & Community Services; and Nicole Doyle, School of Justice & Emergency Services.

As the college’s fifth applied research centre, the Social Impact Hub seeks to identify creative solutions to complex social problems through leading-edge projects and initiatives. Launched in June 2021, the Social Impact Hub has tackled a number of pressing issues facing the community, including enhancing virtual mentorship to reduce social isolation of youth, addressing issues that impact parents with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, co-creation of financial empowerment strategies with individuals experiencing low income and the unique co-design of a youth-led housing hub.

Hosted in DC’s innovative Rotary Global Classroom, in partnership with the Regional Municipality of Durham and the City of Oshawa, attendees will have the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions to:

• Identify social challenges in the surrounding community.
• Share social innovation expertise and research activities at the college with the broader community.
• Create new partnerships and synergistic ways to engage with stakeholders.

By increasing awareness, the Social Impact Hub can leverage faculty and stakeholder expertise and resources to support the exploration of further collaborations and contribute to shared community goals.

“We are incredibly grateful for the support of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Connection grant,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, dean, ORSIE. “This event will strengthen Durham College’s commitment to innovation while identifying collaborative strategies for sharing social impact research activities in order to address the gaps and inequalities that exist within our society.”

To learn more about the Social Impact Hub, visit www.durhamcollege.ca/socialimpacthub.

Durham College is pleased to once again be named one of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges for 2021 by Research Infosource Inc. As the facilitator of all applied research at DC, ORSIE provides support through access to funding opportunities, faculty expertise, state-of-the-art research facilities and student learning experiences. In partnership with industry and community agencies, projects are carried out by DC faculty experts and students and administered by ORSIE. Since its inception in 2009, ORSIE has undertaken 411 research projects and initiatives. To connect with ORSIE, please reach out online.

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About Durham College
With campuses in Oshawa and Whitby, Durham College (DC) offers over 11,400 full-time students access to more than 140 post-secondary programs, including four honours bachelor degrees and nine apprenticeship programs.

DC enables students to develop career-ready skills for the ever-changing job market by providing an exceptional college education. With a focus on experiential learning, led by expert faculty, through field placements, applied research, co-ops and other hands-on opportunities, DC grads are known for having the skills and knowledge employers need.

At the Oshawa campus, the Centre for Collaborative Education brings together local, Indigenous and global communities, featuring the Durham College Spa, Global Classroom and interprofessional simulation and anatomy labs. The campus is also home to four of the college’s applied research centres, including the AI Hub, Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation, Mixed Reality Capture Studio and Social Impact Hub. Additionally, the flexible, fully automated, and industrial-grade Integrated Manufacturing Centre serves as a model of the new standards in advanced manufacturing, mechatronics and engineering education.

At DC’s Whitby campus, the new 60,000 sq. ft. Centre for Skilled Trades and Technology shines a spotlight on industrial skilled trades training, innovation and education, and includes a double-height shop lab, new classrooms and student touchdown spaces, among other features. The campus also features the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food, which is home to the award-winning full-service restaurant, Bistro ’67; retail store, Pantry, featuring food grown and prepared by students; and the Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture and its community-inspired urban farm.

Media contact:
Jessica Rivers
Communications and Marketing
m: 905-767-2549
jessica.rivers@durhamcollege.ca