DC signs Dimensions charter with the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport

Durham College (DC) is proud to share that it has signed the Dimensions: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Canada charter, committing to upholding its principles of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) within the colleges’ research practices and projects.

“DC values, celebrates and embraces diversity in all that we do and it is incumbent on us to help enhance the post-secondary research landscape,” said Dr. Elaine Popp, vice president, Academic at Durham College. “Committing to the Dimensions charter will strengthen DC’s research capacity and help keep post-secondary research moving towards greater equity, diversity and inclusion.”

Present during the signing was the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport, who also took part in a discussion with Dr. Popp. The conversation touched on recent funding that DC received from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), including a $2.24 million Innovation Enhancement grant and $133,000 Applied Research Tools and Instruments grant. They also explored how dimensions will fit into the future of research at the college.

“I want to thank Durham College for signing the Dimensions charter and affirming their commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion on campus,” said Minister Duncan. “When our labs and classrooms look more like the Canada we see today, everyone benefits.”

Dimensions aims to increase EDI in post-secondary research and helps drive deeper cultural change within the research ecosystem. Sound EDI-informed policies and practices improve access to the largest pool of qualified potential participants, enhance the integrity of a program’s application and selection processes, strengthen research outputs and increase the overall excellence of research. The program calls for all post-secondary institutions to adopt the charter on EDI.

The five-year Innovation Enhancement grant through NSERC that was announced last year will allow the AI Hub to engage more faculty, students and industry partners in collaborative projects. Additional funding received in April from the Applied Research Tools and Instruments grant for the Centre for Craft Brewing Innovation has already allowed DC to purchase a beer analysis system that is being used in applied research projects with craft brewers so they can better understand how their brewing processes function.