Durham College’s (DC) applied research centres will further their work in solving industry and social challenges through innovation and collaboration, thanks to a $2.1 million federal grant.

The Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE) received the funding from the College and Community Innovation (CCI) program’s Mobilize grant, which will be doled out over the next five years.

Mobilize funding has a number of objectives, from growing research capacity to fostering inclusive work environments. ORSIE will use the grant to further increase research and innovation training opportunities for students.

“This funding is critical. It anchors everything that we do in all of our applied research centres,” explained Debbie McKee Demczyk, dean, Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. “It allows us to maintain a competitive edge. We’ve got expert staff and researchers, and companies know that we’re here to support them and we’re not going anywhere.”

The CCI program is managed by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) in collaboration with the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).  

ORSIE’s applied research centres include the AI Hub, Centre for Craft Brewing Innovation, MRC Studio, Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation and Social Impact Hub. Learn more at www.durhamcollege.ca/orsie. To learn more about ORSIE, read the 2022-2023 Annual Report.