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DC’s Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation partners with Cyber Security Canada

In our increasingly connected world, the need for reliable cybersecurity is paramount.

Since its inception in 2020, the Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation at Durham College (DC) has set the standard for providing applied research services and high-quality education in this crucial field.

That is sure to continue with the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Centre and Cyber Security Canada, a non-profit certification body dedicated to helping organizations become more secure online.

“Cyber Security Canada has done a phenomenal job of developing a standard that helps organizations enhance their cybersecurity posture. Through this MOU, we aim to leverage the Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation’s strengths to assist Canadian organizations in improving their security measures and meeting these national standards,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, Associate Vice President, Innovation and Research.

Over the years, the Centre for Cybersecurity at DC has worked with over 40 organizations in a variety of fields, developing solutions to help them be more efficient and secure in the face of growing cyber threats. In one recent example, they conducted security assessments for the Town of Ajax.

Working with Cyber Security Canada will help the Centre reach even more companies that are keen to improve their cybersecurity.

“Everybody is thinking about cybersecurity, but they don’t know how to start and where to start. They don’t have the budget. They don’t have talent who can work on it,” said Sushant Katare, Senior Manager, Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation.

That’s where the talented minds at DC come in. By connecting with the Centre, companies get access to research expertise that will help them identify and address their cybersecurity issues and get them ready to apply for Cyber Security Canada’s certification.

In addition to certified professionals like Katare, the Centre also hires students from a number of DC programs to work on projects and gain real world experience.

“It’s a win-win situation for everyone,” he said.

If a career in this burgeoning field interests you, our Cybersecurity graduate certificate can get you ready!

Durham College celebrates ranking as one of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges

Durham College (DC) is proud to once again have been named one of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges by Research Infosource Inc.

DC placed 24th in the annual ranking and was highlighted as second among medium-sized colleges for our number of paid student researchers and third for industry research income as a percentage of total college research income. DC also moved up in the ranking to fifth overall in both research partnerships and completed research projects.

Powering DC’s research success is DC’s Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE), which moved four of its five applied research centres into the new Centre for Innovation and Research (CIR), last year. In addition to centralizing DC’s research presence on campus, ORSIE continues to engage industry, business and community partners from the wider Region of Durham as it seeks out meaningful ways to collaborate in solving our community’s applied research challenges.

This year, ORSIE is proud to highlight several initiatives:

  • Hosting the ORSIE Impact Expo in October, where close to 150 visitors explored DC’s applied research centres. Researchers were on hand from the AI Hub, Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation, Mixed Reality Capture Studio and the Social Impact Hub, each eager to answer questions and share projects.
  • Recognition for the AI Hub, a new Technology Access Centre (TAC), with the Tech-Access Canada’s Tri-Pillar Excellence Award. This award highlights the AI Hub’s strengths in all three areas of research, training and technology. Last year, the AI Hub was awarded an annual grant of $350,000 per year over the next five years from the College and Community Innovation (CCI) program.
  • The Social Impact Hub launching a project to study and improve mental health care for Black communities thanks to a $360,000 federal grant.

DC continues to create meaningful applied research and co-operative education work terms for students, supported in part through the Diane Blake Student Success Initiative.

“We’re thrilled to be recognized for our research expertise and proud to have developed the Centre for Innovation and Research as a hub to connect our research centres across the campus,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, Associate Vice President, Innovation and Research. “Within the business community, organizations are recognizing Durham College as an essential partner for their innovative ideas and that collaboration means more opportunities for our students as well.”

To learn more about DC’s applied research centres, visit www.durhamcollege.ca/orsie.

To learn more about ORSIE, read the 2023-2024 Annual Report.

Office of Research Services, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE) hosts impactful event

Durham College’s (DC) Office of Research Services, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE) opened its doors for an exciting event last week.

The ORSIE Impact Expo on Friday, October 25 invited industry, business and community partners to explore and celebrate the innovative work they’re doing at DC.

Close to 150 visitors filled the Centre for Innovation and Research to discover DC’s hub for research and development, new products, processes and services, and experiential learning. They also explored its four applied research centres, including the AI Hub, Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation, Mixed Reality Capture Studio and the Social Impact Hub, as well as the Institutional Research Team and the Experiential Learning Hub. The Centre for Craft Brewing Innovation didn’t miss out on the fun, travelling from the Whitby campus to bring samples of their non-alcoholic products.

DC’s Associate Vice President, Innovation and Research, Debbie McKee Demczyk was proud to welcome so many attendees to the event.

“We’re so excited to share all of the cutting-edge ideas, products, and innovations that are being created right here,” she said.

Another big draw for the crowd was world-renowned keynote speaker Hamza Khan. A bestselling author and proven educator, he kept the audience intrigued and entertained with his powerful presentation on leadership.

Hailing from the Greater Toronto Area, and having worked with DC before, he was eager to take part in the special event.

“This was a very meaningful opportunity for me. DC was one of my first clients when I started in the early 2010’s. They’re one of the first companies that said yes to me, that took a chance on me, and so this felt like coming home,” he said. “This is a community of students, staff, faculty, partners and friends, who are all galvanized around the same idea, which is leading the way.”

Though he spoke for an hour, Khan arrived at a simple and powerful conclusion for his listeners.

“Put people first.”

With those words in their ears, visitors spent the rest of the morning exploring, enjoying interactive tradeshow displays, and networking with peers and DC leaders.

It was an event that made DC proud, including President Dr. Elaine Popp.

“We’re fostering an environment conducive to innovation and entrepreneurship, promoting adaptability and agility, and encouraging a culture of experimentation and continuous improvement,” she said. “I’m excited about the future of DC. We are determined to be a future-proof college and spearhead the transformation of education. ORSIE is leading that charge.”

Office of Research Services, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE) hosts impactful event

Durham College’s (DC) Office of Research Services, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE) opened its doors for an exciting event last week.

The ORSIE Impact Expo on Friday, October 25 invited industry, business and community partners to explore and celebrate the innovative work they’re doing at DC.

Close to 150 visitors filled the Centre for Innovation and Research to discover DC’s hub for research and development, new products, processes and services, and experiential learning. They also explored its four applied research centres, including the AI Hub, Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation, Mixed Reality Capture Studio and the Social Impact Hub, as well as the Institutional Research Team and the Experiential Learning Hub. The Centre for Craft Brewing Innovation didn’t miss out on the fun, travelling from the Whitby campus to bring samples of their non-alcoholic products.

DC’s Associate Vice President, Innovation and Research, Debbie McKee Demczyk was proud to welcome so many attendees to the event.

“We’re so excited to share all of the cutting-edge ideas, products, and innovations that are being created right here,” she said.

Another big draw for the crowd was world-renowned keynote speaker Hamza Khan. A bestselling author and proven educator, he kept the audience intrigued and entertained with his powerful presentation on leadership.

Hailing from the Greater Toronto Area, and having worked with DC before, he was eager to take part in the special event.

“This was a very meaningful opportunity for me. DC was one of my first clients when I started in the early 2010’s. They’re one of the first companies that said yes to me, that took a chance on me, and so this felt like coming home,” he said. “This is a community of students, staff, faculty, partners and friends, who are all galvanized around the same idea, which is leading the way.”

Though he spoke for an hour, Khan arrived at a simple and powerful conclusion for his listeners.

“Put people first.”

With those words in their ears, visitors spent the rest of the morning exploring, enjoying interactive tradeshow displays, and networking with peers and DC leaders.

It was an event that made DC proud, including President Dr. Elaine Popp.

“We’re fostering an environment conducive to innovation and entrepreneurship, promoting adaptability and agility, and encouraging a culture of experimentation and continuous improvement,” she said. “I’m excited about the future of DC. We are determined to be a future-proof college and spearhead the transformation of education. ORSIE is leading that charge.”

Durham College study examines impact of exercise on physical and mental health for forensic patients

Researchers at Durham College (DC) are partnering with Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences and the Abilities Centre in Whitby to examine barriers to exercise for forensic patients and how community-based exercise could impact their physical and mental health.

Dr. Erin Dancey, a faculty member in DC’s Fitness and Health Promotion program, is leading the three-year project through the college’s Social Impact Hub. The research is made possible through a $350,000 College and Community Social Innovation Fund (CCSIF) grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CHIR) which was announced on September 13.

“We’re interested in the impact of exercise on not just physical fitness, but as a means to increase social connections and improve mental health and wellness and quality of life,” said Dancey. “We met with Ontario Shores and they were already trying to think about ways to get their patients exercising more and the Abilities Centre is close and aims to provide an inclusive space for all individuals in the community, so it all came together.”

The overall goal of the project is to develop exercised-based treatment options that will reduce health disparities and inequities experienced by Canada’s forensic patient population, people who have been found not criminally responsible for an offence or unfit to stand trial by the courts due to mental illness and are hospitalized and receiving treatment to improve their mental health.

Forensic patients with mental illness are more sedentary, have reduced levels of physical fitness and are at a higher risk for obesity as compared to the general population for several reasons including the impact of medication on metabolic health and barriers to exercise while accessing care in a hospital setting.

While other studies have demonstrated the benefits of exercise for people living with mental illness, there is limited research focusing specifically on forensic patients.

“It’s interesting, important research for patients in an institutional, hospitalized setting because it has the potential to improve their quality of life,” said Dancey.

The first phase of the research project will look at barriers to engaging in community-based exercise for patients receiving forensic psychiatry care at Ontario Shores. In the second phase, patients participating in the study will engage in community-based exercise at the Abilities Centre and the researchers will investigate the impact on physical fitness, quality of life, social isolation, mental health and sleep quality.

At DC, Dancey will work with Faculty of Heath Sciences faculty member Dr. David Copithorne and Jennifer Bedford, a faculty member in the Faculty of Media, Art and Design. The project also comes with experiential learning opportunities for students from both faculties.

“We will hire Fitness and Health Promotion students as well as Community Mental Health students as research assistants so they will gain experience with the research ethics approval process, data collection, fitness assessment and prescription, and working with a vulnerable population and community partners,” said Dancey. “We’re also going to hire Media, Art and Design students to help create a video outlining the project findings as well as infographics that will share our results with a broader audience.”

Benefits of the research may include creating a low-cost treatment for people living with mental illness that can be used in combination with medication which could be expanded to patients in the general psychiatry and outpatient clinics at Ontario Shores and elsewhere. It also provides the Abilities Centre and other similar community recreation centres with new tools and ways to support a marginalized group, people living with mental illness.

Funding allows Social Impact Hub to study and improve mental health care for Black communities

Researchers at Durham College’s (DC) Social Impact Hub are launching a project to study and improve mental health care for Black communities thanks to a $360,000 federal grant.

Announced on September 13, the grant is from the College and Community Social Innovation Fund (CCSIF), funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada (2022), 35.4% of Black Canadians experience significant psychological distress, but only 1.2% of them seek the aid of mental health services. With that in mind, ‘Bridging the gap: Developing Culturally Responsive Mental Health Care with and for Black Communities’ will explore the experiences of Black patients and frontline workers in emergency, acute and community mental health settings. Beginning this fall, researchers will collect data and work with members of the Black community, caregivers, and frontline workers to co-create resources from a culturally responsive lens.

The project will be led by researchers from the Social Impact Hub with a team consisting of Black community-members and academics.

“This is a very important project,” said Dr. Crystal Garvey, lead researcher and a faculty member in DC’s Nursing – Collaborative Bachelor of Science (BScN) program. “Historically, when decisions are being made for members of the community who have to access the healthcare system, they’re made by leaders and experts who are not representative of the groups they are serving or making decisions for. What makes this research different is that it is a co-creation piece, where those who actually use the services and are navigating the system will now have a say in what bridging the gaps look like”

The Social Impact Hub is partnering on the project with the Health Research Council for People of African Descent, the Regional Municipality of Durham, Black Health Alliance and Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences.

DC students will have the opportunity to contribute to the new initiative, with three being hired each year. Two students from the Faculty of Health Sciences will provide support as research assistants, while one student from a Media, Art and Design program will assist in documenting and promoting the project.

“We have some really amazing stakeholders that are going to be engaged in this project. I am deeply grateful that they are ready and willing to listen, and that’s the first step to changing any narrative,” said Dr. Garvey. “I am so appreciative and humbled by our community leaders who are involved in this project. They are being intentional with giving space to voices who historically have been ignored or silenced. Because of this project we all now have a seat at the table to engage in sincere discourse to create the authentic change needed.”

Dr. Garvey and her fellow researchers hope to gain the trust of the Black community and encourage them to seek mental health support before crisis hits.

“I hope that we can be the community that breaks down barriers and makes sure that mental health care is being received equitably and fairly,” she said. “This research, in collaboration with community support and involvement, is going to change the status quo and belief systems associated with mental health.”

“I say with all confidence that it’s going to be a game changer.”

MRC Studio, AI Hub make a splash at virtual reality conference

Durham College (DC) students and employees showed off their applied research work at the VRTO Spatial Media World Conference & Expo in July, displaying their talent and ingenuity and making connections in the tech industry.

Representing DC’s Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE), the MRC Studio and AI Hub attended the conference to showcase their latest breakthroughs.

A team of work-study students showed off a mixed reality demo using the Meta Quest 3 virtual reality (VR) headset. By scanning real world objects and digitizing them for manipulation in 3D space, the demo allows users to pick up and examine items within an augmented reality.

The mixed reality demo was prepared by Game – Art students Joshua Vandergeer, Alexis Mantler and Nathan Lang and Computer Programming and Analysis students Connor Vandergeer and Manu Sugunakumar.

The experience of showing off their own work while rubbing shoulders with accomplished industry veterans was a highlight for the students, according to Connor Vandergeer.

“It felt really rewarding to be a part of the community,” he said. “Speaking to professionals, seeing what they think and how impressed they were and just enjoying the demo, it was a really great experience.”

The applications for the demo are practically limitless according to Jason Hunter, Manager of the MRC Studio.

“A lot of people still relate VR to entertainment and games only, but there’s a lot of applications within other industries that the hardware and software can be used for,” he said. “We have a lot of industry partners who want to find ways to do digital twinning, either of spaces or of objects, particularly for training and simulation.”

For example, an industrial company could use the technology to train new employees on heavy machinery, remotely and with no risk to their safety.

A second demo, developed by Game – Art student James Gleeson, used a Looking Glass display and Unreal Engine to create holographic 3D models that could be turned and rotated manually.

Both demos wowed the crowd, according to Hunter.

“There were a lot of smiling faces and minds blown,” he said. “It’s really satisfying to see that we could still impress people who have been working within the field for a long time. That’s really gratifying for the students.”

Working with the MRC Studio over the summer has been an invaluable experience for them.

“It’s a great opportunity for students to start getting industry experience within their field, and it’s a great place to test what you’re learning,” said Joshua Vandergeer.

Students weren’t the only ones making us #DCProud at the event. MRC Principal Investigator Harrison Forsyth was invited as a guest speaker to discuss his recent work digitizing real world objects and environments for virtual applications.

“It was a great pleasure to speak at the event on behalf of Durham College,” said Forsyth. “Most importantly, the teams from the MRC Studio and AI Hub got an opportunity to engage with leaders in the extended reality community. This was a huge win for our teams and I am certainly very proud of the work we do.”