Funded projects explore new ways to collaborate

FINAL Erica

BY Erica Balch

April 15, 2013

Dozens of projects will explore new and innovative approaches to research at McMaster in the latest round of Forward with Integrity investments.

Forty-seven projects were funded or endorsed* in a University-wide call for research-focused proposals. The call for proposals was open to faculty, students and staff and was designed to foster a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach to research. The projects were selected from among a total of 84 applications submitted earlier this year.

“The response from the McMaster community has been remarkable,” said McMaster President Patrick Deane. “The quality and creativity of these proposals is consistent with the University’s long history of research excellence, but the emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration enables us to really harness our collective knowledge and engage in a range of innovative and integrated research projects.”

In the call for proposals, applicants were encouraged to consider ways of incorporating interdisciplinary perspectives into their research proposals; find ways to break down communication barriers across different research environments; seek out international partnerships or community-based relationships; and explore ways to better incorporate research activities into student learning.

Some successful applicants also built on projects from the first call for proposals which focused on enhancing the student experience.

The result was a diverse set of initiatives from across the University.  Examples include:

  • Facilitating Collaboration, Interdisciplinary Exchange and Teaching-Research Integration: A Google Earth Mapping Initiative:  A joint initiative developed by the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Centre for Leadership in Learning and the Sherman Centre for Digital Scholarship, the project is to create a tool that maps the University’s research activities locally and around the world.  This project is meant to facilitate knowledge sharing and coordination of research activities.
  • The ExCEL Initiative: The Engineering Centre for Experiential Learning (ExCEL) will work with students and researchers from different Faculties to provide research and experiential learning opportunities around environmental sustainability data, tracked and collected from the performance of the ExCEL building.
  • McMaster Children and Youth University: Integrating Outreach and Research: Students, guided by a faculty mentor, will research and author a multidisciplinary review paper that will serve as the basis for an outreach presentation to the children and youth of the community. Presentations will offer the opportunity for students to develop communication skills and participate in the development of engaging outreach activities.

Each project approved for funding will receive up to $5000 in support through the President’s Fund, comprised of generous donations from McMaster Alumni, as well as through the Provost’s Academic Priorities Fund. The total amount of funds awarded for this round of research projects is $204,578.

Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to read through the project summaries to identify opportunities for collaboration or partnerships.

Read a summary of each of the funded or endorsed projects below:


 

*Endorsed projects are initiatives that were approved by the FWI Advisory Group, but will be funded through other sources.