RED DEER -- Red Deer College is receiving two nationally recognized grants, together worth millions, that will help it expand its research over the next five years.
The college was awarded two Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada grants: the Innovation Enhancement Grant and Technology Access Centre Grant.
“These grants are symbolic of Red Deer College’s leadership in research and innovation,” said Red Deer College’s president Dr. Peter Nunoda.
“Our college competed against institutions from across the country for the two grants, and what really impressed the selection committee was the facilities that we have at RDC and the support from our community and industry partners.”
The Innovation Enhancement Grant will provide $400,000 each year for five years toward the school’s alternative energy systems. The college has already installed 4,200 solar panels since 2018, making it the largest solar post-secondary installation in Canada.
“It’s pretty amazing to see how RDC has become a living laboratory for research in alternative energy systems and data management, while providing the basis for advanced study of energy system integration,” said Joel Gingrich, dean of the School of Trades and Technologies.
The Technology Access Centre Grant will provide $350,000 a year for five years for applied research in manufacturing. RDC’s facility will be renamed the Centre for Innovation in Manufacturing – Technology Access Centre, after the grant.
“Our Centre for Innovation in Manufacturing supports innovators and companies from across the region by providing design and technical expertise at RDC and from across the province,” said Gingrich.
“We will be able to offer the region access to increased applied research capacity, increased industrial services, higher profile for entrepreneurial clients, and access to a national network of collaboration.”
