Belleville, Ontario, September 7, 2016 — Loyalist College is pleased to announce that it has received $200,000 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) to enhance Loyalist’s applied research capacity within the College’s state-of-the-art Supercritical CO2 Extraction Applied Research Laboratory. Funding through the granting agencies’ College and Community Innovation (CCI) Program, awarded over two years, will help to increase Loyalist’s community and industry collaborations, and facilitate knowledge transfer, adaptation and adoption of new technologies and processes.
Under the lead of Loyalist Biosciences Professor Dr. Kari Kramp, this grant will allow the College’s Applied Research Laboratory to collaborate with a number of industry partners in the natural health product, food, pharmaceutical and agricultural sectors as they respond to consumer demand for high quality ‘natural’ products with low environmental impact.
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“The Innovation Enhancement Grant will allow us to increase our capacity to partner with local and regional companies on applied research projects by providing industry with access to the only College in Canada that houses this level of technology, equipment and expertise in supercritical CO2 extraction. The government’s commitment and investment in research at Loyalist will support economic growth in the Bay of Quinte region by contributing new knowledge and expanding business opportunities.” – Loyalist College Interim President Dianne Spencer
“We are proud to invest in Canadian colleges and CÉGEPs that are at the forefront of applied research and technological innovation. This unique program supports R&D excellence and invests in the next generation of highly skilled innovators. By deepening interactions between the college community and businesses we’re helping local companies increase their R&D capacity, access new technologies and boost their competitiveness.” – Dr. B. Mario Pinto, President, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
“Located within The Bay of Quinte Skills Centre, our Applied Research Laboratory is where faculty and students work with small and medium-sized businesses to investigate new methods of creating higher-quality products for commercialization. The NSERC funding will allow local and regional companies to explore whether supercritical CO2 extraction methods work for them, without significant cost or risk. It also benefits our students who learn through real-world industry projects.” – Loyalist College Acting Vice-President Academic Ann Drennan
About Loyalist Research Services Office
Through Loyalist Research Services Office, the College collaborates with industry partners in various fields on applied research projects, creating amazing learning experiences for students and faculty of all disciplines. The College has had success with funding support through the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) on a variety of projects and in March 2015, the College announced its first award from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). In addition, Loyalist has eligibility status with Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and plans to expand research opportunities through Canada’s other research granting agency, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Having access to funding support through OCE, NSERC and SSHRC allows Loyalist to increase capacity to work with local industries and businesses, support faculty who are committed to conducting research and to facilitating student research experiences. It has opened the door to additional research and development opportunities, which benefit the Quinte region.
About NSERC
NSERC invests over $1 billion each year in natural sciences and engineering research in Canada. Our investments deliver discoveries – valuable world-firsts in knowledge claimed by a brain trust of over 11,000 professors. Our investments enable partnerships and collaborations that connect industry with discoveries and the people behind them. Researcher-industry partnerships established by NSERC help inform R&D, solve scale-up challenges, and reduce the risks of developing high-potential technology. NSERC also provides scholarships and hands-on training experience for more than 30,000 post-secondary students and post-doctoral fellows. These young researchers will be the next generation of science and engineering leaders in Canada.
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Contact: Kerry Lorimer, Director of Marketing and Communications, Loyalist College,
klorimer@loyalistc.on.ca, (613) 969-1913, ext. 2536