Lambton College landed just outside the top 10 in a recent ranking of Canada’s research colleges.
The Sarnia school — focused on bio-industrial research as well as instrumentation and control processing, water and wastewater treatment, advanced materials and renewable energy — is 11th on this year’s Research Infosource Inc. top 50 list, up six spots from last year’s.
The rise speaks to a massive hike in research funding at the college, said Lambton president Judith Morris, along well a glut of community partnerships.
“Without whom we would not be able to drive the mandate of this community forward, which is diversification into the bio economy,” she said.
The college’s research revenue rose 70.3 per cent last year, totalling just shy of $5.3 million and coming primarily from the federal government, Morris said.
Other funders include the province and the college’s various businesses partners, she said.
“For applied research, there is the requirement that we have to have that link with industry or business,” said Morris, noting the research is about improving processes and finding commercial innovations.
“That link to the economy is really critical,” she said.
The college had 38 formal research partnerships last year, while 29 faculty and staff researchers carried out 57 projects with help from students.
Examples include developing better wind turbine blades and solar panels via the campus’ sustainable smart home, innovations for water and wastewater management, as well as new industrial uses for biological fuel sources.
The rankers, meanwhile, pegged Lambton fourth in terms of its “research intensity” — dollars spent per researcher — at $182,500.
It’s also fourth on the overall list among Ontario colleges.
“These numbers reinforces Lambton College’s position as a leader in applied research and development in Ontario and across the country,’ said Ron Freedman, CEO of Research Infosource.
A strong standing in applied research allows Lambton to attract highly qualified instructors, Morris said.
“It can also enhance the teaching capability of the faculty because they are discovering things as they move forward with industry,” she said.
For students, it means more co-op opportunities and ins with potential employers, while offering real-world examples of how education can be applied, she said.
“It makes it much more meaningful for them and they’re much more engaged.”
Lambton started delving into applied research projects in 2003 and formed its applied research department in 2007. Earlier this year, it opened its Centre of Excellence in Energy and Bio-Industrial Technologies.
tyler.kula@sunmedia.ca
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