Industry & Other Non-Government Funding

Working with industry, foundations and not-for-profits, Ryerson researchers were recognized with approximately $13.2 million in research funding this year, representing an increase of over 15% compared to the 2017-18 fiscal year. Investments made by industry into university-based research help to confirm Ryerson’s ever-growing reputation as a top innovation university able to leverage research ideas into innovation.

Bilal Farooq (Civil Engineering) received support from the non-profit Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium to research the use of machine learning and simulation-based algorithms for shared electric work fleets, such as service vans and pickup trucks.

Naimul Khan (Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering) is working with entertainment company Shaftsbury to create immersive multimedia applications, such as virtual reality games, to help alleviate some of the stress and anxiety children experience when undergoing medical procedures and surgery.

Andrew Laursen (Chemistry and Biology) is collaborating with EM Fluids Inc., a water treatment technology company, on research to advance the use of magnetic-field treatment to enhance the desalination of saltwater.

Jahan Tavakkoli (Physics) is developing pioneering ultrasound-assisted nanotechnology that can deliver cannabinoid molecules to help alleviate pain being experienced by cancer and non-cancer patients, as well as to combat cancerous tumours. The project is supported by biomedical company, Tree of Knowledge Inc.

Co-investigators Dérick Rousseau (Chemistry and Biology) and Nick Bellissimo (Nutrition) received funding to establish the Centre for Food Innovation and Nutrition Discovery, a hub for nutrition and food science research that utilizes cutting-edge tools and equipment. The centre will focus on countering Canada’s increasing obesity epidemic, including the development of more nutritious foods, improving the satiety of foods and investigating how environmental factors affect eating behaviours.The Future of Live Entertainment Lab (FOL!E) is a collaboration between Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group and Ryerson’s Faculty of Communication and Design. This novel partnership between academia and the live entertainment industry is dedicated to the areas of performance, stagecraft and audience experience, from new ways of integrating technology into human performance to developing methodologies for sophisticated live audience analytics.The Future Skills Centre is a Ryerson-led, Canada-wide initiative that will help build capacity in the Canadian workforce, preparing employees — including youth and people from marginalized communities — with the skills necessary to secure good-paying jobs. Future Skills will also prepare workers for the new economy, for which new technology, artificial intelligence and global competitiveness are changing the way Canadians work.Cybersecurity is an ever-increasing issue in these digital times, from protecting personal information and financial transactions to the emergence of autonomous vehicles. The Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst is a national centre created to tackle these global challenges, which are estimated to have a trillion dollar impact on the world economy. By creating opportunities for Canadians and businesses through training and certification, research and development, and commercial innovation, the Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst aims to strengthen Canada’s position as a global cybersecurity leader.Wendy Cukier (Business Management) is spearheading the Women’s Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH), a Ryerson-based national network of over 75 partners, to help female founders grow their businesses. With women starting more businesses in Canada than any other country, the WEKH is designed to help address the needs of diverse women entrepreneurs across a range of sectors, and to identify and disrupt the challenges and barriers that may impede their success.