Message from the Vice-President, Research & Innovation

Connections, collaborations and research excellence

I am delighted to share our 2018-19 annual report, which provides an overview of how Ryerson University continues its trajectory of success through the strength of our people, programs and partnerships. Our accomplishments are demonstrated in the leadership and impact Ryerson researchers are having locally, nationally and internationally.

Confirming our ability to attract world-class talent and leveraging our strength in migration and integration studies, we successfully nominated Ryerson’s first Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) and welcomed internationally renowned scholar Anna Triandafyllidou to our campus in 2019. The CERC will create knowledge through community-driven research that effects policy and practices. Our first NSERC Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) grant was awarded to Stephen Waldman. He will lead a team to deliver the MedTech Talent Accelerator, an innovative training program co-designed with industry to help fill a talent gap in Canada’s medical technology field. This year, three Ryerson faculty members were named Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada, and honoured for their notable work in the creation, preservation and dissemination of cultural heritage and knowledge.

We are at the forefront and looking beyond the horizon, charting pathways and directions for the future. In a digital world and in an era of disruption, Ryerson leads through new initiatives including the Future Skills Centre, the Women’s Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub and the Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst. With initiatives such as these, Ryerson is pivoting in a dynamic innovation economy, enabling and transforming communities, seeking to unravel complex challenges, striving to generate evidence-based solutions and providing opportunities for our students and emerging scholars to excel.

Ryerson’s scholarly, research and creative engagement is strengthened by our ability to cross disciplinary boundaries, break down barriers, build alliances and take risks to advance inquiry, discovery, knowledge and creative works. Our collaborations and relationships have contributed to Ryerson being ranked second among comprehensive universities for corporate research income growth by Research Infosource Inc., which further reported that our corporate income growth increased more than 40 per cent for the 2017-18 fiscal year. In the area of cross-sector collaboration Ryerson ranked fourth in Canada — receiving 449 grants for collaborative projects between 2014 and 2018. Research Infosource also ranked Ryerson among the top 10 non-medical universities in Canada.

Ryerson faculty, students and staff are tackling challenging issues, providing critical insights and shaping future directions. By setting a bold course and focusing on connections, collaborations and excellence, Ryerson continues to create impact and success now and in the future. 

It is a pleasure to highlight some of Ryerson’s many scholarly, research and creative achievements for the 2018-19 fiscal year.

Steven N. Liss, PhD
Vice-President, Research and Innovation