RDP Receives Historic $3.25 Million Federal Grant to Advance Applied Research

Sep 13, 2024

Student working in CIM-TAC using equipment

Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) has been awarded a $3.25 million Mobilize grant, the largest one-time applied research grant in the institution’s 60-year history. The Mobilize grant provided to RDP by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) will enable Red Deer Polytechnic to leverage data-driven solutions to foster regional innovation and prosperity across RDP’s applied research pillars: Manufacturing & Advanced Manufacturing, Energy Innovation, Healthcare & Health Technology and Social Innovation.

“Data-driven innovation will be a cross-cutting applied research theme, enhancing synergies across the existing applied research pillars and positioning Red Deer Polytechnic and our students at the forefront of digital transformation to increase regional productivity and enhance social innovation,” explains Dr. Tonya Wolfe, Associate Vice President, Applied Research. “Over the next five years, our data-driven strategy will result in cutting-edge interdisciplinary applied research and the adoption of digital technologies by multisectoral organizations with direct benefits to regional prosperity, including improved regional productivity, revenue generation, and job creation.”

The grant’s flexibility will allow the Polytechnic to enhance the use of data to support applied research with resources where they are most needed. As examples, the Mobilize grant will permit RDP to develop and improve health care devices and digital tools, contribute new knowledge to enhance programs for child advocacy and support energy companies to develop and demonstrate technologies that reduce emissions.

RDP students will benefit from this Mobilize grant by receiving unique technology-based applied research and work-integrated learning opportunities, while also cultivating connections with industry partners. Through these experiences, Red Deer Polytechnic graduates will increase their demand in the labour market.

This grant, which will be distributed to the Polytechnic over five years, is among the highest amounts awarded by NSERC to post-secondary institutions in this year’s Mobilize grant funding. Mobilize grants support collaborative research projects between Canadian academic communities and industry, accelerating the transfer of knowledge and technology to address a broader scope of industrial and societal challenges.

As one of Canada’s Top 50 Research Polytechnics and Colleges, RDP’s impact in applied research continues to grow in four areas of focus: Manufacturing and Advanced Manufacturing, Health Care and Health Technology, Energy Innovation and Social Innovation.

Learn more about RDP’s research and innovation

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