RDP Recognizes Scholarly Activity & Capstone Projects

May 09, 2025
Three faculty members stand smiling besides posterboards that explain their research at the RoSA Awards

Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) recently celebrated the scholarly achievements and research contributions of its faculty at the Recognition of Scholarly Activity (RoSA) Awards and Capstone Recognition Event. 

Tom Whitesell stands smiling in front of his poster explaining his research

“At RDP, we were honoured to showcase the range of impactful scholarly activity and research projects undertaken by faculty during the past year,” says Lindsay Engel, Vice President, Academic and Student Experience, Red Deer Polytechnic. “The RoSA Awards and Capstone Recognition Event highlights RDP faculty’s commitment to professional development, lifelong learning and the advancement of research and scholarship, helping to address industrial and societal challenges.” 

During the event, faculty were recognized in four categories of scholarly activity: Discovery, Integration, Application/Engagement, and Teaching. This year’s event featured 25 scholarly activity contributions and capstone projects – an increase of more than 40 per cent from 2024 - reflecting the growing depth and breadth of applied research at the Polytechnic. 

Seventeen faculty members were honoured for their influential and widely disseminated scholarly contributions throughout 2024:

  • Alysse Bowd – 1 Milk/2 Sugar
  • Dr. Anah-Jayne Samuelson - Kiskisitotaso, Don’t Forget Yourself: Indigenous Resurgence in David A. Robertson’s Barren Grounds
  • Dr. Anomi Bearden – The Effects of a Course-based Mindfulness Intervention on College Student Perfectionism, Stress, Anxiety, Self-compassion and Social Connectedness
  • Dr. Carlen Lavigne – Critical Perspectives on the Hallmark Channel
  • Natalie Ford, Larissa Gomes and Erin Lowe - Cultivating Courage: Embracing Brave Learning Spaces in Simulation-based Nursing Education
  • Dr. Gregory Wells - Empowering Wellness: Design Thinking for Assistive Technology in Long-term Care
  • Dr. Lois Maplethorpe - Growing our Roots: Exploring the Home Language and Literacy Environment within the Context of Indigenous Ways of Knowing
  • Dr. Morris Ghardirian – Photocatalytic Decomposition of Metronidazole by Zinc Hexaferrite Coated with Bismuth Oxyiodide Magnetic Nanocomposite: Advanced Modelling and Optimization with Artificial Neural Network
  • Raymond Savage - Métissage – Somewhere Between Hope and Happening
  • Dr. Robert Opoku - Digital Transformation in an Emerging Economy: Exploring Organizational Drivers
  • Dr. Stephen Brown - Statistically Speaking: Dr. Brown’s Incredibly Clear Guide to Statistics
  • Dr. Teena Dickerson - Empowering Wellness Design Thinking for Assistive Technology in Long-term Care
  • Dr. Roger Davis - “Deep Time Necrodidactics” and “The Artwork in Geological Time”
  • Dr. Folajinmi Oluwasina - Correlates of Low Resilience and Physical and Mental Well-being Among Black Youths in Canada
  • Dr. Kristen Gulbransen - “Qualitative Study of Experiences with an Interprofessional Perinatal Care Team Among Women Who Used Substances During the Perinatal Period” and “CAPWHN position statement on Perinatal Substance Use” 

Since 2006, the RoSA Committee has celebrated Red Deer Polytechnic’s faculty for their significant research and scholarly endeavours.  

In addition to honouring the RoSA Award recipients, eight RDP faculty member were also acknowledged for completing capstone projects: 

  • Dr. Folajinmi Oluwasina - Mental Health Literacy’s Role in Academic Success in Post-secondary Education: A Scoping Review
  • Dr. Jessica Legacy - Self-evaluation as Assessment: What Did You Learn and What Did You Earn?
  • Lynne Madsen - Supporting the Supporters: Teaching Coping Strategies for End-of-life Care in Nursing Education
  • Priya Bhutani - Practical Lab Assessments as an Evaluation Method for First Year Chemistry Students
  • Ryan Casson - Live Lectures vs. Pre-Recorded Videos and Engagement in an Asynchronous Online Classroom
  • Shane Hanson - Do Learners Experience Value from Practical Assessments?
  • Dr. Tom Whitesell - Comparing Student Success Between Online Quizzes with Unlimited Attempts versus Single Attempts
  • Dr. Anah-Jayne Samuelson - Humanities Work-integrated Learning Projects: ENGL 2306 Folklore Case Study 
Two faculty discuss a poster showcasing research at the annual RoSA Awards


Capstone projects serve as the culmination of the Excellence in Teaching and Learning Program, which is a voluntary Career Development Certificate credentialed through RDP’s Continuing Education and Corporate Training Division. During the three-year program, faculty engage in interprofessional groups to explore best practices in post-secondary teaching and learning. Grounded in learner-centred education and evidence-based methodology, the program is facilitated by the RDP faculty Learner Designers in the Centre of Teaching, Learning and Scholarship.  

As identified in Red Deer Polytechnic’s 2030 Strategic Plan: Productivity & Social Impact, applied research, scholarly activity and capstone projects play a vital role in advancing the institution’s strategic priorities. These initiatives directly support RDP’s key drivers - Learner Impact, Research & Creation, and Innovation Ecosystem Spaces - fostering academic excellence, innovation and meaningful contributions. 

Through their applied research, scholarly activity and capstone projects, RDP faculty continue to enrich learning, innovation and contributions to communities, industry and productivity across Alberta.  

Additional details can be found in the online RoSA program. 

Learn More About the Polytechnic’s Applied Research & Innovation

Media Inquiries

Communications Team
Phone: 403.342.3389

Email Us

Related News

Student working at a printer in the CIM-TAC
RDP Listed as One of Canada’s Top 50 Research Institutions
Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) continues to be recognized as one of Canada’s Top 50 Research Polytechnics and Colleges by Research Infosource Inc. Ranked 43 overall, Red Deer Polytechnic attracted nearly $2.4 million in applied research investment, up 14.8 per cent from the previous year. Research partnerships also increased from 13 to 29, along with the number of paid student researchers increasing from 17 to 37 individuals. “We are proud to be recognized across Canada for our growing multi-disciplinary and collaborative applied research,” says Dr. Tonya Wolfe, Associate Vice President, Applied Research. “This ranking reflects RDP’s commitment to advancing our impact in applied research, helping to address industrial and societal challenges and contributing to economic prosperity across the province and nation. RDP is committed to growing applied research in our four areas of focus: Manufacturing and Advanced Manufacturing, Energy Innovation, Health Care and Health Technology, and Social Innovation.” While applied research occurs across RDP, the institution’s Centre for Innovation in Manufacturing-Technology Access Centre ( CIM-TAC) and Energy Innovation Centre ( EIC) are key on-campus applied research, teaching and learning facilities. The CIM-TAC, which houses $7.6 million in prototype and advanced manufacturing equipment, completed 45 projects for 46 companies and had 1,300
Student presenting at podium
RDP Students’ Research Advances Provincial Priorities
The Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) community continues to recognize and share research that creates vast institutional, industrial and societal impact. Red Deer Polytechnic recently hosted the Student Science Conference and Agora Student Conference which showcased a breadth of applied research that has been conducted by RDP learners. “As a polytechnic institution, we align education, training and applied research opportunities to create innovation ecosystem spaces that help address the needs of industry and communities,” says Lindsay Engel, Vice President, Academic and Student Experience. “The Student Science Conference and Agora Conference are examples of unique student experiences offered at RDP that create positive economic and social impact and lead to meaningful employment.” At the Student Science Conference, attendees were able to view 28 poster projects highlighting a variety of subject areas while discussing the objectives and findings with student researchers. Guests were also invited to select from 20 formal student presentations, which showcased a variety of scientific topics. Additionally, the Student Science Conference featured keynote speaker Dr. Michael T. Woodside, Department of Physics, Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, and Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, at the University of Alberta. Dr. Woodside shared his research that found unique RNA structures
Annual Research Showcase Celebrates Applied Research and Innovation
Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) continues to recognize and celebrate its vast applied research that helps create tangible outcomes to specific challenges across our province, and beyond. On March 12, members of the Polytechnic community shared its innovative research projects and scholarly activity at RDP’s Fourth Annual Research Showcase. “The Research Showcase demonstrated the multi-disciplinary research that is initiated by students, faculty and staff across the Polytechnic, providing significant impact for academia, industry and communities,” says Lindsay Engel, Vice President, Academic and Student Experience, Red Deer Polytechnic. “As a polytechnic institution, we strategically integrate applied research with education and training to help advance Alberta’s priorities and productivity.” This year, the Polytechnic’s Research Showcase featured three poster displays and 18 presentations about a variety of subjects. Many of the applied research projects that were presented involved interdisciplinary collaboration between students, faculty and partners, highlighting actionable outcomes in communities and industry. Seven breakout sessions, which covered topics in humanities, science, technology and wellness, complemented the experiences of attendees. As an example, one session featured a research project titled Identification of Vertebrate Prey Within Black Bear Scat. It showcased collaboration between Taylor Eaton, an RDP student, Ramona Maraj, Ecologist Team Leader II with Parks