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Research, Applied Research and Scholarly Activities
AU researchers continue to advance the thematic areas established in the Strategic Research Plan (SRP) in alignment with the key performance indicators of Imagine. The priorities and directions of the SRP include the following four areas: 1 Environmental and societal dynamics of sustainability. 2 Disruptive pedagogies. 3 Culture, health, and well-being. 4 Digital futures.
Scaling success in research across these themes positioned AU scholars to both advance existing areas of research excellence and lead in emerging areas of research opportunities. The SRP’s goals and performance measures focus on (1) advancing researcher activities and achievements in areas of social and cultural significance and (2) amplifying AU’s reputation for high-impact research that includes and recognizes the key roles of learners, communities, and partners within and beyond Alberta.
The research enterprise at AU continues to prioritize the integration of learners into projects, directly contributing to job creation as well as training for a diversified economy. AU researchers employed 37 learners in externally funded projects and were proactive in optimizing internal and external funding opportunities for integration of highly qualified personnel. These include the NSERC Undergraduate Research Award (six allocations, 2020) and Alberta Innovates Summer Studentship program (five allocations, 2020) as well as regular, prioritized funding for research assistants through the AU Academic Research Fund and direct support for early career researchers in the Graduate Student Research Fund. AU’s IDEA Lab virtual research domain includes dedicated funding to attract and develop emerging talent in cloud technology for research and impact in the economy. AU’s faculties and faculty researchers continue to remove barriers to job creation through innovations in the uses of artificial intelligence to develop and deploy virtual settings for training in key sectors, particularly by honing skills through a virtual co-op of simulated work experiences led by AU’s Faculty of Business. AU research advances in the areas of environment and ecology have contributed to industry-relevant insights into the recovery and effects of natural resource development in the areas of bioremediation, hydroecology, sensor development and applications, computer-assisted modelling, and environmental monitoring that integrates scientific approaches with Indigenous knowledge. AU’s leadership in these areas is supported through growing networks and outputs of the Athabasca River Basin Research Institute, which includes membership of three research chairs and an exceptional cadre of cross-disciplinary researchers in the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST) and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (FHSS). A sample of the advances and opportunity in this area include Dr. Shauna Zenteno’s (FST) Canada Foundation for Innovation John R. Evans Leaders Fund award to undertake metagenomic analysis of microbial communities in northern Alberta to determine aquatic system health.
The leadership of AU researchers in the spaces of sustainable and regenerative design contributes to positioning Alberta as a leader and innovator in strategies and practices for smarter and greener infrastructure design. Dr. Douglas MacLeod (FST) was successful in securing SSHRC funding to expand the reach and impact of the Global Design Studio, which currently has an architectural and design network that spans 18 organizations, eight countries, and four continents. Dovetailing this excellence in design with leadership in cultural priorities, Dr. Henry Tsang (FST) was awarded the 2020 Canadian Architect Award of Excellence for his design of the Calgary Japanese Community Association.
Research partnerships with both industry and community groups continue to be a priority and an area of strategic development. In 2020–21, AU researchers across faculties initiated or developed relationships for research in a diversity of sectors to advance research, contribute to economic vitality, and improve the lives of Albertans. These include partnerships or collaborations with members of the energy industry, environmental groups, health clinics and networks, and telecommunications and technology companies. In addition to this growing integration with the private sector, AU researchers remain active academic partners within the province. By published outcomes of research, AU’s top collaborators include the University of Alberta and University of Calgary.
AU occupies a unique space in the provincial sector and has a bold vision for building upon its existing areas of research excellence, outcomes, and impact while optimizing its digital-first identity, assets, and opportunities to discover and innovate with, and on behalf of, Albertans.
