WHO WE ARE
Humber Research Areas Provincial and federal funding agencies have developed priorities focused on institutional areas of strength. To thrive and prosper in this environment, we focus research and innovation efforts and resources in areas where we have an established, world-class reputation and where we are demonstrating emerging expertise and competency. Humber’s Office of Research & Innovation has identified five key areas of research and training activities to provide Humber with the highest potential to enhance our research reputation. These were selected based on evidence that Humber faculty and students had already completed, are actively engaged in, and have sufficient capacity to continue research activities in each area. In addition to reflecting areas in which Humber can build on its unique strengths, these areas may also serve to stimulate thinking about new, interdisciplinary research activities and be particularly helpful in developing and enriching partnerships at the regional, provincial, national, or/ and global level.
1. Social Innovation Humber’s social innovation research is focused on the area of community development. Projects in this area aim to address challenges by collaborating with community members to take collective action. Social innovation projects create opportunities for students from programs such as Addictions and Mental Health, Criminal Justice, Child and Youth Care, Research Analyst Postgraduate, Food and Nutrition Management, Social Service Worker, Developmental Service and many others across all Humber schools. Some of Humber’s facilities that support this applied research are the Conflict Resolution Simulation Lab, the Crime Lab, and the Forensic Studio.
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Authentic collaboration is not only a topic of our work, but it is the core to how we exist as researchers. This means that: y We purposively work to deeply understand the communications of another and to understand how what is said is meaningful from their situated living. y We are required to be actively open to the possibilities that exist for another, which may not be possibilities for one’s self. y We deliberately do the work of honouring the voices of those with whom one is interacting, rather than converting to one’s own expert knowledge, desires and needs.” Sara Nickerson-White, PhD., Professor, Faculty of Social & Community Services
Figure 2. Five Areas of Research and Training
12 OFFICE OF RESEARCH & INNOVATION
ILLUSTRATION: VECTEEZY.COM/NAKI-SAMA
