PHOTO BY MICHELLE BOZZETTO
MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS STUDENT
Electronics Engineering Technology program coordinator Georges Livanos is the 2015 recipient of Humber’s Research Excellence Award.
Georges has been a faculty member in the School of Applied Technology since 2001, and his research pursuits range from home automation to biomedical applications.
Most recently, Georges has been working on the development of a device to help homeowners comply with regular furnace maintenance with industry partner Martino Contractors, a Toronto based company that supplies and installs residential Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) equipment. With $24,841 in funding from a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Engage Grant, Georges led a multidisciplinary team of students who designed, developed, and tested an automated furnace maintenance system—the MB Furnace Minder. Georges is named as an inventor on a patent (pending) for the device, which is currently in beta testing. He looks forward to continuing his work with Martino Contractors as they further refine the system.
The Research Excellence Award is designed to recognize faculty and staff members who have made significant contributions to the growth of Humber's research program. These contributions may include:
Research that has an impact on the researcher's field or industry (e.g. patents), as well as on Humber students and/or curriculum.
Research that attracts external partners as well as external funding. Often the research program will begin with SIRF or DAIR funding and then it will grow to attract external dollars.
Research that includes knowledge dissemination through presentations, conferences, publications, etc.
Creation of a well-established research program.
Research that involves students as research assistants or researchers. Ideally, the research will enable students to apply concepts they are learning in their program.
Since launching SIRF in 2009 and DAIR in 2013, Applied Research & Innovation has supported 61 projects
The Staff Initiated Research Fund (SIRF) supports Humber employees who are engaged in original, externally-focused applied research and innovation. The fund allows employees to explore strategic applied research and innovation initiatives.
Newly launched in 2015, Research and Innovation Fellowships (RIF) provide course release time to Humber faculty members who are planning or executing applied research or innovation projects with industry, community, or academic partners.
The Developing Activities and Ideas for Research (DAIR) program supports Humber employees who are in the early stages of developing an innovative project. DAIR projects cultivate long-term initiatives that align with Humber's strategic research and innovation priorities.
The Staff Initiated Research Fund (SIRF) supports Humber employees who are engaged in original, externally-focused applied research and innovation. The fund allows employees to explore strategic applied research and innovation initiatives.
The Developing Activities and Ideas for Research (DAIR) program supports Humber employees who are in the early stages of developing an innovative project. DAIR projects cultivate long-term initiatives that align with Humber's strategic research and innovation priorities.
Newly launched in 2015, Research and Innovation Fellowships (RIF) provide course release time to Humber faculty members who are planning or executing applied research or innovation projects with industry, community, or academic partners.
"IT WAS FABULOUS TO HAVE FUNDING FROM DAIR. WITHOUT THAT, I DON’T THINK WE COULD HAVE MADE THIS HAPPEN."
Debbie Johnston,
Director of Continuing Education, The Business School
“I WAS ABLE TO DO A QUANTITATIVE STUDY DURING MY PROGRAM, BUT DOING THIS QUALITATIVE STUDY IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT. DOING THE INTERVIEWS, TRANSCRIBING, CODING, AND RESEARCH TO BACK UP OUR FINDINGS—IT’S A BRAND NEW EXPERIENCE FOR ME THAT WOULDN’T BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT SIRF.”
Emily Stroebel
Student, Bachelor of Applied Arts – Criminal Justice
This year Applied Research & Innovation moved the Research Ethics Board (REB) and all internal funding programs (i.e. DAIR, SIRF, and RIF) to a completely paperless online application management system, making Humber the first college in Ontario to have a paperless REB. The new system will dramatically reduce the amount of paper used by the department. Applied Research & Innovation has also published its first paperless annual report—the one you’re reading. As an active participant in Humber’s sustainability initiative, Applied Research & Innovation is committed to reducing its footprint and supporting Humber in becoming a leader in sustainability.
Humber’s Research Ethics Board (REB) ensures the ethical acceptability of research involving human participants in accordance with the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans.
116 applications were reviewed in 2014 - 2015.
Photo by: Michelle Bozzetto, Media Communications Student.
Research Assistants Emma Phan and Alexander Rowe
conducting a survey on the Math Centre.
THE APPLIED RESEARCH & INNOVATION TEAM:
KRISTA HOLMES, CANDICE WATSON, LAURA KEATING,
PATRICIA MORGAN, DANIEL FOWLER, AMANDA BROWN, LAURIE COOPER
Room LX104A
Humber College Blvd.
Toronto, ON M9W 5L7
humber.ca/research
General Inquiries: researchdept@humber.ca
LinkedIn
Dean, Applied Research & Innovation
patricia.morgan@humber.ca
416-675-6622 ext. 4525
Business Manager
candice.watson@humber.ca
416-675-6622 ext. 5895
Research Facilitator
laura.keating@humber.ca
416-675-6622 ext. 5592
Research Coordinator, Communications and Partnerships
amanda.brown@humber.ca
416-675-6622 ext. 5722
Research Coordinator, Ethics and Internal Programs
krista.holmes@humber.ca
416-675-6622 ext. 5721
Research Program Assistant
craig.cronkhite-banerd@humber.ca
416-675-6622 ext. 5346
Project Assistant
laurie.cooper@humber.ca
416-675-6622 ext. 5214