Mobilizing Business, Health and Horticultural Centres at Niagara College

由于尼亚加拉大学在发展当地劳动力和经济方面发挥了作用，其研究与创新部门通过开展应用研究活动，使该地区的中小型企业受益。20多年来，通过关键经济部门的四个创新中心，包括制造业，农业综合企业和商业化支持，研究与创新通过应用研究和知识转移活动为企业，行业合作伙伴和社区提供了现实世界的解决方案。这些活动包括创新的解决方案，如建立概念验证设计，生产和测试原型，评估新技术，开发新的或改进的技术，产品或流程。动员资金计划将允许尼亚加拉大学通过支持几个业务方面来扩大和多样化其应用研究项目，同时能够创建一个新的健康，健康和老龄化中心，以满足我们地区的关键社会需求。为了继续发展和创新，为我们地区的经济发展做出贡献，并加强我们的学生应用研究产品，我们已经确定了未来几年的四个主要目标，通过动员资金来实现。根据研究与创新部门，尼亚加拉学院将：1）通过进一步开发计算机技术和人工智能（AI）能力，为步行者先进制造创新中心的行业合作伙伴提供多样化的产品。这将通过设立研究主席，计算机技术的立场。2)推进园艺科学与技术创新中心的能力，以符合当前和未来种植者的应用研究需求，通过重新命名和重新聚焦中心的产品，作为更好地表明其中进行的工作的一种手段，并通过增加一个中心经理职位，为未来的运营提供更具战略性的方法。3)将业务和商业化解决方案团队正式组建为一个完整的创新中心，在团队中增加一名全职研究项目经理，同时增加致力于BCS工作的研究人员数量。4)建立卫生、健康和老龄化创新中心，增加具体的人力资源和教师释放机会，在这一领域开展应用研究，旨在支持卫生保健部门和社会弱势群体。

As Niagara College fulfills its role in developing the local labour force and economy, its Research & Innovation division contributes by conducting applied research activities to benefit small- and medium-sized businesses in the region. For more than 20 years, and through four innovation centres in key economic sectors, including manufacturing, agri-business and commercialization supports, Research & Innovation has provided real-world solutions for business, industry partners and the community through applied research and knowledge transfer activities. These activities include innovative solutions, such as establishing proof-of-concept designs, producing and testing prototypes, evaluating new technologies, and developing new or improved technologies, products or processes. The Mobilize funding program will allow Niagara College to both expand and diversify its applied research project offerings by supporting several operational aspects, while enabling the creation of a new centre in health, wellness and ageing, to address a key societal need in our region. To continue growing and innovating, contributing to the economic development of our region, and enhancing our student applied research offerings, we have identified four main objectives for the years ahead, to be enabled by Mobilize funding. Under the Research & Innovation division, Niagara College will: 1) Diversify offerings for industry partners of the Walker Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre by further developing computer technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities. This will be done by establishing the Research Chair, Computer Technology position. 2) Advance the Horticultural Science & Technology Innovation Centre's ability to align with current and future growers' applied research needs by re-naming and re-focussing the offerings of the Centre as a means of better signaling the work conducted therein, and by adding a Centre Manager position for a more strategic approach to future operations. 3) Formalize the Business & Commercialization Solutions team into a full Innovation Centre by adding a full-time research program manager to the team, while increasing the number of researchers dedicated to BCS work. 4) Establish the Health, Wellness & Ageing Innovation Centre by adding specific staffing resources and faculty release opportunities to conduct applied research in this field, aimed at supporting the health-care sector and vulnerable populations in society.