Seneca Centres for Innovation: A New Framework to Enhance our Impact on the Regional Innovation Ecosystem

近20年来，塞内卡通过教师主导的研究响应了区域对应用研究支持的需求。在过去的三年里，塞内卡一直专注于根据学术规划、当地行业需求和跨学科机会确定关键研究领域，为我们的教师、学生和行业合作伙伴提供最大的利益。塞内卡的应用研究专长在于六个领域：软件和数据科学、生命科学、设计和动画、工程、健康科学、商业和金融，这导致了三个研究中心的建立；塞内卡生命科学创新中心（SCILS）、人工智能技术创新中心（CIAIT）和塞内卡健康与社会创新中心（SCHSI）目前正在发展另外两个中心：弹性、循环和地方化经济创新中心和塞内卡普及计算创新中心。大多伦多地区（GTA）的环境扫描，揭示了在生命科学、技术、先进制造、农业食品和绿色倡议方面的优势和创新重点，这与塞内卡的四个研究中心：SCILS、CIAIT、SCIPC和CIRCLE相对应。塞内卡动员计划的主要目标是支持教师主导、行业驱动的学生应用研究，继续为现有研究中心提供资金，为合作伙伴需要的新中心提供资金，并建立一个包容和公平的研究企业。该赠款通过可预测的五年基础资金提供稳定性和灵活性，用于广泛的用途，从教师课程减免和学生工资，到业务发展，会议参与和知识传播。它将部分填补NSERC关键项目（Engage， IE和IRCC）取消后留下的空白，使Seneca能够保持可持续的能力，为新的合作伙伴提供服务，满足日益增长的行业对应用研究的需求，同时确保长期持续的资金。这将使塞内卡能够促进正式的中心，并在区域创新生态系统中牢固地建立它们。最后，它将促进比以前更广泛的研究，因为动员欢迎卫生部门和非营利组织作为研究伙伴。

For nearly 20 years, Seneca has responded to the regional need for applied research support through faculty-led research. Over the last three years, Seneca has focussed on identifying key research areas based on alignment with academic programming, local industry need, and cross-disciplinary opportunities providing the greatest benefit to our faculty, students and industry partners. Seneca's applied research expertise lies in six areas: software and data sciences, life sciences, design and animation, engineering, health sciences, and business and finance, and this has led to the establishment of three research centres; Seneca Centre for Innovation in Life Sciences (SCILS), Centre for Innovation in Artificial Intelligence Technologies (CIAIT) and Seneca Centre for Health and Social Innovation (SCHSI). Two other centres are currently in development: Centre for Innovation in Resilient, Circular and Localized Economy (CIRCLE) and Seneca Centre for Innovation in Pervasive Computing (SCIPC). Environmental scans of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), reveal strengths and an innovation focus in life sciences, technology, advanced manufacturing, agri-food and green initiatives which correspond with four Seneca research centres: SCILS, CIAIT, SCIPC and CIRCLE. The primary objectives of Seneca's Mobilize proposal are to support faculty-led, industry-driven applied research with students, continue the funding for existing research centres, provide funding for new centres needed by partners, and build an inclusive and equitable research enterprise. The grant offers stability and flexibility through predictable five-year base funding for a wide range of uses, from faculty course off-loads and student salaries, to business development, conference participation and knowledge dissemination. It will partially fill the void left by the elimination of key NSERC programs (Engage, IE and IRCC) permitting Seneca to maintain a sustainable capacity to serve new partners and meet the growing industry demand for applied research, while securing longer term continuous funding. It will enable Seneca to promote the formalized centres and firmly establish them in the regional innovation ecosystem. Finally, it will facilitate a broad range of research than was previously possible, since Mobilize welcomes health sector and not-for-profit organizations as research partners.