Image: Okanagan College
Sean Jarvis working on a recycling sorting machine
A specially designed sorting machine for a recycling depot; inter-generational research to discover what millennials are drinking; advanced computer science projects for Chinese tech companies—there are some interesting applied research projects happing in the Okanagan Valley, and Okanagan College wants to spread the word.
Early next month the college will hold its second-annual Research, Innovation and Partnerships Expo (RIPE), which the college’s Alan Coyle says will be an opportunity for industry, faculty, students, and the public to check out some of the college’s most intriguing applied research projects.
“We’re becoming a little more active on the applied research front, and people don’t always appreciate what applied research is, and what it looks like,” Coyle says.
“The idea is to bring industry and faculty together with some experts to shine some light on what it (applied research) is, what’s possible, what the opportunities are, where you can find resources, those kinds of things.”
Coyle loosely defines applied research as research that has immediate, or near-immediate, implications.
“It’s stuff that people can lay their hands on right away,” Coyle says, adding that often, but not always, those implications are commercial.
Coyle says students at Okanagan College often take part in applied research in partnership with non-governmental organizations as part their capstone projects that count towards school credit.
Others have their research funded through innovation grants and get paid for their work.
“The world is ever-changing and applied research can help us anticipate, react and even lead that change,” says Dr. Beverlie Dietze, the director of learning and applied research at the college.
A good example of the college’s applied research in action work being done by OC faculty members Sean Jarvis and Lukas Skulmoski, along with two students, to develop a custom sorting machine for a recycling depot in Vernon.
“When the company approached the college’s applied research team with this problem, we knew we could help—that’s what we do, we fix things,” says Jarvis. “This is a perfect example of how applied research can create solutions and fix problems and how it can benefit student learning.”
RIPE will take place May 8 from 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Okanagan College’s Kelowna campus. It will feature five workshops led by industry professionals, as well as keynote speakers, panel discussions and an opportunity to hear and make applied research pitches.
“The people who think they may have a research project, or who haven’t really come to grasp how colleges and organizations can work together on research, can come and ask some questions and learn some things,” Coyle says.
To attend this free event, register at okanagan.bc.ca/RIPEregister.
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