About

Our mission.

To create, support, and promote applied research opportunities that benefit students, faculty, employees, our community, and the College while encouraging diversity of participants, partners, disciplines, and ways of knowing.

Our interdisciplinary approach fosters a rich exchange of ideas – blending expertise from diverse fields to tackle complex problems and create transformative solutions.

The Applied Research Centre plays a pivotal role as the central coordinating body bridging the gap between faculty researchers, external partners, and government funders in pursuit of innovative solutions for important social and business challenges. We strive to include students in this work, providing them with valuable hands-on and real-world experiences and developing the next generation of industry leaders.

Our four corners promise.

To solve pressing problems with immediate social and/or economic benefit to Canada and Canadians, we bring together the four corners of applied research.

01

Community partners

including for-profit corporations, not-for-profit organizations, First Nations, municipalities, hospitals, etc.

02

Expert faculty

apply theory to real-world problems, devising practical solutions through experimentation and analysis.

03

Student researchers

innovate, experiment, and analyze data under mentorship to address real-world challenges in applied research.

04

Resources

including advanced tech and diverse funding, including grants, institutional support, and industry collaborations.

Our advantage.

Research Themes

The Applied Research Centre’s primary research themes are natural products innovation, data analytics and bioinformatics, and social innovation.

Intellectual Property

Langara retains no interest in IP generated during the course of an applied research engagement. All IP remains the exclusive property of the partner. This is spelled out in detail within a Collaborative Research Agreement.

Tools and Instruments

Langara is home to well-equipped laboratories and the Langara Makerspace. The College has a wide range of sophisticated tools for conducting chemical and biochemical analysis, including cell biology and genomics. We also have well-developed toolchains for bioinformatics and data analytics.

Funding

Our primary source of funding is the College and Community Innovation Program (CCIP), which is administered by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). Since 2016, Langara has attracted over $12.5 million in research funding from federal, provincial, and corporate sources.

Our team.

Kelly Sveinson, MSc

Director, Applied Research Centre

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Seetha Kumaran, PMP

Manager, Applied Research Centre

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Yue-Ching Cheng, MSc, PMP

Coordinator, Social Sciences

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Nathan Jones, MBA, PhD

Coordinator, Natural Sciences

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Philip Robbins, MFA

Coordinator, Makerspace

Emmanuel Jamboran

Research Grants Officer

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Behnoush Kermanshahi, MSc

Research Associate, Biology

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Graeme Conlon, MSc

Research Associate, Chemistry

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Don Gillard

Technician, Makerspace

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Brendan Morris-Reade, MSc

Research Assistant, Biology

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Andres Viloria Garcia, MSc

Research Assistant, Data Analytics

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Langara researchers.

Faculty

Faculty-led applied research at Langara College plays a pivotal role in bridging theoretical knowledge with real-world applications, thus benefiting both academia and society at large.

Our roster of faculty researchers cultivates innovation, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities among students. They foster an environment where students can actively engage in hands-on learning experiences, gaining practical skills and insights that enhance their academic journey and future careers.

Students

Student researchers play a crucial role in applied research, as their involvement not only benefits the projects they contribute to but also enriches their own educational experiences. Prioritizing hands-on experience in research allows students to translate classroom lessons into practical application, deepening their understanding of theoretical concepts and honing critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Students have opportunities to collaborate with peers and faculty from diverse academic backgrounds, exposing them to different perspectives and methodologies. This cross-disciplinary interaction enhances their ability to tackle complex problems from multiple angles, fostering creativity and innovation.

Research ethics and policies.

The Langara Research Ethics Board (LREB) ensures that all research involving human subjects conducted at the College is in accordance with nationally accepted ethical standards. The LREB is an independent committee that operates free of influence, and its review process is guided by the core principles of respect for persons, concern for welfare, and justice. Research at Langara is supported through the Langara Research Ethics Board and a commitment to quality assurance. For more info, write to ethics@langara.ca.

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