Research Partnerships & Innovation (RPI) at RRC Polytech is proudly celebrating its 20th year of connecting industry and community with academia through applied research. Collaboration is at the heart of all RPI projects, so we’re excited to invite all partners – past, present and future – along with funders, supporters, students and staff to join us for a special event to mark this significant milestone.    

Everyone is welcome to join us at our Notre Dame Campus on November 26^th for an RPI Open House. Visit our research facilities and meet our research professionals to learn more about the impact our applied research has on all Manitobans. Guests can also check out an academic showcase featuring information booths promoting many of the exciting programs being offered at RRC Polytech. You’re welcome to take a self-guided tour, explore and connect throughout the morning.

Free Parking and Shuttle

Complimentary event parking will be available in our W4 lot on Tuesday November, 26 for guests attending the 20-Years of RPI Celebration. Please use the WEST ENTRANCE to enter the campus off Notre Dame Ave. An Event Parking sign will be placed at the W4 lot. Click here for a Parking Map. A complimentary shuttle service will operate on a loop every 10 minutes to bring guests directly to the main doors of Building T and back to W4 when they are ready to leave.

Open House/Self-Guided Tours and Academic Showcase

• Tuesday, November 26, 2024
• 10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Skilled Trades and Technology Centre (Building T)
• Notre Dame Campus – RRC Polytech
• 2055 Notre Dame Ave. Winnipeg, MB R3H 0J9

Please RSVP if you plan to attend, however, registration is not required

We’re eager to highlight how Manitoba’s polytechnic can continue to help industry and communities develop innovative solutions, increase technology transfer and accelerate commercialization while preparing the workforce of tomorrow.

To reflect on our collective accomplishments, we’ll also be releasing the first installment of an ongoing online collection of shared success stories, entitled RPI – 20 Stories for 20 Years.

RPI is proud to be industry’s gateway to applied research – 20 years and growing stronger!

Research Manitoba recently announced that RRC Polytech has been awarded a Research Connections grant as part of an overall $64,750 investment towards the overall advancement of the research ecosystem across the province.  

Research Connections funding supports events that create skill development opportunities, facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration, highlight research findings to the public, and connect researchers with potential industry partners. Eligible events include conferences, workshops, seminars, and other research-related gatherings.

In recognition of the 20th anniversary of its Research Partnerships & Innovation (RPI) enterprise, RRC Polytech will be holding a showcase event this fall to connect researchers across disciplines and build relationships with industry, funders and other post-secondaries. This will provide an opportunity to elevate profiles, forge interdisciplinary collaboration, exchange best practices and share valuable insights into the success of applied research at RRC Polytech.

Please mark October 16th on your calendar and stay tuned for more information!

Five years ago, RRC Polytech’s Prairie Research Kitchen established a partnership with Opaskwayak Cree Nation (OCN) to create a product incorporating kale into sausages – a popular food product in the community.

More recently, PRK was called upon once again to find even more delicious dishes incorporating kale to support research with the University of Manitoba related to consumption of the leafy green and the numerous health benefits. One example the culinary team and students created was a non-spicy chili and cornbread product featuring kale, while incorporating sage as a familiar and subtle enhancement.

This is the beginning of an ongoing tri-partnership collaboration with PRK, OCN and U of M using technology to grow, culinary research to develop new projects, and the science team to analyze the impacts.

Scroll this article for recipes.

About RRC Polytech’s Prairie Research Kitchen:

RRC Polytech’s Prairie Research Kitchen supports industry growth by leveraging College infrastructure and instructor expertise into applied research and training. The research team’s unique blend of culinary skills and food science knowledge drives creative new applications of Canadian food products.

In 2019, Prairie Research Kitchen received a Technology Access Centre (TAC) grant from NSERC, providing $1.75 million over five years. This is RRC Polytech’s third Technology Access Centre, joining the existing Building Efficiency Technology Access Centre (BETAC) and the Technology Access Centre for Aerospace and Manufacturing (TACAM).

Recipes

Kale Cornbread Muffins

Yield: 18 Muffins
Contains: Wheat/Gluten, Eggs, Milk

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (177C).
2. In a large bowl, sift and mix the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and sage.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs. Add in the milk, kale puree, and the honey and whisk until combined.
4. Melt the butter. Add the milk mixture and melted butter to the dry ingredients.
5. Whisk until all the dry ingredients have barely disappeared.
6. Add in the chopped kale and fold using a spatula. Be careful to avoid overmixing.
7. Scoop into lined muffin tins, filling about ¾ of the way with batter.
8. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned on the tops.
9. Let cool for 3 minutes before removing from the hot pan and onto a different cool surface.
10. Let cool slightly and serve when still warm.
11. Other instructions: Best served when warm to maintain soft and moist crumb

Chili with Kale

Yield: 4 servings

Method:

1. In a large soup pot, cook ground beef until browned. Drain off excess fat, reserving 1 tablespoon.
2. Add in onions and cook until translucent.
3. Add in beans, tomatoes, water, and all seasonings. Mix well.
4. Simmer chili for 10 minutes.
5. Take off heat and add in fresh chopped kale, mix to incorporate.

RRC Polytech is committed to working with Indigenous Peoples to create opportunity through applied learning and research – so it’s imperative that the College community understands, respects and upholds the principles of OCAP® and the rights of First Nations to control their own information. Standing for Ownership, Control, Access and Possession, OCAP® is a tool that supports strong information governance and a path toward First Nations data sovereignty by establishing how First Nations’ data and information will be collected, protected, used, or shared.

The College’s applied research enterprise, Research Partnerships & Innovation (RPI) is uniquely positioned and eager to build relationships through collaborative initiatives and community-based research projects that contribute to transformative change by serving the needs of Indigenous communities.

RPI recently invited Leslie MacGregor, Senior Education Officer for the First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC) to RRC Polytech to conduct a training and awareness session for all College staff to enhance their knowledge about the principles of OCAP® and Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) as well as the importance of promoting First Nations data sovereignty.

“As partners, administrators, researchers and research leaders we need to ensure that OCAP® and FPIC principles are followed when First Nations data has the potential to be collected, protected, interpreted, stored, used or shared in any way and that our research addresses community-specific needs,” said Dr. Jolen Galaugher, Director of Research Partnerships and Innovation at RRC Polytech.

“We recognize that research in Canada has a long history of harm to Indigenous Peoples and communities and that it’s our responsibility to build trust by establishing authentic partnerships that adhere to the vision each community has for its future and respecting the goal of self-determination.”

The one-hour OCAP® training session was offered virtually as well as in-person and will have a lasting impact across multiple schools, disciplines and areas of the College. In total, 40 staff members participated in the awareness presentation while almost 30 completed the full workshop including members of the School of Indigenous Education (SIE), RPI, Library, Corporate Solutions, and RRC Polytech’s Research Ethics Board.

In addition to defining terms and outlining strategies that consider Indigenous practices and principles including a First Nation’s worldview, traditional knowledge and protocols, MacGregor’s presentation touched on overarching themes of reciprocity, relationships, rebuilding and respect and concluded with a question-and-answer period.

“Living our commitment to Truth and Reconciliation requires constant action. This training and awareness session with FNIGC is just one step in ensuring that the research we carry out minimizes harm and maximizes benefit to communities,” added Dr. Galaugher. “To do so will require continuous learning, not only through formal training sessions but also by actively and conscientiously engaging the perspectives of Indigenous researchers, Knowledge Keepers and community members who choose to join us on a mutually beneficial journey of discovery.”

To facilitate the transfer of knowledge from that continuous learning, RPI has also launched an Indigenous Perspectives in Applied Research Speaker Series with three talks and workshops held to date.

OCAP® is a registered trademark of the First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC) For full context and additional details please visit the FNIGC website.

The deadline to apply for the Wawanesa Climate Champions: Youth Innovation Grant is approaching.

As a Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery (C2R2) Partner Institution, current students and recent graduates from RRC Polytech could be awarded a $30,000 grant to initiate or extend a project/innovation that is youth-led (ages 18-30) and focused on climate change or climate mitigation. All projects will be made possible with funding from Wawanesa Insurance.

Canada needs your innovative solutions now more than ever. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to be a Climate Champion that creates lasting change. Apply for the Youth Innovation Grant today for your chance to be part of a more sustainable future.

Click to apply

Innovative hydroponic growing system now in use at the Paterson Globalfoods Institute (PGI) promotes sustainability and offers solutions to offset rising grocery costs

Les Verts Living originally partnered with RRC Polytech to help develop a prototype of its innovative soil-free and pesticide-free hydroponic growing system called the Terrace Pro – taking advantage of the resources and expertise available at the College’s Technology Access Centre for Aerospace and Manufacturing (TACAM), Prairie Research Kitchen (PRK), and Building Efficiency Technology Access Centre (BETAC).  

Now with its final product on the market, Les Verts Living is extending the partnership by sharing one of its Terrace Pro units with RRC Polytech to support Culinary Arts students with access to fresh, gourmet produce while they pursue their education. Housing the unit at the Paterson Globalfoods Institute (PGI) will also allow the PRK team to continue researching how to optimize its performance in a commercial setting while developing recipes that highlight the delicious living lettuce, fragrant herbs and hyper-nutritious microgreens and baby greens produced in the Terrace Pro.

“Through our technology, facilities and expertise, the College is uniquely positioned to bring these types of project ideas to life for our industry partners while training the workforce of tomorrow,” said Fred Meier, President and CEO of RRC Polytech. “This project demonstrates the power of partnership and the value of applied research in propelling our province’s economy forward.”

Learn more about the project

Last week, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC) announced a $3,250,000 Mobilize grant to fund Red River College Polytechnic’s new Digital Technology Transformation Initiative (DTTI). The funding comes as part of a larger investment from NSERC to support applied research projects at colleges across Canada that are designed to address local challenges.

The DTTI will build applied research capacity to support Manitoba as it moves towards digital transformation, while achieving net-zero goals in the leading sectors of advanced manufacturing and climate/clean tech.

“This funding empowers RRC Polytech, through the DTTI, to strengthen our position as a vital resource in Manitoba’s innovation ecosystem, regional socioeconomic system, and provincial economy now and into the future,” says Jamie Wilson, Vice President, Indigenous Strategy, Research and Business Development at RRC Polytech. “The establishment of the DTTI is not only a great benefit to the College and our partners, but it goes a long way in supporting RRC Polytech as we strive to meet our strategic commitments – particularly deepening partnerships to maximize prosperity across industry and community.”

The DTTI aims to rapidly accelerate digitally-focused applied research expertise at RRC Polytech, so the College can continue to address industry’s most critical needs in the areas of advanced digital manufacturing (ADM) and climate/clean tech, while laying the groundwork for deepening collaborations with current and prospective partners in these areas. The DTTI will also provide invaluable experiential learning opportunities for students while facilitating a talent pipeline of diverse innovators to power the workforce of tomorrow.

“The DTTI is designed to alleviate some of the common challenges faced by the advanced manufacturing and climate and clean tech sectors, such as the increased pressure on businesses to engage in digital innovation, adoption, and net-zero strategies,” says Wilson.

“While RRC Polytech has existing and substantial infrastructure and expertise, this funding provides the additional human resource capacity and project funds necessary to establish a broad range of interdisciplinary applied research partnerships in the digital technology transformation space.”

RRC Polytech’s research enterprise, Research Partnerships & Innovation, has been a crucial player in the Canadian applied research scene for 20 years. The Mobilize funding comes on the heels of RRC Polytech’s recent 14^th place ranking in Re$earch Infosource’s annual list of Canada’s top 50 research colleges.

For more information, visit rrc.ca/ar.

Completed applied research projects at the College have increased by one third over the previous year 

Red River College Polytechnic (RRC Polytech) has earned the 14th place position in Re$earch Infosource’s annual ranking of the country’s top 50 research colleges.

“RRC Polytech makes innovation possible for our partners in industry and community – and every successful project builds trust in our technology, facilities and expertise,” said Jamie Wilson, Vice President, Indigenous Strategy, Research and Business Development at RRC Polytech.

“Today’s rankings reflect the College’s growing reputation for consistency and productivity that is driven by the work of our Research, Partnerships and Innovation enterprise and at our three Technology Access Centres. They also reinforce that our approach of strengthening relationships with partners and funders across all sectors, driving alignment between stakeholders, and valuing sustainability is accelerating applied research innovation here in Manitoba.”

RRC Polytech completed 170 applied research projects in the 2022 fiscal year – almost 60 more than the previous year – ranking it third in the Medium Tier category and fourth nationwide while posting a total of 117 research partnerships. By maintaining its average of 7.4 million dollars for a second consecutive year, Manitoba’s polytechnic also remains on par with the per-college provincial average of sponsored research income in Alberta and only slightly behind Ontario.

As an added feature to its annual publication, Canada’s Innovation Leaders 2023, Re$earch Infosource also shines a spotlight on college-industry research income as measured by grants, contracts or contributions received from industry sources over the past five years, where RRC Polytech again showed a remarkably consistent annual average of just over 7-million dollars from 2018-2022.

Applied research examples at RRC Polytech include a current partnership between the Technology Access Centre for Aerospace and Manufacturing (TACAM) and StandardAero, who are collaborating to test and validate that cold spray technology could be effectively implemented for repairing aircraft components.

The College’s Vehicle Technology & Energy Centre (VTEC) continues to facilitate the shift to electrification and zero-emission fuel sources with projects aimed at expanding workplace charging capabilities; partnering with Seven Oaks School Division, Noble Northern and the Canadian Shield Foundation to develop a diesel-to-electric conversion kit for school buses; and even building on the success of completed projects by repurposing batteries from Winnipeg Transit electric bus trials in storage systems on fast chargers also created on campus.

The most comprehensive example is From Lab to Table, a Culinary Research Review in the form of a cookbook that shares the delicious outcomes of the applied research conducted at the Prairie Research Kitchen (PRK) since 2014, while documenting the history of Manitoba’s only Technology Access Centre that blends food science and culinary arts.  From discovering and developing novel uses for pulse and soybean products to upcycling food industry by-products and even embracing insects for protein, this unique cookbook is available at researchrecipes.ca.

“Celebrating the variety of products, techniques and technology that our researchers, staff and students have worked together with our partners to develop is as important as the volume of projects completed,” said Wilson. “Because regardless of the size or scope of the project, from entrepreneurs in search of support to launch and grow their business idea to established enterprises seeking advancements to propel them into the future, we want everyone to know that in addition to training the workforce of tomorrow, RRC Polytech is also here to provide innovative solutions that elevate all Manitobans.”

This is not your average cookbook – in fact, RRC Polytech’s Prairie Research Kitchen’s (PRK) From Lab to Table is one of the first of its kind in Manitoba and features over 60 different applied research recipes developed in collaboration with various industry partners over the last eight years.

“This Culinary Research Review, in the form of a cookbook takes an engaging approach to sharing the outcomes of applied research conducted since PRK began collaborating with partners in 2014,” said Mavis McRae, Director of PRK.

“Recipe development is one of the best ways we can test out research results from food – eating and tasting it, and over the last eight years we have amassed a lot of recipes using innovative new foods. By compiling and sharing what we have accomplished, we celebrate the achievements of PRK and the partnerships with clients who have supported us to share these recipes. We hope this work inspire readers with ideas for new advances in food product development and culinary research.”

What makes this tasty and innovative work that takes place on the 11^th floor of RRC Polytech’s Paterson GlobalFoods Institute unique is the interplay between PRK’s two mandates: to help industry produce new food products, and to train students to become tomorrow’s culinary industry and research professionals.

The research and recipe cookbook begins with a detailed retrospective history of Culinary Research and funding partnerships at RRC Polytech written by PRK Director, Mavis McRae. It showcases investments made by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP), Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and Research Manitoba in providing valuable infrastructure and research grants to companies that have helped PRK become what it is today. 

The next pages are broken down into four recipe sections: Capacity Building Projects, Client Projects, Indigenous Engagement and Staff Picks. Each page that follows explains the history of various industry partnerships and features a comprehensive overview of the projects, objectives and the mouthwatering results in the form of recipes readers can try themselves!

“Each section of this book focuses on the specific ways our culinary research team and students have helped industry partners, and highlights the results our collaborations have achieved, while underscoring the opportunities these collaborations have created for students to gain hands-on skills in culinary arts and research.” said McRae.

Capacity Building Projects focuses on projects and recipes that served as the building blocks of the culinary research program. The capacity building projects helped generate awareness with internal and external partners of the PRK capabilities as research and culinary chefs. Partnerships include Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers, Pea Tempeh – a student project to teach research methodology, Pulse Canada and Manitoba Agriculture and recipes range from a chicken pot pie with pinto bean crust, to tempeh nachos with a roasted corn salsa and lime crema, or for something sweet, a candy cane miso caramel popcorn or pistachio coconut crème pâtissière.

In the next section, Client Projects, explores the way PRK engages students and instructors on industry-initiated applied research projects that enhance their knowledge and expertise within an ever-changing industry landscape. It outlines the variety of ways PRK’s Culinary Research engaged with small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) using technology and knowledge to meet a client’s vision – from developing new projects and commercialization, to seeking new applications for ingredients to enhance consumer experience and meet new market demands.

Partnerships include Prairie Fava, Juno Food Labs, Big Mountain Foods and Richardson International and in this section there are recipes for any meal of the day – cinnamon toast pancakes with cereal milk whipping cream for breakfast, summer rolls with tamarind sauce or lentil perogies for lunch, and finally a dan dan noodle bowl or fried chicken for the finale.

In the third recipe section, Prairie Research Kitchen focuses on incorporating Indigenous knowledge and engagement in food development opportunities and training – a key strategic priority for the College. This chapter brings together projects PRK has worked on featuring Indigenous foods, businesses and projects involving the chef instructors and student chefs from the School of Indigenous, Education’s Culinary Skills program. It includes recipes for a wild blueberry sauce, three sisters soup with smoked duck and wild rice buttermilk pancakes and wild rice Bannock.

The final section of the book features the people and recipes that make up culinary research and RRC Polytech’s Prairie Research Kitchen multidisciplinary team, complete with fun facts and quotes about the work and partnerships they care so deeply for that helped inspire the completion of this book.

“This innovative and tasty research recipe cookbook, From Lab to Table, is an important outcome of the Technology Access Centre Prairie Research Kitchen’s dissemination of knowledge gained through research to ensure economic prosperity for Canada and the future generations,” said McRae.

“The world of research is ever-changing – and for that reason, Prairie Research Kitchen will continue to adapt and grow in the years ahead. A lot of great ideas have started here, and we look forward to seeing the products of our creativity and collaboration hit grocery store shelves and reach dinner tables in the years ahead.”

The physical printed book isn’t for sale, however interested aspiring chefs can view the online version of From Lab to Table here. Copies of the book will also be used for special gifts, door prizes, and provided to partners who continue to support RRC Polytech.

The 2023 Heavy Vehicle and Equipment Technology Conference, co-hosted by RRC Polytech and the Vehicle Technology Centre, brought together key players from industry and academia to demonstrate, display and discuss the latest advancements across the more than billion-dollar sector of Manitoba’s economy. While the concept of the event designed to drive innovation is relatively simple, the collective work done by the assembled group of business leaders, engineers, technicians, researchers, and trainers to propel us into the future is anything but.

From tractors and agricultural equipment to buses, motorhomes and firetrucks, Manitoba proudly produces many of the largest and most powerful vehicles on the continent. But as competition around the world increases, the nearly 200 invested attendees agreed that the key to growing our success is embracing new technology and energy transition – prompting the theme of the third biennial conference, Innovation Drives Us.

“Decades ago, science fiction writers boldly predicted that flying cars and massive spacecraft would become the norm and while that day may still come, almost a quarter of the way into the 21^st century, the giant rubber wheels of our heaviest vehicles and equipment are still planted firmly on the ground,” said Ron Vanderwees, President and CEO of the Vehicle Technology Centre. “They are, however, evolving at an incredibly rapid rate thanks to the development of cleaner and more efficient propulsion systems, robotics, artificial intelligence and other related emerging technologies.”

How to make our heavy vehicles, machines and equipment more efficient and sustainable, without limiting performance or profitability while respecting current infrastructure is what much of the discussion revolved around during the two-day conference at the Victoria Inn.  

The agenda was designed to bring perspective and spark conversation. Presenters from both industry and academia shared information and experiences and then engaged the audience on a wide variety of related topics from the methods and challenges of fleet electrification and the adoption of hydrogen fuel cells; to the convergence of digitalization, automation, and intelligent systems; to funding; and even the importance of nurturing mental health. Scheduled mingling sessions then allowed attendees to interact directly, encouraging company to company and company to academia discussions to help create partnership opportunities.   

“Collaboration not competition is what will drive Manitoba’s heavy vehicle and equipment sector into a more efficient and sustainable future,” said Vanderwees. “The opportunity for everyone to connect and forge new relationships by asking a lot of questions is just as important as the forward-thinking sessions we hosted on such topics as the path to zero emissions; smart, connected and autonomous vehicle technology; and advanced manufacturing technology.”

A dozen exhibitors including teams from RRC Polytech’s Vehicle Technology and Energy Centre (VTEC), MotiveLab™ and Technology Access Centre for Aerospace and Manufacturing (TACAM) also offered interactive demonstrations featuring augmented reality, robotics, connected tools, automated mobile robots, sensors, and other technologies as examples of the innovative solutions available to businesses.  

“RRC Polytech is uniquely positioned to catalyze innovation, by developing new products, techniques, and systems through applied research, while preparing students and industry professionals to master these emerging technologies and drive progress forward,” said Jojo Delos Reyes, Research Program Manager and the event’s co-emcee. “The creation of the Price Institute of Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics will allow the College to continue its work in this sector and expand our abilities to help drive Manitoba into the future.”

After participating virtually in 2021 and learning about VTEC’s successful EV Tundra Buggy project with Frontiers North, Brent Malley made it a priority to travel from Alberta to take part in person, this time. His company, Pursuit Collection operates tours of exotic locations including the Columbia Icefields, so he was thrilled with the opportunity to discuss battery electrification with experts from RRC Polytech and New Flyer Industries, face to face.

“It’s been a truly inspiring event. My team has been blown away by the willingness of everyone to share so many fresh ideas,” said Malley. “We’ve made some amazing connections that I’m confident will lead to partnerships in the future.”

Thanks to strong sponsorship and the support of government partners through Prairies Economic Development Canada and Manitoba Sector Council, RRC Polytech and the Vehicle Technology Centre are already making plans to host the next Heavy Vehicle and Equipment Technology Conference in 2025.