Senate Research Report - January 2020

  Research News  

Acting Vice-Principal (Research)

Dr. Kent Novakowski will serve as acting Vice-Principal (Research) from January 1 to March 30, 2020 while Dr. Kimberly Woodhouse is on administrative leave. Dr. Novakowski, Professor of Civil Engineering in Smith Engineering, has been an Associate Vice-Principal (Research) since August 2018.

Wicked Ideas

The Wicked Ideas Competition is a Vice-Principal (Research) pilot initiative (2020-2021) to fund and support research collaboration and excellence. Wicked Problems are issues so complex and dependent on so many factors that it is hard to grasp what exactly the problem is, or how to tackle it. Wicked Ideas are needed to solve these problems and demand the input of multiple disciplines with relevant practical expertise. This competition will fund Wicked Ideas that respond to local, national and global challenges by supporting the formation of research teams that offer the expertise and perspectives needed to tackle these challenges. Notices of intent are due February 3.

Are You Up for the L-SPARK Secure IoT Challenge?

L-SPARK, in partnership with ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥, will be organizing a Secure IoT Hackathon/Mentorship program. With support from the Office of Partnerships and Innovation, the School of Computing invites all ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ students and faculty to participate in this training and entrepreneurship opportunity. Challenge participants will have pre-commercial access to an innovative Secure IoT platform to develop their own IoT applications. The Secure IoT Platform integrates TELUS Global Connectivity and root of trust security with BlackBerry’s secure operating system and Solace’s data movement capabilities. The January 14 information session provided details on how to apply, and a technical overview by TELUS, BlackBerry and Solace.

R4R@Q

Resources for Research at Queen’s (R4R@Q) is a brown bag lunchtime series, hosted by University Research Services, intended to acquaint Queen’s researchers with the resources and people who are available to help. Sessions run once per month in Stauffer Library Room 121 from 12:30-1:30.

Upcoming sessions include:

  • Tuesday, January 21: What can the Media do for Researchers?
  • Wednesday, February 12: What Can Happen to Your Data – Stories from the Back Rooms!
  • Wednesday, March 11: Managing your Research Data
  • Wednesday April 15: You Got Googled: How and Why to Build a Compelling Research Story
  • Wednesday, May 13: I Agreed to do What?!?! How to Write a Good Informed Consent Form

Cadenza

The Cadenza practice app, developed by Queen’s researchers in collaboration with researchers at Concordia and community partners, is a digital tool created to support music learning in studios, ensembles, and classrooms. Incubating within the Faculty of Education, the Cadenza Community Project celebrated the formal launch at Duncan McArthur Hall on December 2. The Cadenza team is seeking partnerships with music schools and organizations to identify teams of teacher users.

Ni Electro Can

Ni Electro Can is a pan-Canadian research network that launched in November of 2015 with $4M generously provided by the NSERC Discovery Frontiers program. At that time, 14 principal investigators, 6 companies and 7 international research institutions came together with the goal of developing new clean technologies through the next generation of nickel-based materials. The project held its final annual review meeting at Queen’s University on December 17-18, 2019.

New State-of-the-Art Equipment for Centre for Neuroscience Studies

Keeping up with the fast pace of technological advancements in the neuroimaging field, the Centre for Neuroscience Studies (CNS) at Queen’s University recently unveiled the latest state-of-the-art MRI machine, the Siemens Magnetom 3T Prisma. The Prisma is a next-generation, whole-body scanner and is a major upgrade to the centre’s current system. A research-dedicated MRI facility is an essential component to any research-intensive neuroscience program.

  Recent Honours and Awards

  • Dr. Brian Cumming (Biology) is this year’s recipient of the Frank Rigler Award, the highest honour given by the Society of Canadian Limnologists, and will present the Frank Rigler Memorial Award Lecture.
     
  • Professors Emeriti Dr. Brian Osborne (Geography and Planning), Dr. Duncan Sinclair (Physiology, School of Policy Studies), and Dr. Peter Harrison (School of Policy Studies) have been named to the Order of Canada.
     
  • Queen’s University Professor Emeritus and Nobel Laureate Arthur McDonald has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). He joins only 15 other Queen’s academics, starting with Alfred Lothrop in 1915, who have earned this honour since the Association was formed in 1848.