Education
Red Deer Polytechnic researching clean energy systems, medical device innovation, and space and defence technologies
Red Deer Polytechnic continues partnership with universities to accelerate applied research
Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) faculty and staff will grow their impact through applied research, thanks to a $27.3 Million investment by the Government of Alberta to post-secondary institutions through the Major Innovation Fund (MIF).
Red Deer Polytechnic is one of the post-secondary institutions that will continue to collaborate with the Universities of Alberta and Calgary during the next four years to accelerate research and commercialization because of the MIF funding. RDP will receive $800,000 from the MIF funding within three projects.
“We’re enthusiastic and eager to be collaborating with other post-secondary institutions to solve industry challenges in the medical devices, clean energy, and space and defense sectors,” says Dr. Tonya Wolfe, Associate Vice President of Applied Research. “Our team is focused on applying the state-of-the-art equipment and hands-on experience we have at Red Deer Polytechnic to commercialize new technologies in order to strengthen and diversify the economy. Cross-functional collaboration creates exciting outcomes, and industry will benefit by having researchers from universities, polytechnics, and colleges working together.”
The MIF investment will focus on projects in four areas. Red Deer Polytechnic is involved in three of those areas, including:
• Clean Energy – applied researchers from RDP’s Energy Innovation Centre (EIC) will be collaborating with U of A in Resilient and Clean Energy Systems. The team will support the university’s research with its rapid validation technology and information gained from the EIC’s Data Sharing Alliance.
• Medical Device Innovation – led by the U of C under medical devices theme (MEDICO), RDP’s Centre for Innovation in Manufacturing (CIM-TAC) will provide expertise to find solutions to fill the gap between clinicians and commercialization.
• Space and Defence Technologies – using the advanced additive manufacturing technology housed on campus, CIM-TAC will be assisting U of A researchers in the development of novel materials for the defence industry.
This investment also supports research and innovation within strategic areas as part of the Alberta Technology and Innovation Strategy, advancing the province’s competitive position in the development of research and technology.
“We are excited about the Government’s investment toward Alberta’s research and innovation priorities,” says Stuart Cullum, President of Red Deer Polytechnic. “Alberta’s polytechnics provide critical applied research capacity and industry relationships. The investment directed toward Red Deer Polytechnic, facilitated through the MIF program, supports our collaboration with partner institutions and ensures that we are all contributing more to the growth and diversification of Alberta’s economy.”
During 2022, 73 projects were initiated in the CIM-TAC for 57 companies and RDP staff conducted more than 1,300 engagements with industry representatives. RDP provides solutions to complex challenges in society and industry through applied research expertise in the areas of health technology, advanced manufacturing, clean energy integration and energy management, and social innovation. More information about the Government of Alberta’s MIF Funding announcement is available online.
From the Fraser Institute
According to a new study published by the Fraser Institute, if Canada wants to remain competitive with emerging economies around the world, we must increase our math, science and reading scores—and not simply pursue high levels of “equity and inclusion” as the primary goal for our schools.
Indeed, highly equitable and inclusive schools—with declining PISA scores, as is currently the case in Canada—do a disservice to students and society at large.
Why? Because higher test scores translate into greater “knowledge capital”—that is, the full body of knowledge available to an economy—and boost economic growth (and, incidentally, the tax revenues that fund our schools).
Indeed, the goal should be equitable access to a quality education. And the most realistic and meaningful way to measure student progress is through PISA tests, which every three years assess the performance of 15-year-olds worldwide in core subjects of math, science and reading rather than the limited curriculum objectives used in provincial testing, which can only show progress or decline within individual school systems. In today’s world, where competition is truly global, we must know how our students and schools perform compared to their peers in other countries, especially the “Asian Tigers” of Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore and Tiawan whose rapidly growing economies have been driven by rising PISA scores.
Obviously, countries with higher test scores can teach other countries how to improve—although there are limits and some traps here. Attempting to cut and paste Singapore’s or Korea’s much more meritocratic systems of highly competitive student assessment and selection would be impractical and impolitic in Canada. Even so, policymakers should consider reinstating more meaningful meritocratic norms in Canadian schools to encourage and recognize academic achievement. Nothing succeeds like success, except recognized and rewarded success.
Closer to home, other provinces could benefit from considering why Quebec is such a stellar performer in math and why Alberta has the highest overall PISA test score average of all provinces.
But fair warning, recent attempts at school improvement in Canada show that top-down one-size-fits-all changes—including extending compulsory attendance, reducing average class size and tinkering with course content—have had little positive effect on student performance, although they may please teacher unions. If policymakers want to achieve more equitable success for more students, they should introduce more flexibility, school autonomy and choice into our top-heavy centrally regulated school systems. In this respect it may be no accident that the three highest performing, mid-spending provincial K-12 education systems (Alberta, Quebec and Ontario) offer relatively high levels of school choice, although of quite different kinds.
Equity and inclusion are noble goals, but they shouldn’t interfere with student progress. There’s too much at stake, for students and the country.
Author:
Investing in innovation at Red Deer Polytechnic |
Alberta’s government is expanding student capacity and creating a modern learning environment at Red Deer Polytechnic that will help graduates succeed in the economy of tomorrow.
To support emerging opportunities for students, Alberta’s government will invest $12.9 million to expand the Centre for Innovation in Manufacturing Technology Access Centre (CIM-TAC) at Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP). CIM-TAC is an applied research and innovation centre that gives companies access to state-of-the-art prototyping and manufacturing equipment, along with a multi-disciplinary team with the expertise to turn brilliant ideas into market-ready products.
As Alberta’s economy grows and diversifies, job creators will increasingly seek employees with the skills required to work in advanced manufacturing.
Construction will begin in early 2025 and will increase the centre’s applied research, education and training capacity. The expanded CIM-TAC will grow to provide work-integrated learning opportunities for an estimated 450 post-secondary students and training through workshops and events to an additional 2,000 students annually by 2030. Additionally, more than 500 junior and senior high school students will take part in dual credit programs at the CIM-TAC.
“Investing in this expansion of CIM-TAC will give students at RDP access to cutting-edge technology and skills to succeed in the economy of tomorrow. The strategic investments we’re making in Budget 2024 are part of a forward-looking path to support the goals of our post-secondary institutions, grow Alberta’s economy and create jobs.”
“The expansion will allow Alberta-based manufacturers across multiple sectors to have greater ability to develop, test and scale their ideas. Students will be engaged at the forefront of made-in-Alberta technologies and manufacturing solutions.This investment will help meet high demand from entrepreneurs and industry for applied research and will take the facility beyond its current capabilities to become an advanced technology training and hands-on learning centre.”
“This expansion project will build on the CIM-TAC’s 15 years of success and leverage the centre’s industry partnerships and manufacturing expertise to provide even more capacity for applied research, as well as education, training and work-integrated learning opportunities for students. We thank the Government of Alberta for this investment that will benefit not only RDP students and researchers, but also the entire central Alberta region and its critical industries like health care, agriculture, energy and construction.”
“Manufacturing and advanced manufacturing are driving job-creation, economic growth and made-in-Alberta solutions that improve the lives of people around the world and right here at home. The funding to expand RDP’s CIM-TAC is an investment that will allow Alberta companies greater access to the tools, technology and next generation of skilled talent that will allow our industry to solve real-world challenges, develop better products and ultimately increase productivity.”
Quick facts
- The expansion of CIM-TAC at RDP will support a variety of sectors through advanced manufacturing capabilities, including energy innovation, transportation, aviation and agriculture. The centre will also support RDP’s future expansion into more medical device manufacturing and health-care innovations to support both patients and providers.
- RDP’s expansion of the CIM-TAC will grow the facility’s footprint from 15,000 square feet to 25,000 square feet.
- The CIM-TAC currently houses $7.6 million of advanced manufacturing equipment.
- In 2022, RDP attracted more than $2 million in applied research investment. RDP also completed 64 projects for 57 companies and participated in more than 1,300 engagements with industry partners.
- Since the CIM-TAC’s inception in 2009, RDP has supported more than 300 industry partners (including repeat clients).
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