Grant: CCI Mobilize Grants

Centennial College was founded in 1966 as the first institution in Ontario’s then-new Community College system. Since that time, it has grown to encompass five campuses in Toronto, with a total enrollment of over 45,000 students in over 280 diploma and degree programs. Centennial's Applied Research activities draw on the strength of its academic programming, and focus on six major research specializations: healthcare technology, aerospace and aviation, advanced manufacturing, renewable energy, social innovation, and AI-powered data analytics for business. The College's activities in these areas are supported by government grant funding and the contributions of close to 100 industry and community partners each year, with whom Centennial collaborates on projects of importance to the economy, environment, and the local community. Centennial is a national leader in involving students in its applied research activities, with close to 500 paid student researchers every year. This proposal seeks funding for expansion of Centennial's research activities in low-carbon mobility and aerospace maintenance, repair, and overhaul -- fields that are complementary to the College's existing and applied-research strengths, and which represent areas of crucial business need in Canada. Applied research at Centennial will help its partners adapt to the demands of the move to electric vehicles, including existing vehicle electrification, predictive maintenance, and training, and will assist the transformation of the aircraft maintenance and overhaul industry by advancing AI, virtual reality, additive manufacturing, and composite repair technology in this field. Student training -- in both project-related technology and soft-skills -- will form a crucial part of this program, with opportunities for further technical education, creative problem-solving, and entrepreneurship training.