Grant: Industrial Research Chairs for Colleges Grants

Mobile computing is embedded in our society. With our smart phones and tablets, we can use it ubiquitously: anywhere, anytime. And mobile is changing at a more rapid pace than ever; the so-called Internet of Things will reach 28 billion devices by 2021. Canada needs to stay ahead of the curve in applied research on mobile to support economic growth, educational standards, and security. New Brunswick's capacity to deal with rapid change is legendary: as Maritimers say, it is easier to turn a small boat than a big one. The province's small size makes it the ideal technology test bed for research and development into anywhere, anytime mobile computing. Our local attitude of co-operation on common-good efforts among partners from all sectors including business (on the principal that a rising tide lifts all boats) also makes NB ideal for large-scale partnered projects in applied research. With the renewal of the NSERC Industrial Research Chair for Colleges (IRCC) in Mobile and Ubiquitous Computing, the New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) and its partners will undertake applied research in technologies for education and workforce training, the Internet of Things, 5G and other communications standards, and cybersecurity. To make the biggest impact for Canadians, the IRCC's research will focus on three main areas: (1) Smart Communities; (2) personal learning environments; and (3) cybersecurity. We are not only dealing with market changes that have happened but those that will happen and are as yet unknown - equipping ourselves for an increasingly uncertain future of ever more rapid change. How much did the telephone change in its first 50 years? And how much have communications technologies (and our habits with them) changed in the last five? The next five are critical. By our research priorities and our work with partners, we are focused on perhaps the greatest impact of all for Canada's future: agility.