Team spirit prevails as NC celebrates top research college ranking in Canada

When President Sean Kennedy addressed staff members from NC’s Research and Innovation division on December 5, he felt like the general manager of an all-star team.

Just a few hours earlier, Niagara College was announced the No. 1 research college in Canada for research funding, as part of Research Infosource Inc.’s annual “Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges.” It was the second year in a row and the third occasion during the past six years that NC achieved the top ranking, and the College has been ranked within the Top 10 for past 10 years.

The news led to a dedicated celebration at Benchmark, which was decorated with banners and lights proclaiming the division’s top status, while guests waved foam fingers and intermittently erupted in applause and “number one” cheers.

“I look at everyone in this room and it’s a great reminder that you never win a championship without an incredible team of talented individuals who each are playing their unique roles with great dedication and extraordinary creativity and commitment,” said Kennedy.

“We’re not ‘one hit wonders’ here. Consistency is really the sign of the depth and breadth of the amazingly talented team we have here in the applied research and innovation area, and the ecosystem we have here to support that work across Niagara College.”

Marc Nantel, PhD, Vice President, Research, Innovation and Strategic Enterprises – who had just been recognized nationally with a Trailblazer Award in Innovation Policy two weeks prior – echoed Kennedy’s sentiments that the achievement is a team effort.

“It’s all of our success,” he said.

He noted that he found his work in applied research at NC more rewarding than his previous role as adjunct professor at a university where he focused on research that he wanted to pursue.

“I find it so much more rewarding to work for other peoples’ success.”

Nantel highlighted how applied research at NC serves students above all, who gain experience and new skills, industry partners who turn to the college for help, and faculty and researchers who have an opportunity to participate in interesting work with great equipment in College labs.

“If we serve these groups well, it benefits the college and benefits society in general with new jobs, and new and better products on the market,” he said. “These pillars have guided my progression here. None of them would happen without my colleagues here … the team, the team, the team!

Kainaan (Kain) Riordan, who works as an Electronics Research Assistant at the Walker Advanced Manufacturing Centre while in his third year of the Electronic Engineering Technology program, noted that he knew he made the right decision attending NC when he saw the position at WAMIC.

“Getting the job, I was able to help trail blaze industry partners in developing their business, accelerating my own education and career goals at the same time,” said Riordan. “I was able to take the skills I learned in the classroom and further develop them in a broad and challenging real-world environment, working on products and real solutions with real industry partners.”

He spoke about his work at WAMIC, where he helped to develop smart sensors to keep Sharps containers in medical offices empty and clean, and helped develop portable construction trailer solutions that are now over $10 million in sales contracts.

“This is something I’m proud to put on my resume going into the future,” he said. “I’m able to not only work now in my dream of applied research, but further advance my prospects of going in the future.”

Chevell Clarke, third-year student in the Culinary Innovation and Food Technology program, spoke about how much she has valued working as a Research Assistant at the Food and Beverage Innovation Centre during the past two years.

“I’ve had the privilege of working with cutting-edge technology advancing my skills in food analysis and also refining my product development expertise,” said Clarke. “The projects I’ve worked on have been nothing short of transformative, providing hands-on experiences that bridge the gap between classroom and real-word applications.”

Before the speeches concluded, Kennedy highlighted the importance of the Research and Innovation division’s impact on students, the College and beyond.

“I think it’s at the heart of what we all do here; bring students and industry together to support economic development,” he said. “That to me, to support our communities, is really special.”

The Research Celebration of Excellence was an invitation-only event for Research and Innovation employees coordinated by NC’s Community Relations and Events team.

: WAMIC Research Assistant Kainaan (Kain) Riordan, who is a student in the Electronic Engineering Technology program, takes pride in helping industry partners advance while boosting his own career goals.

: Marc Nantel, PhD, Vice President, Research, Innovation and Strategic Enterprises, speaks about how applied research at NC serves students, industry partners, faculty and researchers, while creating jobs and better products on the market.

: Chevell Clarke, third-year student in the Culinary Innovation and Food Technology program, speaks about working as a Research Assistant at FBIC.