FWI Request for Proposals
Interdisciplinary Research and Collaboration
Proposals Funded or Endorsed
May 13, 2013
The projects funded through the second round of proposals for FWI funds addressed several broad
themes, including facilitating research-based communication and collaboration, fostering innovative
approaches to conducting or disseminating research, integrating research questions into academic
experiences and developing interdisciplinary research or academic programs. Other proposals focused
on developing approaches to enable community-engaged research and education, or enhancing the
student experience.
The 48 successful applications were selected from among the 84 submissions through a process that
included assessment by at least two members of the FWI advisory group according to the criteria that
was distributed as part of the initial request for proposals. In many cases, initiatives occurring in
disparate regions of campus were connected to each other through the review process, and suggestions
for dialogue and collaboration were made where appropriate. A brief outline of the successful projects
follows below.
Title: Addressing Student Mental Health Needs at McMaster University
Applicant: Sherna Tamboly, Asha Behdinan, Ileana Ciurea
Faculty/Area: McMaster Health Forum
Summary: The student subcommittee of the McMaster Health Forum is leading a stakeholder dialogue
on the mental health needs of students at the University. The goal of the event is to adopt an evidencebased approach to identifying ways to provide cohesive and integrated mental health programming on
campus. An interdisciplinary group of students is participating in all aspects of the project. The
outcomes will be shared broadly across the University to generate action among the participants and
other stakeholders.
Title: Africa and African Diaspora Studies
Applicant: Juliet Daniel, Bonny Ibhawoh
Faculty/Area: Science and Humanities
Summary: A group of faculty members and students have initiated a collaboration focused on
developing an interdisciplinary Africa and African Diaspora Studies Program. A cross-Faculty working
group will articulate a vision that considers the current institutional climate and level of interest for such
a program, and outlines the curriculum framework that would be applied. McMaster’s approach to the
program would be unique as a result of the level of student involvement in the initiative.
Title: Annual Global Health Research Seminar
Applicant: Andrea Baumann
Faculty/Area: Health Sciences
Summary: The goal of this project is to gather faculty from McMaster University with partners from
Maastricht and Manipal Universities at an annual Global Health Research Seminar. The outcomes of the
seminar will include a volume of collected research papers that build on the global health initiative, and
the development of a long-term research agenda to focus the efforts of the participating collaborative
research programs. The research agenda will inform the development of student projects at McMaster,
and the papers will be integrated into the curriculum of the program.
Title: Asia Research Working Group and Workshop
Applicant: Netina Tan
Faculty/Area: Social Sciences
Summary: This proposal aims to build a community of scholars on Asia through collaboration among
the Faculties of Social Sciences, Humanities and Health Sciences and the School of Business. An Asia
Research Working Group will be formed, and a workshop will be held to facilitate the development of
this collaborative initiative. The intended outcome is the formation of an institutional structure to
facilitate, focus and coordinate the activities of the community of scholars.
Title: Assessing Culturally Based Science Curriculum in Aboriginal Populations
Applicant: Fran Lasowski
Faculty/Area: Let’s Talk Science and the School of Graduate Studies
Summary: The aim of this project is to introduce a culture-based learning tool for introducing science
and technology curriculum into reserve schools in order to increase interest in the sciences and promote
more aboriginal representatives in the science community. This collaborative project, which has Band
Council approval, will develop interactive science lessons that will be presented to students in the Six
Nations community to assess how best to achieve the greatest impact on the students.
Title: Business Sustainability Research Group
Applicant: Ashish Pujari
Faculty/Area: Business
Summary: The aim of this project is to create a shared forum or platform to encourage interdisciplinary
dialogue and collaboration around sustainability issues. The Business Sustainability Research Group will
connect researchers and increase the impact of their research initiatives through relationships with a
variety of stakeholders, such as industry and the local community. The group will encourage the
incorporation of sustainability issues into teaching and learning and facilitate the integration of students
into related projects.
Title: CLSA Student Project
Applicant: Ine Wauben, Laura Thompson, Parminder Raina
Faculty/Area: Health Sciences
Summary: The Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging is a national, long-term study housed at McMaster
University. An important aspect of the study is outreach to the community of older adults in Canada,
both to inform them of the study and its outcomes, and to encourage participation in the research
project. Students interested in communications research will work collaboratively with the CLSA to
develop outreach strategies to improve communications with participants and other stakeholders.
Participating students will gain exposure to research approaches and develop skills in translating health
research knowledge for a diverse audience.
Title: A Collaborative Learning Experience – Engineering and Art
Applicant: Sumanth Shankar, Allan Spence, Gary Bone, Briana Palmer
Faculty/Area: Engineering and Humanities
Summary: The Faculty of Engineering and the School of the Arts in the Faculty of Humanities are
developing a series of final year graduating projects in which engineering and art students collaborate
on an interdisciplinary initiative. This proposal outlines the development and construction of a vending
machine that will dispense miniaturized art. Several students and faculty members will be involved in
the project, which will be tracked using the learning portfolio and will culminate in the installation of the
machine to serve both as a piece of art itself, and to distribute artwork within McMaster and the local
community.
Title: Community-Based Modular Learning Portfolio
Applicant: Michael Mercier, Walter Peace, Maureen Padden, Luc Bernier
Faculty/Area: Science
Summary: The proposal outlines a strategy to mimic the learning intensity dimension of “block” courses
(2-3 week intensive courses) while maintaining the existing course schedule at McMaster. A suite of
one-unit courses will be developed in collaboration with community members on topics such as public
health and economic/social planning. The project aims to integrate the content of core program courses
with real-world problems through partnerships with the community. The courses will also be enhanced
through engagement with the student learning portfolio.
Title: Distributed High Fidelity Simulation for Regional Tele-Medical Care and Communication
Applicant: Thomas Doyle, David Musson, Greg Peachey
Faculty/Area: Engineering and Health Sciences
Summary: The project involves developing techniques to operate simulators over broad networks in
order to provide educational content using video conferencing communications. The outcomes of the
project will include innovative and cost effective models of education and skills training delivery to
remote, isolated or under-resourced communities. Students in the Faculties of Engineering and Health
Sciences will be involved in the development of the technical and educational aspects of the initiative.
Title: The Engage! Program: Fostering Interdisciplinary Research and Community Engagement
Applicant: Philip Omorogbe, Joe Kim, David Shore
Faculty/Area: Science
Summary: The Engage! Project intends to create an online platform to share information about
emerging issues in Hamilton and to connect students with interdisciplinary perspectives on the issue as
well as relevant research that aims to develop solutions. Students will be encouraged to research and
develop their own solutions and to work with community partners on implementation.
Title: Engineering Research Co-op
Applicant: Ken Coley, Lynn Stewart
Faculty/Area: Engineering
Summary: The Faculty of Engineering is exploring ways to provide research co-op terms to an increasing
number of students through different models of exposure based on the student’s interests. A number
of potential benefits to students are anticipated, such as experience in defining and conducting research
projects as well as improved critical thinking and communication skills. Modules to enhance the
program are also under consideration and would enable cross-disciplinary dialogue and integration of
research with academic activities. Students will gain exposure to all aspects of the research enterprise
and participate in the development of innovative solutions to emerging research problems.
Title: Enhancing the Role of Seniors as Research Partners
Applicant: Graham Knight
Faculty/Area: Social Sciences
Summary: The Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging fosters interdisciplinary research collaboration
among those interested in the social process of aging. The Centre aims to integrate older adults more
centrally into its research activities through a series of focus groups designed to identify the existing and
emerging challenges and needs of seniors. At the same time, the Gilbrea Centre Student Group seeks
opportunities to foster collaboration among students with an interest in aging research through
increased networking with each other as well as members of the community. Funding has been
awarded so that these groups can work together to form an integrated knowledge exchange network
involving researchers, students and community members engaged on an ongoing basis.
Title: ExCEL Sustainable Building Features Supporting Inter-Faculty Research and Experiential Learning
Applicant: Kelton Friedrich
Faculty/Area: Engineering
Summary: The ExCEL initiative will provide the opportunity for students and researchers at McMaster
to utilize the data from the performance of the ExCEL building in a variety of projects and activities. A
number of potential projects from all Faculties could be used for research and experiential learning; the
project is intended to develop this potential by identifying the building performance information that
should be collected and tracked to suit educational and research activities.
Title: Facilitating Collaboration, Interdisciplinary Exchange and Teaching-Research Integration: A Google
Earth Research Mapping Initiative
Applicant: Nick Marquis, Beth Marquis, Jason Brodeur, John Maclachlan
Faculty/Area: Social Sciences, Centre for Leadership in Learning, Sherman Centre for Digital Scholarship,
Maps/Data/GIS
Summary: An interdisciplinary team will develop an interactive visual representation of research
expertise at McMaster. The tool will consist of layered maps illustrating the University’s research
activities and collaborations both locally and around the world. This resource is intended to facilitate
knowledge mobilization and collaboration and to enhance the connections between undergraduate and
graduate students and research activities, both within courses and beyond.
Title: Faculty Training for Community Engaged Education
Applicant: Sandra Preston, Adam Kuhn, Catherine Chiappetta-Swanson
Faculty/Area: Social Sciences, Student Success Centre and Centre for Leadership in Learning
Summary: In order to encourage meaningful community engagement and integration of guiding
principles into the undergraduate academic experience, a training package for instructors will be
developed. The package will include a series of workshops to introduce the relevant concepts and
facilitate course development, as well as manuals and online tools to reinforce the content.
Title: Forward to Innovation: Starting the Start-ups and Capitalizing on McMaster’s Intellectual Capital
Applicant: Elsie Quaite-Randall
Faculty/Area: McMaster Industry Liaison Office, Office of the Vice-President, Research and
International Affairs and School of Graduate Studies
Summary: The Forward to Innovation program is intended to bridge the gap between the theory and
practice of developing intellectual capital, which requires an understanding of the challenges and
opportunities involved in advancing innovative business ideas. The program will establish networks of
innovation mentors, clusters to foster collaboration, and entrepreneurship training for graduate
students. This project has been endorsed but will be supported by other funds.
Title: Forward with Integrity Meets 3DD3
Applicant: Margaret Secord, Sarah Glen
Faculty/Area: Health Sciences
Summary: A formal needs analysis will be conducted to assess the impact of an interdisciplinary course
in the Bachelor of Health Sciences Program. The community-based course connects students with the
community through both theory and practice, and is extended through an optional community-based
research project or placement. The project aims to document and share the emergent learning
practices that influence the participatory research partnerships developed through the course and to
develop a campus-community event to enhance the existing partnerships and foster the creation of new
collaborations.
Title: Foundations of Empirical Language Research: A Feasibility Study for a New Research-Based
Undergraduate Course
Applicant: Catherine Anderson, Sarah Symons
Faculty/Area: Humanities and Science
Summary: Students of Linguistics and Languages will be exposed to the principles of scientific reasoning
as they apply to the study of linguistics through a new, twelve-unit course which involves the design and
execution of a collaborative research project. The foundational course will be offered in Level II and is
modeled after the self-directed learning that is characteristic of the integrated science program in the
Faculty of Science.
Title: Healthy Campus
Applicant: Nathan Cooper, Melissa Fernandes, Pearl Medonca, Igor Sukonnik, Mei Ju Shih, Alan
Tanigughi, Wayne Terryberry
Faculty/Area: Student Wellness Centre, Student Accessibility Services, Faculty of Health Sciences,
Athletics and Recreation
Summary: The group proposes to introduce mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques to the
University community through training and technology. The project is aligned with an increased focus
on mindfulness-based approaches to improving resilience in Athletics and Recreation and other areas on
campus. The team will compile a series of tools that will be available to all members of the University,
including audio files and coordinated outdoor activities.
Title: Improving Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Effective Use of Web-Based Communication Tools
Applicant: Catherine Connelly, Judith Shedden
Faculty/Area: Science and Business
Summary: This project will investigate best practices in the use of online communication tools with an
aim to improve interdisciplinary collaboration. The investigators will attempt to understand how existing
and emerging online tools influence the development of trust and decision-making during online
conversation and collaboration. Students from both Faculties will be actively involved in the research
project through all stages from defining the research questions to experimental design, data collection
and formulation of conclusions.
Title: Integrating First Year Students in Primary Biological Research: A Feasibility Study
Applicant: Alastair Tracey, Alison Cowie, Kimberley Dej, Robin Cameron
Faculty/Area: Science
Summary: The first year biology course will be restructured to include engagement in a research
question to complement the laboratory skills that the students are developing. The research question
will be used as a framework to guide the skill development, while also exposing first year students to an
interdisciplinary approach to scientific research. Students will also be guided to connect the classroom
teachings to the hands-on, active research project in the laboratory.
Title: Interdisciplinary Political Theory Network
Applicant: Catherine Frost
Faculty/Area: Social Sciences
Summary: The project aims to connect students, instructors and researchers with an interest in political
theory in order to facilitate collaboration and dialogue and foster innovative and integrated approaches
to addressing emerging issues. A series of theme-based meetings will be arranged to initiate
connections, which will be supported by a research-expertise inventory and student led project on
interdisciplinary models and best practices to support collaborative innovation.
Title: Learning on the Job: Linking Classrooms with Speech and Language Pathology Centres
Applicant: Victor Kuperman
Faculty/Area: Humanities
Summary: The Department of Linguistics and Languages aims to develop relationships with practicing
speech and language pathologists to enhance faculty research and the student experience. A greater
number of students will benefit from interactive training through these collaborations, and will also
have the opportunity to bring research-based knowledge to the community. The research priorities in
the Department will also be enriched through this increased exposure to the clinical perspective and
knowledge.
Title: The Local Education and Action Resource Network on Climate Change (LEARN-CC)
Applicant: Altaf Arain, Jason Brodeur
Faculty/Area: McMaster Centre for Climate Change
Summary: The McMaster Centre for Climate Change is committed to working with the Hamilton
community and local organizations to form a network to engage a number of stakeholders in dialogue
about local climate change. An online database will be created, and citizens will be able to notify the
network about climate-related incidents such as flooding and wind damage as well as opportunities such
as solar roofing and car share initiatives. The database and network will become sources of novel
research and teaching opportunities and will foster collaboration and dialogue about climate change.
Title: McMarsh – An Environmental Sustainability Research and Teaching Study
Applicant: James Michael Waddington, Jim Quinn, Susan Dudley, Chad Harvey, Nancy Doubleday,
Daniel Coleman, Ken Cruikshank, Brian Baetz
Faculty/Area: Science, Humanities and Engineering
Summary: This study involves the acquisition of baseline hydrological data via the installation of
groundwater and stream stage wells in parking Lot M to assess flow paths, pairing this with ecological
studies of the area to determine species diversity, and researching the historical land-use assessment,
land ethics and social policy to evaluate the past, present and potential (restored state) of watershed
resilience in this area of the campus. The study will involve students and faculty from multiple
departments and is intended to instil in students a sense of stewardship for the natural lands that form
part of and adjoin McMaster’s campus.
Title: McMaster Biology Greenhouse Outreach
Applicant: Susan Dudley, Arthur Yeas, Marvin Gunderman
Faculty/Area: Science
Summary: This project is intended to facilitate the use of McMaster’s Biology Greenhouse by the
University community through increased communication and outreach efforts. Individuals will be
encouraged to engage with the greenhouse as visitors, volunteer docents and providers of content or
expertise. Undergraduate students will be invited to participate in formal and informal experiential
opportunities related to ongoing and emerging research in the Greenhouse.
Title: McMaster Children and Youth University: Integrating Outreach and Research
Applicant: Janice Penney, Sandeep Raha
Faculty/Area: Health Sciences
Summary: The McMaster Children and Youth University offers lectures to youth and their families on
the University campus. Presentations are designed to be understood by a diverse audience, and offer
the opportunity for students to develop communication skills and participate in the development of
engaging outreach activities. A group of students, guided by a faculty mentor, will research and author a
multidisciplinary review paper on a topic of mutual interest. The students will then develop an outreach
presentation designed for the children and youth of the community, including elements of experiential
learning and audience participation.
Title: McMaster History of Ideas, Science and Technology Research and Education Network
Applicant: Sarah Symons, Robert Cockcroft
Faculty/Area: Science
Summary: A network of researchers with an interest in the history and philosophy of science and
technology will be connected through online and in-person dialogue. Undergraduate and graduate
students will be invited to participate in the network, and students will be encouraged to explore these
research areas and how they are connected with current teachings. The network will be initiated
through a series of public talks by external researchers with interests in this area.
Title: McMaster Indigenous Graduate Students (MIGS) Group
Applicant: Bernice Downey, Chelsea Gabel
Faculty/Area: Social Sciences
Summary: The MIGS group aims to work collaboratively with Faculties and Departments to develop
innovative approaches to advance the recruitment and retention of Indigenous graduate students at
McMaster. The proposed project will investigate enablers and barriers to Indigenous student success
and propose recommendations to be shared at the University and with external stakeholders.
Title: McMaster Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies and Engaged Scholarship
Applicant: Allison Sekuler
Faculty/Area: School of Graduate Studies
Summary: This proposal outlines the creation of a framework to support interdisciplinary collaboration
through the formation of the McMaster Advanced Knowledge Institute. The Institute would host visiting
fellows linked by an annual theme of interest, such as aging, and is intended to help “seed” emerging
areas of research interest. Fellows would visit McMaster from national or international universities, and
would establish long-lasting partnerships with McMaster researchers that would extend beyond the
framework of the annual theme. To complement the work of the Fellow and enable broader dialogue,
public lectures or outreach events will be established. The endorsed proposal aims to involve students
in the creation of a business plan for the development of the Institute. This project has been endorsed
but will be supported by other funds.
Title: The McMaster Social Innovation Lab: Pilot Project
Applicant: Brianne Smrke, Michael Hewlett
Faculty/Area: Arts & Science
Summary: This student-led initiative proposes the creation of a Social Innovation Lab to foster
interdisciplinary approaches to solve real-world problems. The students will work in teams to address
socially-focused questions through a systematic problem solving process that involves engagement with
experts and stakeholders. Students can participate in the process either through a course or informally
during “jams” or open sessions initiated and guided by students.
Title: McMaster Teaching and Community Garden – Research and Community
Applicant: Brianne Smrke, Alisha Sunderji, Chad Harvey
Faculty/Area: Science and Arts & Science
Summary: The goal of the McMaster Teaching and Community Garden is to facilitate teaching, research
and educational activities related to sustainable food production. The full potential of this space has not
yet been realized, and this project aims to engage faculty, staff and students in the development of
these opportunities through increased communication and outreach efforts. Planned activities include
creation of an online forum, integration into summer camps and community workshops and
encouragement of curricular development involving the garden.
Title: Mobilizing Interdisciplinarity and Collaboration in/for Museum and Curatorial Studies
Applicant: Sarah Brophy, Janice Hladki
Faculty/Area: Humanities
Summary: In support of a research project involving an upcoming exhibition in the McMaster Museum
of Art titled This is Me. This is Also Me, an interdisciplinary group is planning a series of experiential
community- and student-centred activities to enhance the impact of the exhibition’s research
contributions. The goals of the research project include investigating museology as research and
pedagogy in a University setting and advancing interdisciplinarity and collaboration through integration
of academic and arts-based research. The project will be enriched through a seminar and two public
forums attended by a multidisciplinary audience.
Title: Online Course for Community Engaged Scholarship
Applicant: Allison Sekuler, Suzanne Crosta
Faculty/Area: Humanities, School of Graduate Studies
Summary: The project involves the creation of an online course to prepare graduate and advanced
undergraduate students for community-engaged research opportunities. The course will better prepare
students for research work involving the community and foster connections between students with
related research interests. Students will be involved in studying the feasibility and best practices for this
approach to training and will make recommendations based on their research findings. This project has
been endorsed but will be supported by other funds.
Title: Opening the Box: Rethinking Classroom Flexibility from a User-Based Perspective
Applicant: Yaser Haddara, David Kidney, Walter Peace
Faculty/Area: Engineering, Science, Classroom A/V Services
Summary: An interdisciplinary group aims to develop a set of potential classroom uses and models that
address the concept of flexible classrooms at the University. A set of “classroom standards” will be
prepared for use by the Classroom Renewal Committee, instructors and other stakeholders with an
interest in utilizing unconventional classroom structures. The team will examine the diversity of
classrooms available on campus and how these may be modified to enable flexibility from a use-based
perspective.
Title: Piloting “CULTURE” in an Interprofessional Setting
Applicant: Jamil Javer, Aatif Qureshi, Jenn Salfi
Faculty/Area: Health Sciences
Summary: Students in Health Sciences will form interprofessional teams to explore the educational
impact of culture- and community-influenced simulation-based learning. Simulations will be created
within a specific culture- or community-based context and used in the training of the interprofessional
teams. The project involves developing personal learning goals and reflection following team exercises,
and culminates in an immersion within the community that formed the inspiration for the patient
simulation. The project will inform the work of the Program for Interprofessional Practice, Education
and Research (PIPER).
Title: Skills Share for Women in Production and Engineering (SSWIPE)
Applicant: Heather Kirby, Christina Baade
Faculty/Area: Humanities
Summary: The aim of this project is to facilitate connections between communities of women
interested in music production and engineering to foster collaboration and begin to address a gender
gap in this area of expertise. A workshop is planned, during which undergraduate and graduate
students will build a music technology “playground” and attend skills-enhancing, interdisciplinary
sessions. The workshop will provide a supportive learning environment, foster mentorship and
networking, and increase the visibility of female role models within this community.
Title: Society for Philosophy and Culture
Applicant: Michael Hemmingsen
Faculty/Area: Humanities and Social Sciences
Summary: The proposal outlines a student-run initiative aimed at increasing interdisciplinary and
intercultural exchange through a series of events termed “Crossing Borders”. The events include an
interdisciplinary speaker series and mini-conference with participants from McMaster and several other
institutions. At these events, speakers from a wide range of disciplines provide seminars on issues of
common interest, which are followed by responses from individuals of other disciplines or areas of
expertise to offer a variety of perspectives on the issue.
Title: Solving Problems with Statistics: A Blended Learning Approach
Applicant: Brett Beston, Irina Ghilic, Joe Kim, David Shore
Faculty/Area: Science
Summary: The funds will be used to develop a series of web-based learning modules to complement
the in-class experience with an aim to introducing students to problem solving approaches using
statistics. Students in all departments participating in courses with statistical components will be able to
access the online modules. By providing the core statistical concepts online, students and instructors
will be able to use in-class time to apply these concepts to new situations and reinforce the online
content with hands-on learning experiences.
Title: Studying the Influence of Music on Motor Coordination within the Context of Interactive Dance
Games
Applicant: Matthew Woolhouse, Ramesh Balasubramaniam, Jacques Carette
Faculty/Area: Humanities, Science and Engineering
Summary: The applicants will develop a student-centred research partnership to investigate the impact
of music on motor coordination and the conditions under which music improves or degrades motorcontrol performance. Through a multi-Faculty partnership, the collaborative group will seek ways to
maximize the impact of the research and integrate it into educational activities, for instance, by
introducing the project into existing course curriculum or by involving students in debrief sessions.
Title: Targeting the Globe: Developing Evidence-Based Student Internationalization in Occupational
Therapy
Applicant: Lorie Shimmell, Susan Baptiste
Faculty/Area: Health Sciences
Summary: A comprehensive educational curriculum will be developed to support the international
placements of student occupational therapists. Students participate in a number of global placements
or opportunities, and would benefit from increased engagement that would be facilitated by a clinicallyoriented curriculum that is culturally aware and sensitive. Students participating in the program will be
involved in all aspects of the research project, which will identify best practices and opportunities for
growth and development of the emerging curriculum.
Title: Understanding Acute Pain: Exploring the Use of Virtual Learning Environments for Health
Professionals
Applicant: Victoria Galea
Faculty/Area: Health Sciences and Humanities
Summary: Treatment of chronic and acute pain remains a challenge for healthcare professionals. The
proposed project intends to use virtual learning environments through an experiential learning module
designed to increase understanding of acute pain. An interdisciplinary team will develop and test a
prototype and contribute to the evidence on best practices for integrating virtual learning environments
into educational activities.
Title: Understanding the Experiences of Students who are Enrolled in Joint College/University
Collaborative Educational Programs
Applicant: Janet Landeen, Lindsay Bolan, Michael Farquharson
Faculty/Area: Science, Engineering and Health Sciences
Summary: This project aims to gain a better understanding of the experience of students participating
in collaborative programs that span College-University partnerships. An interdisciplinary and interinstitutional research team, involving a number of students from McMaster University and Mohawk
College, will be assembled to design and conduct the research, and to share the results broadly. The
outcomes have the potential to improve our understanding of the nature of the student experience
during these collaborations, which are increasing in number both nationally and internationally.
Title: Understanding Students’ Experiences of Inclusion and Exclusion: Improving the Classroom
Learning Environment
Applicant: Anju Joshi, Beth Marquis, Marie Vander Kloet, Gary Dumbrill, Vilma Rossi, Winnie Lo
Faculty/Area: Social Sciences, Centre for Leadership in Learning, Human Rights & Equity Services
Summary: The project team seeks to understand how students experience inclusion and exclusion in
the classroom. Students will be engaged in the research project, both as participants and as
researchers. The intended outcomes will inform the development of teaching and learning resources
for instructors at the University to facilitate the development of an inclusive community and to enhance
the student experience.
Title: Using Active-Learning Classrooms to Support Undergraduate Research
Applicant: Tina Fetner, Gerald Bierling
Faculty/Area: Social Sciences
Summary: Undergraduate students will be encouraged to engage in research activities through the use
of active-learning classrooms. This approach involves the formation of student groups in which students
take on a variety of roles that would be involved in the development of research projects, facilitated
through a classroom design of round tables and integrated technology. In this space, students will
develop research proposals on emerging topics of interest with the support of an instructor. A
repository of tools to support instructors’ use of this approach will be developed.
Title: Virtual Hamilton: A Participatory Urban Planning Tool Using Virtual Worlds
Applicant: David Harris Smith, Pavlos Kanaroglou
Faculty/Area: Humanities and Science
Summary: This project aims to develop a 3D virtual world to facilitate visualization and communication
in urban planning efforts in the City of Hamilton. An interdisciplinary team involving faculty and
students from Communication Studies and Multimedia, Computer and Software Engineering and the
School of Geography and Earth Sciences will join with the City of Hamilton and urban planners to
develop and implement the use of the tool.
Title: Year One Chemistry Initiative
Applicant: Jeff Landry
Faculty/Area: Science
Summary: First year students in the Faculty of Science will have the opportunity to explore innovative
research projects in chemistry. Students will drive the development of the project idea, and be
supported with access to laboratory space and equipment for guided exploration and experimentation.
This project intends to facilitate access for a greater number of students, introduce peer mentorship,
and foster communication of the results to a diverse audience.