Humber one of 76 schools to receive NSERC grant

Humber College has just received almost $3.5-million in funding for three initiatives which will support industry partners and provide healthcare services from COVID-19 effects.

The grant for Humber total is $3.25-million and will be dispersed over a five-year span. The funds will go towards health, economic and environmental impacts from the pandemic. Humber College will also create programs for these initiatives while also attempting to engage underrepresented communities, such as First Nations.

Humber College Associate Dr. Tania Massa, Dean of Applied Research and Innovation will collaborate with Humber College to help train students on how to help be a part of the initiative and combat COVID-19 aftershocks. Also helping with this initiative is Humber professor Maria Jacome, who teaches in Humber’s Civil Engineering Technology Program. Jacome will be working with researchers at the University of Toronto, along with the Fort William First Nation (FWFN) to assist with the lingering health and environmental struggles the FWFN had during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The COVID-19 pandemic widened disparities in access to care particularly for marginalized populations, further positioning them at a greater risk for increased poverty, food insecurity, mental health challenges, social isolation, and discrimination,” Dr. Ann Marie Vaughan, president & CEO, Humber College, said in a Humber media release statement. “Through this College and Community Social Innovation funding commitment, Humber can continue its mission to research how communities across the country can be supported through our government, university, and health care partners.”

According to the Humber media release statement, Humber was granted the funds “from the College and Community Innovation (CCI) and Community Social Innovation Fund and the Mobilization Grant. These grants are funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), in collaboration with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) to address innovation challenges across Canada.”

Alejandro Adem, President of NSERC

Humber was not the only school to receive funding. Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, the Honourable Francois-Philippe Champagne, announced on Oct. 14 that more than $85-million would be granted to 76 schools through the CCI.

“Colleges, polytechnics and CEGEPs play a critical role within Canada’s world-class research and innovation community. Our next generation of researchers and entrepreneurs need support to help tackle projects that address social, business, health or environmental needs.” The Honourable Francois-Philippe Champagne said in a release statement. “With the CCI program, we are investing in projects that will have real impacts in local communities and Canada-wide.”