Sustainability in Research Progress
Discover what Concordia is doing to achieve its 2025 sustainability in research targets.
ADVANCE INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES IN SUSTAINABILITY
Target: Develop a framework to support interdisciplinary sustainability research at Concordia
Status
- In progress
Efforts supporting this target
- An initial proposal to establish a research institute/nexus evolved into a proposal for a research incubator and subsequently into an integrated support service – the Pathways to Impact initiative – that provides researchers and research teams with the tools and resources needed to enhance the impact of their research (see below, under “Enhance our Impact” for details)
- The Sustainability Transitions Team Research Initiative (STTRI) is a seed funding program with the goal of supporting the incubation and experimentation of boldly integrative work that involve key stakeholders in the co-design, co-production, and co-delivery of sustainability-oriented research/creation. In addition to funding, the Office of Research provided comprehensive research development support to the following team projects:
- Facing the Far Right: Trans Communities and Canadian Institutions in Peril (Dr. Kimberley Manning, FAS)
Decolonizing the workplace: Transforming practices and processes in organizations that aim to support Indigenous women implicated in the criminal justice system (Dr. Felice Yuen, FAS)
Integrating Electrochemical Process in the Production of Dredged Materials LC3: Future Net-Zero Carbon Cement ( Dr. Ahmed Soliman, GCS)
Montreal to Mexico: Envisioning Plastic Pollution Solutions through Interdisciplinary Network Building (Dr. Kelly Jazvac, FOFA)
Institutional support for several sustainability-focused research centres, units and programs. These have facilitated numerous research projects and activities that advance inter-disciplinary research activities focused on sustainability. Examples include:
- Loyola Sustainability Research Centre: In March 2024 the LSRC held their annual Sustainability Across Disciplines conference, featuring findings and perspectives of Concordia faculty and student researchers in sustainability through panels, presentations and discussions
- Concordia Institute of Water, Energy and Sustainable Systems: CIWESS trains students to be at the forefront of sustainable development practices. It promotes research into new systems, technologies and solutions for water, energy and resource conservation. In August 2024, Catherine Mulligan (Director of CIWESS) received the Miroslaw Romanowski Medal from the Royal Society of Canada for her pioneering work in sustainable environmental engineering.
Next-Generation Cities Institute: In May 2024, NGCI announced the creation of a Climate Data Hub for Greater Montreal, providing a single federated point of access to emissions-related data held by a range of government offices, private companies and academic researchers, where partners on the project include City of Montreal, Hydro-Québec, Énergir, Coop Carbone, Open North, École de Technologie Supérieure, the Climate Institute of Canada, IVADO, KPMG Canada, Québec Net Positif, Sustainability in the Digital Age, TIESS and Transition en commun.
Volt-Age: The first call for proposals for seed grants offered by Volt-Age was completed in 2024 aiming to foster multidisciplinary projects that engage a diverse range of public and private partners. These projects address the full array of implications and challenges associated with the electrification of society, including social acceptability and economic viability, with the goal of achieving tangible and meaningful impact. In October 2024 Volt-Age announced, in partnerships with the National Research Council of Canada, the development of an innovation hub focused on battery research at Concordia’s Shawinigan campus.
Sustainability in the Digital Age: In June 2024, SDA announced two new reports published at the national and international level focused on action-oriented research designed to help policymakers steer governments towards a sustainable future. On the national front, SDA and Future Earth Canada contributed to an Environment and Climate Change Canada report exploring how “Science and knowledge needs to support Canada’s implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework”, and on the international front, a new report from the Future Earth community concluded that three elements – transdisciplinary, a systems approach, and transformation of how institutions conduct and fund research – will be critical to address climate change and biodiversity loss in the coming years.
Social Justice Centre: The SJC hosts numerous workshops throughout the year, including their annual Social Justice Theory Workshop, addressing topics such as the articulation of ideals and principles of economic, political, gender, race, environmental, and cultural justice; the critique of inequality, domination, exploitation, and alienation; and the illumination of political institutions, practices and processes of transformation that might foster progressive change
Centre for Zero Energy Building Studies: In June 2024, the CZEBS announced their NSERC, Hydro- Québec and Mitacs funded research initiative to transform energy management in buildings across Canada, where the initiative seeks to better integrate renewable energy resources into buildings and enhance interaction with the smart grid.
Calls to action
Explore a variety of 4th Space events that showcase interdisciplinary sustainability research, such as: Perspectives on Sustainability: Research at Concordia
Learn more about sustainability resources for researchers, and connect with potential collaborators and research partners.
- If you are a faculty member whose research addresses sustainability, consider joining the Loyola Sustainability Research Centre or any of the other research units focused on sustainability.
INCREASE INSTITUTIONAL INCENTIVES AND SUPPORT
Target: Increase financial and operational support for faculty and students engaged in sustainability research
Status
- In progress
Sustainability Research Funding Programs 2023-24
| Capstone SDG Impact Award | Monetary prizes: Tier 2: $750 Tier 3: $500 |
Total Projects Funded: 3 | |
| Sustainability Transitions Team Initiative | Total Funding: $77,500 | Total Projects Funded: 4
|
Efforts supporting this target
A Capstone SDG Impact Award was launched for final year students completing a capstone project within the Gina Cody School of engineering and Computer Science.
In Spring 2024, the Sustainable Transitions Team Research Initiative , facilitated by staff from the Office of Research, provided funding totaling $77,500 and research development support to four research team projects. The STTRI funding stream also recognized community partnerships as eligible for internal team start-up funding, where up to $2,000 of a total possible $20,000 budget was afforded to cover expenses related to the participation of community partners.
The Office of Research provides support for all external research grant applications through Faculty-based research advisors. Below are two examples of sustainability-focused research projects awarded funding in 2023-2024 that received support:
The inaugural Research Impact Award (RIA) was launched, signaling institutional recognition of the diverse paths to research impact.
“International and Canadian Child Rights Partnership” research project led by Dr. Natasha Blanchet-Cohen (Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council Partnership grant)
“Meeting 30 x 30 and the Paris Agreement: An inclusive framework leveraging digital solutions for effective nature-based solutions in Canada” research project led by Dr. Damon Matthews (Alliance grant)
The inaugural Research Impact Award (RIA) was launched, signaling institutional recognition of the diverse paths to research impact.
Calls to action
Reach out to your research development advisor for support developing a research proposal for external funding
Nominate a colleague for a Concordia University Research Impact Award.
Apply for a Capstone SDG Impact Award if you are a 4th year student in the Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science completing a capstone project.
ENHANCE RESEARCH IMPACT
Target: Promote and enhance Concordia research to enrich local, Canadian, and International communities
Status
- In progress
Efforts supporting this target
As part of Concordia's efforts to enhance research impact, the Office of the Vice-President, Research and Graduate Studies was renamed to the Office of the Vice-President, Research, Innovation and Impact
The Pathways to Impact initiative is designed to offer targeted research support across seven established pathways. The initiative responds to growing international attention to research impact, reflected in an increase in mission-driven funding opportunities (e.g. Horizon Europe), and greater recognition of the diverse contributions of researchers (e.g. narrative CV). Pathways to Impact has evolved from an initial proposal by members of the LSRC for a sustainability research incubator. It was further shaped by consultations supported by the 17 Rooms exercise of our Voluntary University Review which affirmed the commitment of Concordia to a sustainability-focused impact agenda. The Pathways initiative offers an integrated framework for a shared institutional approach to research impact that leverages existing and enhanced research resources and tools through cross-unit collaboration and cooperation. The initiative is led by the OVPRII in partnership with the library, the Office of Community Engagement, University Communication Services, District 3, and 4th Space.
A speaker series focused on “Evaluating Excellence” provided an opportunity for the research community to hear about international efforts, such as the Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), underway to transform research assessment. This included a workshop on crafting a narrative CV as well as discussions about alternative metrics of research quality and impact.
The inaugural Concordia University Research Impact Awards (RIA) program was launched in Spring of 2024 to honor the diverse ways in which research and research creation contribute to scientific and societal impact.
Funds have been secured from Advancement to support a series of “Research Impact days” to showcase the impactful research of the RIA awardees, and facilitate discussion related to the design of impactful research.
As in previous years, funds from the Sustainability Action Plan were channeled through the OVPRII to the Aid to Research-Related Events (ARRE) funding program, to stimulate exchange and transfer of knowledge as well as support visibility and outreach initiatives as diverse as workshops, conference, lectures, visiting scholars/artists, publications, and exhibitions. Approximately $20,000 in total funding wasv dedicated to 10 sustainability-based research events in 2023-24. This included the annual Sustainability Across Disciplines conference organized in March 2024 by the Loyola Sustainability Research Centre and the Loyola College for Diversity and Sustainability.
Explore Concordia was taken off-line due to cybersecurity concerns. However, efforts to update or replace Explore are underway.
Calls to Action
Learn more about the Pathways to Impact project, and the growing global movement towards alternative ways of practicing and assessing research impact
Apply to the biannual ARRE funding program for financial support for your research-related event
Attend or participate in the Loyola College for Diversity and Sustainability cross-disciplinary sustainability conference
Check out 4TH SPACE’s programming to find the next sustainability research event
ESTABLISH AND PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE RESEARCH PRACTICES
Target: Monitor and reduce the ecological footprint of research, dissemination, and related activities conducted on and off campus
Status
- In progress
Efforts supporting this target
The Office of Sustainability is coordinating a Fly Less campaign inspired by the policy that was created by the Department of Geography, Planning & Environment.
Following a collaboration with the Faculty of Arts and Science and Office of Research, guidelines outlining best practices for sustainable research in wet lab settings are under development Researchers applying to the ARRE funding call are now required to explain how they intend to adopt best practices as outlined in the Sustainability Event Guide
Calls to Action
Sign and commit to the Flying Less Concordia Pledge
Check out the Sustainable Event Certification program prior to organizing a research-related event
Related Sustainable Development Goal
