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Starting an Applied Research Program

Starting an Applied Research Program: a Case Study from an Administrator's Perspective Evan Weaver Chair, School of Information and Communications Technology Seneca Faculty Forum April 30, 2012. Starting an Applied Research Program. Starting an Applied Research Program.

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Starting an Applied Research Program

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  1. Starting an Applied Research Program: a Case Study from an Administrator's Perspective Evan Weaver Chair, School of Information and Communications Technology Seneca Faculty Forum April 30, 2012 Starting an Applied Research Program

  2. Starting an Applied Research Program • The Centre for Development of Open Technology (CDOT) • Applied Research Centre with between $500k and $1m annual funding focused on open source • Involves 5-10 faculty and 5-10 industry partners • Involves 20-40 paid students

  3. Starting an Applied Research Program • The Centre for Development of Open Technology (CDOT) • Started in 2002 as a loose association of faculty with a common interest and belief • Has become as a research centre as faculty interest matured into an organization

  4. Starting an Applied Research Program • Environment (former Computer Studies) was: • 1400-1700 students • 6-8 programs (diplomas, degrees, grad cert) • 52-55 full-time profs, 20-30 PT/PL

  5. Starting an Applied Research Program • Historical challenges for colleges: • Research not part of base funding • No culture of research, applied research (changing) • No accessible grants (changing) • Collective agreement • Professors’ interests

  6. Starting an Applied Research Program • History • Pre-2004: • Research internally funded • Research barely funded • Done out of professor’s interest • E.g. install Linux lab in local HS

  7. Starting an Applied Research Program • History • More recently: • Externally funded projects with industry partners, sourced through central ORI • Small, single-project grants • Little linkage between projects

  8. Starting an Applied Research Program • History • And then… • One project unintentionally connected us with a new industry partner (Mozilla) • Professor and partner hit it off, students delivered their part • New partner funded more…

  9. Starting an Applied Research Program • History • …and then… • Tied projects into some courses • More partners and more faculty got interested • More students got involved • More grants became available…

  10. Starting an Applied Research Program • History • …and now… • Special expertise is recognized • More stable funding is available, including 5-year NSERC grants • Partners seek us out • Industry knows us

  11. Starting an Applied Research Program • Were we lucky? • Area is “open source” • Gives students opportunity to work on world class software • Industry values “free” work • Philosophy and IP licenses are academia friendly

  12. Starting an Applied Research Program • Or did we make our own luck? • Open source projects need expertise, reject time-wasters • Expertise is very hard to develop • Trust takes time to develop • Granting agencies didn’t understand open source

  13. Starting an Applied Research Program • Making our luck… • Our programs already had strong technical component • Our professor convinced Mozilla to pay for his release time • Our programs had flexibility of “Professional Options” – no need to change core curriculum

  14. Starting an Applied Research Program • Making our luck… • Repurposed OSS (symposium for college teachers) to FSOSS (industry symposium) • Chased money down many blind alleys (on-going) • Insinuated OS work into other projects (e.g. MotionView)

  15. Starting an Applied Research Program • Making our luck… • Leaned on professors to take part • Rejected a lot of offers that did not include money • Had to manage professor burnout • Had to manage partners’ expectations

  16. Starting an Applied Research Program • Defining Applied Research in the college context: • Not basic research • Novel application of whatever it is you do • Benefit to external stakeholder • Done primarily by students with faculty supervision

  17. Starting an Applied Research Program • Benefits of Applied Research to the program: • External stakeholder gives perspective • Faculty and students are pushed • Gaps in curriculum exposed (and hopefully filled) • Value of program is promoted

  18. Starting an Applied Research Program • Benefits of Applied Research to the student: • Real-world experience more challenging than most co-op opportunities • Work one-on-one with prof and stakeholder • Chance to build a reputation

  19. Starting an Applied Research Program • Benefits of Applied Research to the external stakeholder: • Grant funding • Inexpensive expertise • Source of HQP after project • Chance to influence education to produce MHQP

  20. Starting an Applied Research Program • Tips • Be patient, success takes longer than you think • Talk to anyone, make arrangements with few • Pursue all leads for funding • Align with energetic professors

  21. Starting an Applied Research Program • Tips • Use central services • Look for linkages between research and curriculum • Don’t work for free • Don’t sell out • Build expertise, build a reputation

  22. Starting an Applied Research Program • Tips • Learn from failed grant applications • When in doubt, consider student perspective • Manage burnout proactively • Make academic limitations clear

  23. Starting an Applied Research Program • Tips • Leverage grants with other grants when possible • When spending, be careful to meet grant requirements, often takes juggling

  24. evan.weaver@senecacollege.ca scs.senecac.on.ca/~evan.weaver

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