Two UBC-led networks received $1.6 million each through the federal Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) program to transfer knowledge to practice—improving the quality of water for Indigenous and non-urban communities, and supporting the manufacturing of composite materials for industry.

Safe drinking water

The NCE funding will support the RESEAU Centre for Mobilizing Innovation, which uses a “community circle” model in working with Indigenous and rural communities to improve the quality of drinking water.

Many Indigenous and non-urban communities face challenges in providing clean drinking water for their members due to smaller tax bases, remote locations, lack of trained operators and other factors, said UBC chemical and biological engineering professor Madjid Mohseni, who will serve as the network’s scientific director.

“By putting the community at the centre of the innovation process, we ensure that proposed solutions are sustainable and that they satisfy each community’s unique needs, on their terms,” he said.

“Over the next four years, the network plans to expand its community circle model to foster open innovation in water health for these communities, in a way that supports self-determination and aligns with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 calls to action,” he added.

Advanced industrial materials

Composite materials like fibreglass and carbon fibre reinforced polymer are stronger, safer, lighter and cheaper than their constituent parts, and are used in products ranging from water slides and sporting goods to cars and airplanes. The NCE funding will support the Composites Research Network Knowledge Mobilization Centre (CRN-KM) in transferring knowledge to small businesses to help improve composites manufacturing across Canada.

“I am very grateful for UBC’s longstanding support of our research and outreach activities in composite materials and structures, which has led to our newly launched CRN-KM,” says UBC materials engineering professor Anoush Poursartip, co-director of the network. “We now have the resources to focus on transitioning rigorous research to help Canadian companies and small businesses flourish during a period of rapid technological change.”

For more information on the NCE funding, click here