Office of Research & Innovation

The Office of Research & Innovation supports the university community in its mission to "advance learning through the creative interaction of teaching and research of the highest quality." Responsible for achievement of Trent's research goals and objectives, the Office of Research & Innovation works in cooperation with other departments to implement the University's strategic research plan.

In particular, the Office of Research & Innovation works with local, regional, national and international members of the research community to promote and steward:

• Excellence in research (peer-reviewed, high caliber, with national and international recognition); 
• A diversity of research (across a full range of scholarly disciplines at Trent, and of either a basic or applied nature); 
• An emphasis on interdisciplinary research (with cooperation between a number of departments/programs/disciplines/centres/institutions); 
• Responsible for provision of resources to researchers (infrastructure, staff, space etc.); 
• The involvement of students in research
• Training of highly qualified personnel; and
• Open accountable research practices (honest, ethical and open to public scrutiny)

From the President’s Office

Theall Research Fund

Established in 1987 when Donald Theall retired as President & Vice-Chancellor, the fund supports a one-time research grant for a junior faculty member (at the university for five years or less) or a faculty member on a Limited Term Appointment, or sessional faculty. 

Applicants are asked to submit a one page written document to the President’s office c/o Brenda Blackburn including details about the project along with a separate one page document listing the applicant’s relevant publications and research work. 

Applications must be received by November 15, 2021.

For more information please contact Brenda Blackburn in the President’s office.

Updates for Faculty Researchers

Research Continuity Update

7 September 2021

Dear Colleagues,

I wanted to provide a brief update regarding research activity at Trent University as it relates to the Post-Secondary Education Health Measures Framework for Fall 2021 from the Ministry of Colleges and Universities and the most recent information provided through Trent Forward. This information update focuses on all types of on-campus labs as well as in-person research with human participants.

Instructional Spaces including Labs at Trent University

In the Framework, the Ministry of Colleges and Universities has lifted physical distancing and capacity limit requirements in instructional spaces such as classrooms, libraries and labs. Our on-campus labs across all disciplines can be in full operation beginning September 7. Face coverings (masks) must continue to be worn and are mandatory in all indoor spaces on campus. For labs, COVID-19-related capacity limits and door signs will be removed. Revised signage will be provided. Lab supervisors are responsible for communicating with their students and other research personnel and HQP regarding this exemption and the requirement of proper use of PPE, lab cleaning procedures and the mandatory daily screening for symptoms EACH DAY prior to arriving on campus.

As communicated in other messages, you are required to upload proof of vaccination as of September 7 or request an accommodation for exemption, through the secure site on myTrent. If you are partially vaccinated or have an exemption, you will need to complete the vaccination education module and undergo weekly testing with a negative test to continue coming to campus until you are fully vaccinated. Contractors, tenants and volunteers must meet or exceed Trent’s vaccination policy and will be asked to provide appropriate attestation. (The process for these additional three groups is in development).

Visitors

Short-term visitors to labs should come to campus only when absolutely necessary and this must be approved by the Lab Supervisor. Visitors must also complete the mandatory daily screening EACH DAY before they come to campus. Those who do not pass the screening must not attend the campus.Longer term visitors such as Visiting Scholars including visiting graduate students, must follow the Trent vaccination policy and follow all other Trent guidelines including daily screening.

Non-Instructional Spaces at Trent University

While the province remains in Stage 3,all non-instructional spaces (indoors and outdoors) continue to be subject to physical distancing and capacity limits, and other guidelines. This includes offices. See Trent Forward for more details.

In-person Research Involving Human Participants

Researchers who wish to conduct in-person research with human participants should consider the following key questions:

• Can this work be done in person with all health and safety measures in place, including physical distancing and the use of personal protective equipment?
• Does the project method (data collection and analysis) comply with any applicable guidelines or restrictions at Trent and, where applicable, at the location/site of the human research? 
• Do the benefits of participation outweigh the risk of an in-person meeting?    

For in-person research involving human participants, conducted on campus, all institutional policies and guidelines regarding PPE, occupancy and physical distancing limitations, screening, and vaccination requirements will apply.  It is the responsibility of the researcher to ensure all relevant policies and guidelines are being followed for the space they are using. Researchers are not required to determine the vaccination status of their participants nor require a negative COVID-19 test; however, all visitors must complete Trent’s mandatory daily screening.

For research involving human participants, taking place at an off-campus location, any applicable local policies regarding PPE, occupancy and physical distancing limitations, screening, and vaccination requirements will apply. In the absence of any specific policies or guidelines at a research location, provincial and local public health guidelines will apply. 

For new projects, researchers can request to conduct in-person human research by applying for REB approval in ROMEO as normal, and attend to the three questions posed above.

For projects that are being restarted due to COVID-19 interruptions, and for projects where methods are being switched from online to in-person or vice versa, a brief amendment should be submitted.

Research Travel

Those who travel for research purposes (such as data gathering and dissemination) should adhere to public health guidelines in both their home location and their host location. Vaccination is the best measure to protect yourself against COVID-19 as well as the communities you are traveling to. Please complete the information form and send to research@trentu.ca.

The Ministry’s Postsecondary Education Health Measures Framework for Fall 2021 provides us with some positive momentum for research activity. If there are further changes to the framework or policies related to research, faculty will be informed.

Cathy Bruce

(A) Vice President, Research and Innovation

New Research Grant Program

A message from the (A)Vice-President, Research and Innovation

September 7, 2021

Dear Colleagues,                                                                                                                             

As we continue to encourage and celebrate research excellence and impact at Trent University, I am pleased to share information about a Research Grant Incentive Fund that has been established by the Office of Research and Innovation in collaboration with Deans and the Provost and Vice President Academic. 

The focus of the Research Grant Incentive Fund is to encourage and support faculty in their grant proposal writing efforts, in grant capture and in sustained research activity at Trent University. 

Responding to recommendations in the External Review of Research (August 2020), this is an area of our academy that requires further explicit attention and support. The Board of Governors has now approved a new investment in research based on the identified importance of bolstering research endeavours at Trent. There are four categories of activity that will be funded, as described below. Each year the ratio of funds may vary across the categories. 

Category 1: Internal Research Grants

• Internal Research Grants will support the writing of a larger funded NSERC, SSHRC or CIHR research proposal. Maximum funding: $10,000. HQP training will be a focus (e.g., a certain percentage of funding – at least 50% - dedicated to hiring Trent student RAs to help with grant proposals, etc.); clear explanation of how this leads to external grant proposal(s).
• Knowledge Mobilization Grants will stimulate research communication, an essential component of demonstrating capacity for the Tri-Agency proposals. Maximum funding; $5,000. Eligible expenses include travel and hospitality for participants, HQP training for student assistants, costs associated with publication of outcomes from KMb events (e.g., indexing of edited collection, website development, travel for high profile collaborations, social media and media campaigns, policy summaries and recommendations); clear explanation of how this links to future external grant proposal(s) expected.
• Strategic Initiatives Grants will focus on a specific area of identified need or special calls from the Tri-council or other funding bodies to stimulate grant writing and proof-of-concept projects. Maximum funding: $10,000. Proof of concept research projects or pilot projects. A Tri-Agency application within one year of the end of the grant is expected, or significant justification that a Tri-Agency application isn’t possible (e.g., it may be that the pilot work demonstrates that the original idea is not feasible).

Each year, a new theme will be announced. 

Category 2: Additional Strategic Partner Funds 

International Graduate Scholarship 

An additional 11 international Graduate Scholarships for 2021-22 have been assigned through the office of Graduate Studies. 

• Waivers are distributed to programs for allocations determination
• CRC student fee waivers are pre-allocated through Grad Studies

Category 3: Support Programming and Infrastructure

• Support programing for early career academics The Office of Research and Innovation will be coordinating information sessions and encouraging one-to-one appointments to discuss three-to-five-year research plans and grant opportunities, study design and grant eligibility. The Office of Research and Innovation is also implementing a series of grant writer workshops.Sessions are being announced through the Office of Research and Innovation.
• Investment in ensuring animal care facilities are enhanced An intense review process in 2020-21 confirmed that our Animal Care team and facilities continues to meet rigorous standards. New regulations have been issued for some areas of animal care which we must continue to meet in support of researchers at Trent. This involves a fund allocation for required infrastructure and equipment renewals.
• Support programming for mid-career researchers Opportunities for mid-career faculty mentorship and support programming with greater emphasis on one-to-one meetings with Research Facilitators for research program planning and research proposal mapping.

Category 4: Decanal Research Support (to be phased in, beginning 2021)

• Teaching support Preparing a research grant proposal is a significant commitment of time and energy. In order to provide more time for this to occur, there will be an additional investment in marking support for faculty who indicate that they are applying to SSHRC, NSERC or CIHR grants in the applicable term (see memo of August 25, 2021 from deans).
• Course Releases To manage and to execute larger research grants, deans may assign a course release based on a combination and weighting of factors to be further developed (e.g., complexity of grant, number of students and HQP training involved, length of grant, leadership for the grant as a Principal Investigator, balance with teaching and service duties). Releases will be integrated with staffing plans as much as possible for continuity. Activities that may be considered for course releases include 
  • Leading an Alliance grant as PI
  • Lead PI developing (writing) a large CFI application
  • Lead for multi-institutional grants 
  • Lead for Insight or Partnership grants

Next Steps and Timing

The process for applying for the various funding opportunities will be announced in the coming months, both through Tuesday communications from the ORI and posted to this page.

I see great potential for this fund to be a catalyst that furthers the impressive caliber of research at Trent, and that continues to strengthen faculty research and partnerships, ultimately increasing our success in grant capture. With thanks to the Deans and Provost for their collaboration on this initiative, I look forward to seeing the uptake by Trent researchers and the new successes that emerge.

Cathy Bruce

(A) Vice President, Research and Innovation

Safeguarding Research

Learn how to protect yourself and your research effectively

Open and collaborative research is indispensable, however there are inherent risks. It is important to know what the risks are, what you can do to mitigate them, as well as what tools are available to you to help keep yourself and your research safe.

To read more about:

• What are the risks to you and your research
• IT Security Safeguards
• Research Project Specific Safeguards
• Traveling Safeguard Checklist 

Please visit Safeguarding Research on the Information Technology website page!

A reminder when contacting the Office of Research & Innovation with your research services needs:

Research Facilitators | researchsupport@trentu.ca |Grant applications, pre-award questions, agreements, eligibility

Certifications & Compliance | researchintegrity@trentu.ca |Research Ethics Board, Animal Care Committee, research integrity questions

Research Personnel Forms | research@trentu.ca |Research assistants, PDFs

Research Programs | researchprograms@trentu.ca |Canada Research Chair Program, Mitacs, internal grants and awards

Research FAQs:

Where can I get help with my research activity?  

Research Facilitators are hard at work, helping to facilitate research activity in both Peterborough and  Durham. You can email our Research Facilitators at researchsupport@trentu.ca.

I have a question about research ethics, who can I talk to? 

Our Certifications and Compliance Officer, Jamie Muckle, is available to help with questions around research ethics and other aspects of research integrity. Questions like “Does my research require an ethics protocol?” and “I am working on a project that brings together multiple institutions – how does the ethics review work?” 

How do I submit paperwork for hiring or extending research-related personnel? 

We are working with Human Resources on a project to enhance the hiring processes for research-related personnel in 2021. In the current remote work environment, research related personnel hiring forms and amendments can be sent by email to research@trentu.ca. 

Where can I get help with my grant application? 

We are heading into another busy grant application season and we are here to help. Research Facilitators at researchsupport@trentu.ca can address your questions, application reviews, and provide feedback to help you put forth the best application possible.  

Who should I contact with questions about research agreements? 

Support for research agreements is provided by our Research Facilitators. You can contact researchsupport@trentu.ca for help with templates, negotiation, insurance, and other support.  

How can I contact my restricted funds accountant?  

Trent University’s restricted funds accounting team is available to help you with any financial questions related to your research projects, such as eligibility queries, transfers, invoicing and financial reporting.You can contact directly Janin Deason (A-G researcher last name), Kerri Cassalman (H-O researcher last name), Emmalyne Sullivan (P-Z researcher last name), or Tania Dearling. General inquiries can be emailed to researchfinance@trentu.ca

Where can I direct questions about Trent University internal grants and research funding?  

Questions about internal grant programs such as the University Research Grants Program, SSHRC Explore Grants, SSHRC Exchange Grants, and the VPRI Strategic Initiatives fund can be directed to Alex Lawrie.

Where do I go for help with MITACS funding? 

Questions about MITACS programs such as Accelerate, Globalink, and Business Strategy Internship can be sent to Alex Lawrie.