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)

On behalf of Christopher Rooney, Director, Office of Research & Innovation

February 2, 2020

I am delighted to announce a new complement of Research Facilitators who have joined the Office of Research & Innovation. The research facilitation team will work collaboratively to support researchers at Trent and will no longer be assigned alphabetically by last name. You can contact a Research Facilitator by emailing researchsupport@trentu.ca. 

Tara Flynn, M.Ed.

Tara has worked in the field of education research for the past 14 years. Over the last several years, as the Director of Research for the Trent Math Education Research Collaborative, Tara oversaw longitudinal studies involving hundreds of teachers, thousands of students, partnerships with other institutions (e.g., OISE), communities (e.g., Curve Lake First Nation) and 10 Ontario school boards. She has been directly involved in writing and editing successful grant applications in the amount of nearly $900,000. Tara has published extensively and is co-author of two books including a methodology handbook on action research for educators.

Sean Lockwood, Ph.D.

Sean is a Classical archaeologist (BA, WLU; MA, McMaster; PhD, University of Cincinnati) who spent many years gaining practical research experience on multidisciplinary projects in Turkey. He also served as a faculty member in the Department of History at Boğaziçi University in Istanbul and in Ancient History and Classics at Trent University. Since 2015 he has been a research administrator, first at the University of New Brunswick, and more recently at Wilfrid Laurier University. At these institutions he has facilitated international research partnerships, overseen the day-to-day administration of a university research centre, and helped researchers raise and manage millions of dollars in funding from federal agencies.

Inna Seviaryna, Ph.D.

Inna holds M.Sc. degree in Biology and Ph.D. in Chemistry. She has worked for several years at the Institute for Diagnostic Imaging Research at the University of Windsor. Inna also has experience outside of the higher education space, having worked with the hi-tech company in the non-destructive evaluation and biomedical ultrasound. Inna has completed the Certificate in Research Administration through the Canadian Association of Research Administrators.

Upcoming Event:

MITACS Accelerate webinar

Mitacs Accelerate supports collaborative research between faculty at academic institutions, a non-academic partner, and a research intern with flexible funding for new collaborations, experiential training for researchers, and a grant starting at $15,000. Faculty and students are encouraged to join us for a MITACS Accelerate Webinar, led by a Mitacs representative with an opportunity to ask questions directly!

Thursday, February 18, 2021, 11:00  am - 12 noon

Join from Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux:

https://trentu.zoom.us/j/94303281509?pwd=WG9WQ1RZRnhka3VuOVJaWGJzYzRWQT09

Passcode: 917878

Or dial by your location:

        +1 647 374 4685 Canada

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!

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.