Applied Research

7 years of The Social Innovation Lab

7 years of The Social Innovation Lab

It doesn’t feel like seven years have passed. It’s as if it were just yesterday that the Social Innovation Lab became a home for student-led social innovation. Since its opening, it has evolved from a promising idea into a vital hub for social innovation in Canada’s capital.

Over the years, numerous initiatives have emerged from the Lab. Some of our projects include:

  • SLiDE: Our inaugural program, designed to harness the talents of Algonquin College students from the Schools of Media and Design and Advanced Technology, supporting community-based organizations through digital technology.
  • SPEnD: A research initiative focused on exploring the capacity of Canada’s colleges for social procurement and finance, while developing market-driven social enterprises.
  • AWS AI Accelerator Hub: A new initiative aimed at helping local businesses and community organizations adopt cloud and artificial intelligence technologies.

And many more projects have benefited the community in ways we never imagined. This success stems from a simple yet powerful idea: meaningful change happens when students are empowered to lead from the ground up. Rather than relying on top-down innovation, our Lab invites students to become genuine changemakers, working alongside mentors and dedicated community partners.

The Lab has been a home to many interns, and just as much, those interns have made the Lab a part of themselves. It’s a unique experience, one that continues to shape you even after you leave, echoing the impact every intern, mentor and partner has had on our community. At the heart of our mission is a commitment to helping this very community through student creativity and technological knowledge to create lasting social change.

None of this would have been possible without our generous community of supporters, mentors and funders who believed in our mission and walked alongside us every step of the way. As we celebrate this milestone, we eagerly anticipate the innovations still to come. The next chapter will deepen our commitment to student-led innovation, collaboration and meaningful social impact.

Thank you to everyone who has made the past seven years possible.

Interested in becoming part of our next chapter? Explore the Social Innovation Lab projects:

Visit the Social Innovation Lab homepage for more details.

Showcase your work: Contribute to the Algonquin College Research Repository

Applied Research Repository

At Algonquin College, we take pride in scholarly work, research achievements and intellectual contributions of our faculty and employees. To recognize and support these efforts, the library, in collaboration with the Applied Research Office, has established the Algonquin College Research Repository—a digital platform designed to preserve, showcase and provide access to the academic output of our community.

What is the Research Repository?

The Research Repository is more than a storage space—it’s a searchable showcase of the academic, creative and research contributions of Algonquin College’s faculty and employees. Hosted online, it enables faculty and employees to share their work widely, helping to:

  • Highlight the scholarly and research achievements of faculty and employees.
  • Enhance academic visibility and discoverability.
  • Facilitate collaboration with other researchers and institutions.
  • Encourage interdisciplinary collaboration within and outside the College.

What Can Be Submitted?

A wide variety of scholarly and creative works are welcome in the repository. Submissions can include (but are not limited to):

  • Research papers and technical reports.
  • Peer-reviewed journal articles.
  • Conference papers and presentations.
  • Theses and dissertations.
  • Creative works, multimedia and project documentation.
  • Case studies.

Why Contribute?

Participating in the repository offers several key benefits:

  • Increased Discoverability: Your work becomes more visible to colleagues, students and the broader academic and professional community through search engines like Google Scholar.
  • Long-Term Preservation: Ensure your contributions are archived securely and remain accessible over time.
  • Professional Recognition: Strengthen your academic profile with a centralized, citable source of your publications.
  • Institutional Pride: Help demonstrate the breadth and depth of research and innovation happening at Algonquin College.

How to Get Started

Contributing is easy! If you’re a faculty or employees member at Algonquin College, you can submit your research and scholarly output through our simple online submission portal.

To begin:

Please ensure you review the Declaration of Copyright under the Policies section before submitting.

Questions? Contact us at library@algonquincollege.com for support or clarification.

Your research matters—don’t let it stay hidden. Share it. Safeguard it. Celebrate it!

April 2025 Applied Research Day Winners

Applied Research at Algonquin College is proud to announce the winners of the April 2025 Applied Research Day.

Research Achievement Award

The Research Achievement Award recognizes the remarkable research achievements of AC faculty. Browse more Faculty projects with the Research Development Institute here.

Award Winner | Identifying priorities for nursing curriculum about persons with intellectual/developmental disabilities: A Delphi studyRDI Anna

Project Description: Research has indicated a gap in nursing curriculum and competency to care for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Using the results of a scoping review of nursing curriculum about persons with IDD, this Delphi study project will generate recommendations for priority nursing curriculum about persons with IDD.4.

Team Leads: Dr. Anna Don & Dr. Mary Ann Murray
Research Team Members: Sushma Chowdhury, Selam Gessese, Jarrod Mclean, Kim Zappavigna, Daniel Kennedy, Amber Rathwell

Student In-Class Projects Awards

To browse all of the students’ in-class projects, visit the virtual project showcase.

Technology and Software Solutions Category

1st Place | Centre33 Kanata Website Redesign

Centre33 Kanata Website Redesign

Client: Centre33
Professor(s): Sean Sytsma
Program: Interactive Media Design
Student Team Members: Raija Rudiak, Khanh Linh (Lyn) Nguyen, Gian William Ramelb, Akashdeep Singh Bhandari

Check out the project here.

2nd Place | Stars Orthodontics App by PillarStars Orthodontic App by Pillar

Client: Dr. Khaled Sharaf, owner and founder of Stars Orthodontics
Professor(s): Adesh Shah, Adam Robillard
Program: Mobile Application Design and Development
Student Team Members: Wallace Zhao, Annie Thomas, Sandra Abou-Eid, Janine Ann Buenaseda, Hugues Joan Kabagamba Manzi, Reginald Felix

Check out the project here.

3rd Place | Insight 360 SEO ReportingInsight 360 SEO Reporting

Client: Aspire Digital Online
Professor(s): Adesh Shah, Adam Robillard
Program: Mobile Application Design and Development
Student Team Members: Hiu Ming Tse, Hennadii Zaiets, Wong Shing Kwan Terry, Sayed Hashim Jaffar, Brenda Campos Alvarenga, Oyindamola Ajider

Check out the project here.

Multidisciplinary Problem-Solving Category

1st Place (Tied) | Project Investigation of Clay As Construction MaterialInvestigation of Clay As Construction Material

Professor(s): Francesco Tangorra, Laura McHugh
Program: Civil Engineering Technology
Student Team Members: Marco Goguen, Santiago Osorio Alvarez, Barney George Weistche, Nipun Hill

Check out the project here.

1st Place (Tied) | Project Safety Automated Stovetop SystemSafety Automated Stovetop System

Professor(s): Carolyn Lorimer
Program: Electrical Engineering Technology
Student Team Members: April Foster, Kevin Labelle, Cody Pedersen, Val Grant

Check out the project here.

2nd Place (Tied) | Project Investigating Synthetic Lethal Interactions in CIN Genes Using Yeast

Synthetic Dosage Lethality of CIN in Yeast

Professor(s): Maryam Hajikarimlou
Program: Biotechnology Advanced
Student Team Members: Sloane Emmerson, Jeremy Kovacs, Ngo Som Jeanne Abigaïl Grâce

Check out the project here.

2nd Place (Tied) | Project Investigating The Role of RAD7 and RAD16 Genes on UV-Induced DNA Damage Repair in Yeast: A Gene Knockout ApproachInvestigating The Role of RAD7 and RAD16 Genes on UV-Induced DNA Damage Repair in Yeast: A Gene Knockout Approach

Professor(s): Rudy Jones, Maryam Hajikarimlou
Program: Biotechnology Advanced
Student Team Members: Isabela Fernandes Gentil, Chukwubuikem Ezike, Yashkumar Patel

Check out the project here.

3rd Place | Put-in Robot for Inventory ControlPut-in Robot for Inventory Control

Professor(s): Asghar Ali Gill, Kinchitkumar Patel
Program: Electromechanical Engineering Technician
Student Team Members: Amirali Behzad, Ali Abdulzahara, Ouijdane El Khoudri,Vrent Enzo I. Omadto

Check out the project here.

December 2024 Applied Research Student Project Showcase Winners

Applied Research at Algonquin College is proud to announce the winners of December 2024 Applied Research Student Project Showcase.

Bachelor of Science – Nursing Community Project Awards

To browse all of the student Bachelor of Science – Nursing Community Projects, visit the virtual project showcase.

1st Place | Canadian Women’s Heart Health – Campus Based

• Client: Canadian Women's Heart Health Centre • Professor(s): Elizabeth Kacew, RN (EC), MScN, NP-PHC • Program: Bachelor of Science in Nursing • Students: Sabrina Chen (Team Lead), Tianhui (Camille) Cheng, Vanessa Goth, Muna Omar

Client: Canadian Women’s Heart Health Centre
Professor(s): Elizabeth Kacew, RN (EC), MScN, NP-PHC
Program: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Students: Sabrina Chen (Team Lead), Tianhui (Camille) Cheng, Vanessa Goth, Muna Omar

Check out the project here.

2nd Place | Empowering Care: Bridging Knowledge for Carefor Support Workers

• Client: Carefor • Professor(s): Kyla MacGinnis • Program: Bachelor of Science in Nursing • Students: Miriam Bickmore, Lauren Doxey-Allin, Hanan Awell and Shantal Marzouca

Client: Carefor
Professor(s): Kyla MacGinnis
Program: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Students: Miriam Bickmore, Lauren Doxey-Allin, Hanan Awell and Shantal Marzouca

Check out the project here.

3rd Place | Fostering Fall Prevention at Garry J. Armstrong: A Focus on Sustainability

• Client: Ontario Centres for Learning, Research and Innovation in Long-Term Care at Bruyère Health • Professor(s): Sherry Poirier Shelley MacKenzie • Program: Bachelor of Science in Nursing • Students: Nimah Akinwande, Gina Dang, Katelyn McGahey

Client: Ontario Centres for Learning, Research and Innovation in Long-Term Care at Bruyère Health
Professor(s): Sherry Poirier Shelley MacKenzie
Program: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Students: Nimah Akinwande, Gina Dang, Katelyn McGahey

Check out the project here.

Student In-Class Projects Awards

To browse all of the student, visit the virtual project showcase.

1st Place | New Roots New Routes – Exploring Immigrant Experience on Trail

• Client: Sentiers Wakefield Trails • Professor(s): Jed looker Sara hubberstey • Program: Interdisciplinary Studies in Human-Centred Design • Students: Dami Salaudeen, Gaurav Sapkota, Srishti, Swati Nigam

Client: Sentiers Wakefield Trails
Professor(s): Jed looker Sara hubberstey
Program: Interdisciplinary Studies in Human-Centred Design
Students: Dami Salaudeen, Gaurav Sapkota, Srishti, Swati Nigam

Check out the project here.

2nd Place | Exploring Opportunities for Family Engagement with Trails

• Client: Sentiers Wakefield Trails • Professor(s): Jed Looker Sara Hubberstey • Program: Interdisciplinary Studies in Human-Centred Design • Students: Laura Avila, Ivuoma Happiness Otokhine, Mayank Raj, Preethi Sureshkumar

Client: Sentiers Wakefield Trails
Professor(s): Jed Looker Sara Hubberstey
Program: Interdisciplinary Studies in Human-Centred Design
Students: Laura Avila, Ivuoma Happiness Otokhine, Mayank Raj, Preethi Sureshkumar

Check out the project here.

3rd Place | Temperature Prediction based on Time series ML Algorithms

• Client: Stratosfy • Professor(s): Abdullah Kadri Howard Rosenblum • Program: CET - Computer Engineering Technology • Students: Thomas Stanley, Zachery Beavis, Meet Kotadiya, Jeet Damani, Andrew Moses

Client: Stratosfy
Professor(s): Abdullah Kadri Howard Rosenblum
Program: CET – Computer Engineering Technology
Students: Thomas Stanley, Zachery Beavis, Meet Kotadiya, Jeet Damani, Andrew Moses

Check out the project here.

AC Social Innovation Lab receives funding through the Embark Student Foundation

Applied Research is proud to announce that the Embark Student Foundation has awarded a major grant of $400,000 to support the Social Innovation Lab at Algonquin College. This grant will fund the Transdisciplinary Approach to Service Transformation in NEET (TASTE), a long-term initiative to design, pilot and evaluate innovative approaches to reactivate NEET youth to education.

Read the full story here

August 2024 Applied Research Student Project Showcase Winners

Applied Research at Algonquin College is proud to announce the winners of August 2024 Applied Research Student Project Showcase. To browse all of the student projects, visit the virtual project showcase.

1st Place | Connecting Flights: Understanding Passenger Rights and Flight Disruption ExperiencesConnecting Flights: Understanding Passenger Rights and Flight Disruption Experiences

Client: National Research Council – Centre for Air Travel Research
Professor(s): Jed Looker, Raphael Joseph
Program: Interdisciplinary Studies in Human-Centred Design
Student Team Members: Joy Fidelis Ugbong, Revati Hardikar, Abhinav Jain, Mayank Mayank, Albin John Joseph

Check out the project here.

2nd Place (Tied) | Lit 3D Promo VideoLit 3D Promo Video

Client: Lit 3D
Professor(s): Sean Sytsma, Abhay Sharma
Program: Interactive Media Design
Student Team Members: Merrill O’Malley (Lead), David George, Luxshie Vimaleswaran, Ceejay Spencer, Akpieyi Jennifer

Check out the project here.

2nd Place (Tied) | Ajile QC Bot

Ajile QC Bot

Client: Ajile Light Industries
Professor(s): Raymond Greiss, Andrew Dalton
Program: Bachelor of Engineering (Automation and Robotics)
Student Team Members: Michele Lorusso, Josh Balisch, Jack Dewan, Neel Mukherji, Marc Sabourin, Caitlin Jahn, Danielle Galarneau, Michel Akpro

Check out the project here.

3rd Place | Interactive Data to Understand DataInteractive Data to Understand Data

Client: IRCC
Professor(s): Prableen Singh
Program: Business Intelligence System infrastructure
Student Team Members: Vasant Dave, Daniel Idogun, Manpreet Kaur, Amitha Varghese

Check out the project here.

Salo family establishes an endowment for Social Innovation

The Salo family establishes an endowment for Social Innovation at Algonquin College

Applied Research is honoured to share the news that the Salo family has generously donated $50,000 to establish The Salo Family Endowment for Social Innovation at Algonquin College. This endowment will support student interns in the Social Innovation Lab, empowering them to engage in meaningful social innovation projects.

Our deepest appreciation to the Salo family for their generosity enabling Algonquin College learners to have life-changing experiences and make a positive impact in the community.

Read the full story here.

April 2024 Applied Research Day Winners

Applied Research at Algonquin College is proud to announce the winners of April 2024 Applied Research Day.

Research Achievement Award

The Research Achievement Award, which recognizes the remarkable research achievements of AC faculty. To browse more Faculty project with the Research Development Institute here.

Award Winner | Applying Neurovine Concussion Recovery Technology to Support Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence

Research Achievement Award - April 2024

Project Description: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is common among survivors of intimate partner violence, though many remain unaware of their condition and face barriers to medical assistance. The project, aimed at understanding and providing accessible treatment for these injuries, highlighted the pilot testing of Neurovine’s app and sensor band for survivors suffering from mTBI.

Team Leads: Dr. Alyssa Ferns and Dr. Pasan Fernando
Research Team Members: Diana McGlinchey, Zeyu Wan and Anna Van Leeuwen

Student In-Class Projects Awards

To browse all of the student, visit the virtual project showcase.

1st Place | Ingenium Automatic Lighting Display Case

Applied Research Day - 1st Place

Client: Ingenium (Erin Secord)
Professor(s): Carolyn Lorimer, Jim Catton
Program: Electrical Engineering Technology
Student Team Members: Zachary Franks; Kristopher Kshonze; Jacob Malcolmson; Tyler Ross

Check out the project here.

2nd Place | UXD/UID Mobile App Project

Applied Research Day - 2nd Place

Client: Tina Mackey
Professor(s): Sean Sytsma,
Program: Interactive Media Design
Student Team Members: Zarmeen Malik; Vanessa Isabela Denny; Yik Hang (Vicky) Fong; Aiden Famili; Yuka Ishii

Check out the project here.

3rd Place | Inspect This Car Educational/Marketing Videos

Applied Research Day - 3rd Place

Client: Ali Yaqub
Professor(s): Sucheng Lee
Program: Interactive Media Design
Student Team Members: Tanner Green; Dawson Peddie; Thomas Stanton; Nate Smith; Uluhan Orhan; Colin Clothier

Check out the project here.

December 2023 RE/ACTION In-Class Projects Showcase Winners

Applied Research at Algonquin College is proud to announce the winners of December 2023 RE/ACTION In-Class Projects Showcase. To browse all of the projects visit the virtual project showcase.

1st Place | Nutricooks Mobile Application

Client: Jessica-Lee Sidaoui
Professor(s): Abdullah Kadri
Program: Computer Engineering Technology – Computing Science
Students: Team Lead: Ryan Turcotte, Obida Kassif, Will Leveilee, Tanisa Tasneem, Palwinder Kaur

Check out the project here.

2nd Place | Mechanic To You Mobile

Client: Matthew Turner, Christian Castillo
Professor(s): Abdullah Kadri
Program: Computer Engineering Technology – Computing Science
Students: Kyle Thomas, Daniel McCue, Matthew Allen, Sarah Almobarak, Mason Fatoric

3rd Place | First Aid Heroes: Ski Patrol Application

Client: Eric Torunski
Professor(s): Abdullah Kadri
Program: Computer Engineering Technology – Computing Science
Students: Zahi Masarwa, Casey Rankin, Neeraj Bansal, Liam Landers, Suraj Mittal

Check out the project here.

Embracing Tradition and Reconciliation Around the Fire

Pikwakanagan First Nation Cultural Ground

Summer is a time when many people enjoy the great outdoors. For a group of 13 incoming and current Algonquin College students, six days in late August was more than just campfires and starry nights. It was a foundational and transformative time to learn more about truth and reconciliation.

Hosted by the Pembroke Campus, the first Indigenous Cultural Camp took place from Aug. 22-27. Led by an Indigenous cultural teacher and two staff, this deeply profound experiential learning opportunity was initiated by the Applied Research office through the Government of Canada Social Sciences and Human Research Council (SSHRC) grant as part of the college’s Mamiwi Maadaadizi project.

“The Cultural Camp was a very significant and profound time for all with much learning, healing and looking forward,” said Joanne Haskin, Executive Director of Mashkiwizii Manido Foundation, a partner on this project. “The potential for continued immersed learning as we continue the journey of truth and reconciliation must be foundational and the College must continue in these ways to allow for all Indigenous students to know there is a place for them, and for partnership in the journey.”

Haskin and her team also included Elders, Knowledge Keepers and special guests, who worked with participants as they listened, reflected, engaged and thought about ways to act.

Ontario Parks provided access and usage of Foy Provincial Park which allowed for meaningful connection to the land. “This was an impactful experience that touched me spiritually and emotionally. It challenged me to move away from thinking about allyship towards acting in allyship, always with ‘nothing about us without us’ in mind. The College and broader community can expect a more concerted effort from me to move us forward in understanding the truth and pursuing acts of reconciliation. It was my honor to participate, ” said Kate Monahan, a professor at the Pembroke campus.

Activities included a visit to Pikwakanagan First Nation, a Kairos Blanket Exercise and discussions and learnings with special Elders and guests. There was also time for painting, self-reflection and journaling and experience on the land.

Areas of learning were centered around Residential Schools & Sixties Scoop, The Seven Grandfather Teachings, the clan system, self-governance, forestry management and of course, TRC Calls to Action.

Student feedback was incredibly positive. “I cannot express the depth of my gratitude for this experience, for learning about Indigenous culture and for being so changed by being on the land,” said one learner. “This was life changing for me,” said another.

Established in the spring of 2020, the Mamiwi Maadaadizi project was created to advance Indigenization efforts at Pembroke Campus through collaboration with The Circle of Turtle Lodge, Pikwakanagan First Nation and other Indigenous community members. The mandate included identifying best practices for embedding Indigenous Knowledge across Pembroke’s services and academic programming and working towards Reconciliation for all students and community members. Another goal was to examine how to better support Indigenous learner needs and develop learning interventions through a field school and Indigenous-led training.

“In 20 plus years of working in higher education, it has been a while since I have seen such a cohesive, thoughtful, kind group of people gather,” said Brenda Slomka, Algonquin College Program manager, Applied Research. “This was deeply meaningful to witness and be part of. The impact from our SSHRC grant, allowing us to focus on Indigenization within our rural campus has been so important and we are thankful. We are deeply hopeful that this will be the first of many more Cultural Camps to come.”

To read the full report about the Indigenous Culture Camp click this link.