Centennial College is receiving $1.5 million in federal funding over the next five years from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) to enhance research and innovation in Canada’s transportation industries. NSERC’s new “Mobilize” grant through their College and Community Innovation program supports applied research activity by public colleges such as Centennial.
Centennial’s submission, titled “Building Capacity for Transportation Innovation,'' focuses on two key areas: low-carbon mobility and aerospace maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO). The grant will also spearhead the research and adoption of emerging technologies such as augmented and virtual reality, additive manufacturing (3D printing) and composite materials used in the aerospace sector to increase aircraft MRO efficiency and cost effectiveness. The activity will take advantage of the state-of-the-art facilities and equipment at Centennial’s Bombardier Centre for Aerospace and Aviation at Downsview Campus.
In the automotive sector, research activities funded through the grant will accelerate the sector’s transition towards electric (EV) and hydrogen-powered vehicles by facilitating the development and commercialization of new EV-related technologies while simultaneously training its future workforce at Centennial’s School of Transportation, which is the largest transportation technology training facility in Canada.
Key to the success of these research activities will be Centennial students: NSERC funding will be used to pay student researchers, which will significantly build research capacity and further Centennial’s outstanding institutional footprint in the transportation sector.