At Wilfrid Laurier University, our tagline “Inspired Research. Real Impact.” guides and reflects the purposeful, collaborative work of Laurier researchers and the tangible effects it has on policy, culture, science, education and local economies.
Research is inherently innovative, but for it to be truly impactful, researchers must lead with imagination, ambition and a changemaking spirit. I am continually impressed by Laurier faculty members and students who pursue knowledge with a genuine desire to address local and global challenges and develop impactful solutions.
While our focus on innovation spans a wide range of disciplines, from neuroscience to supply chain management, social innovation is one of Laurier’s greatest strengths. Social innovation takes many forms, from applying traditional knowledge to employing the latest AI technology.
In Laurier’s Faculty of Education, Assistant Professor Ryan Neepin is helping teachers incorporate Indigenous perspectives into the classroom, while Professor Steve Sider is developing an AI chatbot to help principals support students with complex needs. Jennifer Lavoie, associate professor of Psychology and Criminology, worked alongside clinicians, police trainers and people with lived experience of mental illness to develop the Mental Health Crisis Response (MHCR) Education and Applied Training Program. Police officers participate in immersive virtual reality simulations so they can navigate complex mental health crises before they occur in real life. MHCR training is now mandated for all police officers in Ontario, equipping them to respond to future mental health calls with compassion and care.
Much of Laurier’s innovation happens at a local level, fostering vibrant communities where we live and work. We support the translation of research into practice, including through community-based partnerships. The Laurier Hub for Community Solutions helps organizations find collaborators for their projects, playing matchmaker between the university’s faculty, students and research centres and the broader community.
Regional responses are often the answer to pervasive global issues, such as homelessness. Here in Kitchener-Waterloo, Laurier’s Viessmann Centre for Engagement and Research in Sustainability is partnering with the Social Development Centre Waterloo Region’s Lived Expertise Consultant Group to develop an extreme weather homelessness response plan. The Building Bridges project led by Laurier’s Centre for Research on Security Practices is also rooted in conversation, engaging youth in dialogue to better understand the complexities of homelessness in their communities. At a policy level, Assistant Professor Laura Pin is examining affordable housing strategies and how to manage encampments.
This is the “real impact” that inspires our community and ripples across our campuses. Students are intimately involved at all stages of the research process, equipping them with the skills they need to continue innovating long after graduation – whether as talent in KW’s innovation economy or, as you will read in our profile, by creating their own ventures as social entrepreneurs. With information more accessible than ever, we must do more than convey knowledge to our students. We model the creation, translation and application of ideas for social impact, mentoring and inspiring a generation of future innovators.
