by John Marris, Community Co-lead, Community Environmental Sustainability (PBTO-HALIB) Hub
A student explains her project to listeners at TCRC’s Community Engagement Forum April 7, 2016. ©Peterborough Examiner
The Trent Community Research Centre (TCRC) presents its annual Celebration of Community Research on March 31, 2017 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Champlain College Great Hall at Trent University. Over 75 students will be presenting research projects they have completed this year in collaboration with local non-profits, arts organizations, government agencies, and other community groups.
Every year, the TCRC connects students at Trent to local organizations in need of original research, providing students with the opportunity to earn academic credit while producing applied research that responds to the needs of the Peterborough community.
“This year, we harnessed the passion and enthusiasm of dozens of Trent students to deliver relevant, valuable research to more than 30 community groups in Peterborough,” says John Marris, executive director of the Trent Community Research Centre. “These students have produced exceptional work that will benefit the community, and we look forward to sharing their projects at our Celebration of Community Research.”
A wide range of community groups will be represented at the event. Students have completed research projects in many academic disciplines for groups as diverse as the New Canadians Centre, the Youth Emergency Shelter, Peterborough GreenUP, Lang Pioneer Village Museum, the Peterborough Police Service, and the Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre.
“Trent University is proud to continue encouraging community-engaged scholarship and experiential learning,” says a Trent spokesperson. “We congratulate all the participating students for completing projects with the potential to generate positive change in the Peterborough community.”
The Celebration’s keynote speaker is Brianna Salmon, executive director of Peterborough GreenUP. Salmon will speak about the value of community-based research in Peterborough. GreenUP has partnered with the TCRC to develop two projects this year, one studying the Harper Creek watershed and the other analyzing active transportation data collected in Peterborough in 2016.
Admission to the Celebration is free and community members are encouraged to attend. The Celebration opens at 9:30 a.m. The keynote address is at 11:30 a.m., and at 12:00 p.m. awards will be presented to outstanding students in the field of community-based research. For more information or to register for free parking, visit www.trentcentre.ca/celebration.