Much of the research that is conducted today relies on partnerships sometimes between academe and not-for-profits or industry, or between academe and various levels of government, or between several agencies and institutions combined. Such research is thought to be of an immediate societal impact insofar as stakeholders of the research outcomes are often involved in research design, implementation, and mobilization of results. That being said, a lot of the research with shorter-term societal impact is still based upon basic or fundamental research.
In OVPRI, we are interested in hearing of your stories of successful research partnerships and how they are communicated. Take for example the work by Dr. David Miller in collaboration with JD Irving (Ltd), and supported by the Natural Sciences and Research Council of Canada. Fundamental research has shown that coniferous trees have fungi growing inside their leaves. These fungi produce toxins to insects and potentially have a protective function against tree diseases. These tri-trophic interactions are likely as diverse as they are subtle. The success of such work could not have been realized without the involvement of a major forestry company like JDI. Do you have similar stories you can communicate? If so, please send the video or blog link to mark_forbes@carleton.ca with the subject line: Carleton research partners.