UNews - Research Infosource

Graduate student research highlights strong Research Infosource ranking

trevor.kenney — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 18:23:55 +0000

Graduate student research continues to gain strength at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and that growth is reflected in the latest Research Infosource Canada’s Top 50 Research Universities list.

The rankings consider several measures related to research income, growth and industry partnerships. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s highest individual measure came in the growth of graduate student research, moving from fifth to second overall. ULethbridge, grouped within the undergraduate universities category, ranked seventh overall amongst undergraduate schools in the country.

“Graduate student programming and research opportunities are key areas we continue to support with strategic planning and investment of resources,” says Dr. Dena McMartin, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s vice-president (research). “We are unique in that our undergraduate students have opportunities to become involved in research very early in their academic journey and we have made a concerted effort to continue to develop graduate student research so that we can retain those students in a graduate setting, as well as attract top-tier graduate students from other institutions.”

The recent launch of the i4Geo Institute for Geospatial Inquiry, Instruction and Innovation is just one example of the outstanding graduate student research opportunities available on campus. With graduate degree programs in geography, remote sensing, environmental science, agricultural studies, geographical information science and computer science, there is also a major push to foster entrepreneurship, innovation, business incubation and community outreach through the institute.

ULethbridge also rated well in several other ranking markers, including a second place standing amongst undergraduate schools in International Government Research Income Growth, fourth in Corporate Research Income Growth and fifth in Not-for-Profit Research Income Growth.

“Our researchers continue to cultivate strong relationships with external partners who are looking to solve the biggest issues they are facing today,” adds McMartin. “This ranges from work in agri-business and manufacturing to medicine and health care, and so many more. While funding support rankings and growth measurements serve as snapshots of the great breadth of activities our researchers are involved in, the true measure of the importance of their work is how it is benefiting society and the change it is making daily to individuals in our community and beyond.”

Dr. Jackie Rice, dean of the School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs, says ULethbridge graduate students are keenly interested in addressing society’s most pressing needs.

“We believe in supporting research that has a positive community impact, and many graduate students bring a passion for addressing some problem or issue that hits close to home,” says Rice. “It’s rewarding to see them grow their knowledge and skills and be able to address issues that are impacting all of us in our day-to-day lives.”

The annual ranking report, released today by Research Infosource Ltd., identifies the country’s top research universities in relation to research income and is available here.

Burgeoning research partnerships key factor in driving ULethbridge Research InfoSource ranking

trevor.kenney — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 18:01:52 +0000

A continued focus on strengthening research partnerships and strong performance in federal grant agency support are at the heart of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s 2022 Research Infosource rankings that sees ULethbridge among Canada’s Top 50 Research Universities.

The annual ranking report, released today by Research Infosource Ltd., identifies the country’s top research universities in relation to research income. ULethbridge once again finds itself among the top 50 of all universities in Canada, spurred by a second-place ranking amongst all undergraduate universities in the growth of research income as it relates to industry partnerships.

“The partnerships we have forged in recent years highlight the fact our researchers are helping solve important issues facing small and big businesses, industrial partners, agri-food, tech and many other sectors,” says Dr. Dena McMartin, ULethbridge’s vice-president (research). “We have long excelled in fundamental research, something that continues to earn strong support from our federal granting partners, and more recently garnered the attention of valuable partners who recognize our researchers have answers to issues they need addressed.”

Recent examples include Dr. Michele Konschuh’s work supported by Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR) and potato industry stakeholders. Konschuh, working out of the Department of Biological Sciences, is seeking to understand and mitigate the appearance of blackleg of potato, which can reduce yields by 20 to 25 per cent.

“This is a nearly $1-billion industry in Alberta and is vital to our provincial economy,” says McMartin. “The work of Michele and her team, which includes graduate and undergraduate students, is essential for the agri-food industry and also trains our students for future careers in this field — a further positive impact for society.”

Dr. Robert Sutherland, left, and researchers are pushing Parkinson's disease research forward through a new industry partnership.

Likewise, researchers in the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience have struck a partnership with Gb Sciences, Inc., a leading plant-inspired biopharmaceutical research and development company, completing a dose range study of Gb Sciences’ patent-protected formulations in a rodent model of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Gb Sciences uses cannabinoid-containing therapeutic mixtures for the treatment of PD.

“Gb Sciences is an international company that has recognized the expertise and state-of-the-art methods Dr. Robert Sutherland and his group utilize,” says McMartin. “The partnership enhances the work they are doing in CCBN, offers our researchers exceptional opportunities and pushes PD research forward in the quest to develop these new therapeutics.”

In addition to placing second in Corporate Research Income Growth, ULethbridge also had fourth place standings in the undergraduate tier rankings for research income via the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). A fifth-place standing in research intensity dollars per graduate student also stood out as the university placed 10th overall in ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Research Income amongst all Canadian undergraduate schools.

“Throughout the university there is a dedication to excellence and innovation, as well as a commitment to creating a research environment that provides unparalleled access to both undergraduate and graduate students,” adds McMartin. “Funding support is just one measure of how successful our faculty and their research teams are, and these rankings capture a snapshot of this. A better measure is the impact our research makes on society and the lives that are changed for the better because of the work we are doing.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge maintains top-three standing in latest Research Infosource rankings report

trevor.kenney — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 21:34:32 +0000

Research activities at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge continue to earn accolades from ranking bodies across the country while furthering discovery and innovation across disciplines.

On Thursday, the U of L was named the third ranked university in the Research Universities of the Year Undergraduate classification by Research Infosource Inc. It marks the fourth consecutive year the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has been ranked in the top three (third in 2016 and second in each of 2017 and 2018) and since being named Research ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of the Year in 2012, the U of L has never been ranked outside the top five.

“It is a very exciting time to be involved in research at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge,” says Dr. Erasmus Okine, the U of L’s vice-president (research). “We have just opened the most advanced science and academic research facility in the country and our faculty and students are now beginning to realize the enhanced opportunities before them.”

The Research Infosource rankings formula measures six key indicators, of which the U of L placed second in two, Research Intensity per Graduate Student and Total Number of Publications.

“We’ve made it a focus to increase opportunities for graduate students and they are responding by producing excellent results alongside their faculty mentors,” says Okine, “All the while, we continue to offer an unparalleled undergraduate research experience.”

The consistency with which the U of L has been among the country’s top-rated research universities over a number of years is testament to the culture of innovation that has been created on campus. Research Infosource also released the Spotlight on ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Publication Performance 2013-2017, which shows the U of L second amongst 20 national undergraduate universities in number of health sciences publications created and ninth in natural sciences and engineering publications.

In all, Research Infosource reports that Canada’s Top 50 Research Universities posted combined research income of $7.6 billion in fiscal 2018, a gain of 3.6 per cent over the prior year.

“Fiscal 2018 was a solid year for university research income growth,” says Ron Freedman, CEO of Research Infosource Inc. “Coming on the heels of a decade-high 6.8 per cent increase last fiscal year, this year’s result represents something of a return to form.”

About Research Infosource Inc.
Research Infosource Inc. is Canada's source of R&D intelligence. Drawing from proprietary databases, Research Infosource publishes Canada’s Innovation Leaders, which includes Canada's Top 100 Corporate R&D Spenders, Canada's Top 50 Research Universities, Canada’s Top 40 Research Hospitals and Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges. As well, Research Infosource publishes specialized reports and The Innovation Atlas of Canada™ – a web-based research and innovation mapping and data information product.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge maintains second-place ranking on Research Infosource list

trevor.kenney — Thu, 25 Oct 2018 18:06:11 +0000

Just months shy of opening the premiere science and academic facility in the country, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s reputation as one of Canada’s top research universities has once again been recognized by Research Infosource.

For the second consecutive year, the U of L is ranked second in the Research Universities of the Year Undergraduate classification. It marks the third successive year the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is in the top three and since being named Research ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of the Year in 2012, the U of L has never been ranked outside the top five.

“What I take out of this is a level of consistent excellence from our faculty and the students who work with them in their research pursuits,” says Dr. Erasmus Okine, the U of L’s vice-president (research). “At the heart of being continually recognized and awarded by the country’s funding agencies is the fact that they are doing innovative, relevant work that is solving today’s problems and creating a better quality of life for the people of southern Alberta, Canada and beyond.”

Of the six classifications used in the rankings system, the U of L placed first in two categories, including research intensity per graduate student and total number of publications produced. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ was also second in the publication intensity category.

In total, the combined research income of Canada’s top 50 research universities jumped 6.8 per cent to $7.33 billion in the fiscal 2017 year, the strongest gain in a decade.

“Fiscal 2017 was the best year in a decade for research income growth at Canadian universities,” says Ron Freedman, CEO of Research Infosource. “In fact, the last time research income growth reached 6 per cent was in fiscal 2008. Promised future increases from the federal government should ensure a solid base of research support into the medium term.”

Okine says anticipation for the opening of the new Science & Academic Building in spring 2019 has researchers, faculty and students alike, excited about continuing the momentum of discovery on campus. With interdisciplinary research collaborations a strategic focus of the new facility, even greater research opportunities await.

“I don’t think we will fully appreciate how impactful the new facility is until our researchers are in the building, working alongside their colleagues and utilizing the state-of-the-art labs and equipment that will be available to them,” says Okine. “This is a very exciting time to be engaged in research at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.”

To look at the full rankings, visit the Research Infosource website.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge jumps to second in Research Infosource rankings, leads in graduate student intensity

trevor.kenney — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 18:01:05 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge continues to trend up in the ranking of the country’s top research universities, according to the latest Research InfoSource annual Research Universities of the Year rankings list.

The U of L jumped to second in the country in the 2017 Undergraduate classification, while also maintaining its 34th-place standing in the overall rankings list. It is the third successive year the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has made a gain in the rankings.

“Our faculty are among the best in the world at attracting research dollars to the university and pushing the research envelope,” says U of L Vice-President (Research) Dr. Erasmus Okine. “Their programs are consistently respected by their peers and through ranking mechanisms such as this and the recent MacLean’s rankings. Moreover, the work they are doing significantly impacts our daily lives and improves the quality of life for people throughout southern Alberta, Canada and beyond.”

Prairie universities were highlighted by Research Infosource for combining to beat the national trend in terms of research income growth, while the U of L was singled out for leading all undergraduate universities in research intensity per graduate student.

The U of L led all undergraduate universities in research intensity per graduate student.

“For the second year in a row, Prairie universities turned in performance in excess of the national growth trend,” says Ron Freedman, CEO of Research Infosource Inc. “Four universities blew past the national trend by posting research income growth three or more times the national increase. As well, this year Research Infosource spotlighted university research intensity per graduate student (research income per graduate student enrolled in 2015-2016 at full-service universities). McMaster ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ ($81,100 per student), ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Guelph ($60,100 per student) and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge ($35,800 per student) headed the Medical/Doctoral, Comprehensive and Undergraduate categories respectively.”

In 2012, the U of L was named Research ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of the Year (Undergraduate), and has been consistently among the top five research universities in its class for the last decade.

“What I find impressive is that our faculty are educators first. They bring their research activities into the classroom and subsequently, provide outstanding opportunities for both our undergraduate and graduate students to participate in these programs,” adds Okine.

Looking ahead, Okine is enthused by the continued development of the Destination Project, the new Science and Academic Building, which will open in 2019.

“This new, state-of-the-art facility will create even greater opportunity for our faculty and students, enhance multidisciplinary research, further community outreach initiatives and help the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ as it continues to attract top research minds to campus.”

Research Infosource is Canada’s leading provider of research intelligence for business and higher education. Canada’s Top 50 Research Universities List is released each fall. Using Statistics Canada data and the Canadian ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ R&D Database, the list ranks universities by their research income. Accompanying the Top 50 List each year are Research Universities of the Year rankings based on a balanced scorecard of input, output and impact measures.

To look at the full rankings, visit the Research Infosource website.

U of L continues to move up in Research InfoSource rankings list

trevor.kenney — Mon, 31 Oct 2016 15:54:05 +0000

For the second consecutive year the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has improved its ranking among the country’s elite research universities, moving up one spot in each of the undergraduate and overall categories of Research InfoSource’s annual Research Universities of the Year rankings list.

The U of L jumped to third in the country in the 2016 Undergraduate classification, while also moving up a spot to 34th in the overall rankings.

“These rankings reflect the excellent work of our faculty as they continue to excel in attracting research dollars to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ,” says U of L Vice-President (Research) Dr. Erasmus Okine. “Their research activities are making significant impacts on society, and all the while they are providing outstanding research opportunities for both our graduate and undergraduate students.”

In 2012, the U of L was named the Research ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of the Year (Undergraduate).

“Our faculty are first and foremost outstanding teachers who are dedicated to their work in the classroom,” says Okine. “That they are able to maintain leading research portfolios that are consistently garnering national attention is a testament to their excellence.”

To look at the full rankings, visit the Research Infosource website.

U of L maintains top-three Research Infosource ranking

trevor.kenney — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 18:41:49 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has maintained a top-three ranking among Canadian undergraduate universities in the annual Research Infosource’s Top 50 Research Universities list.

The U of L was ranked first in terms of total number of publications and third in publication intensity.

Last year, the U of L was named Research ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of the Year (Undergraduate Category). Research Infosource indicated that a decline in provincial research funding, as well as reined in corporate funding, contributed to lower scores for all Alberta universities.

“The impact and quality of the research conducted at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge continues to be recognized as among the best in Canada,” says Vice-President (Research) Dr. Dan Weeks. “This impact is felt in our economy and throughout society as a whole, and is of tremendous benefit to our undergraduate and graduate students who are taught by, and work beside, faculty who are leaders their fields.”

Weeks says one of the priorities of the U of L is to ensure that research conducted at the U of L is impactful to external stakeholders and society as a whole. For example, earlier this year, the U of L launched the Community ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Research Exchange (CURE) - an initiative that facilitates the interaction and exchange of ideas between the U of L and the external community.

Research Infosource is Canada’s leading provider of research intelligence for business and higher education. Canada’s Top 50 ResearchUniversities List is released each fall. Using Statistics Canada data and the Canadian ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ R&D Database, the list ranks universities by their research income. Accompanying the Top 50 List each year are Research Universities of the Year rankings based on a balanced scorecard of input, output and impact measures.

UNews - Research Infosource

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