2020 has been a most unusual year for research and scholarship.

Improvising in the face of pandemic challenges, the Brock University research and scholarship community has accomplished impressive feats over the past year, says Vice-President, Research Tim Kenyon.

These achievements are outlined in the 2020 Brock Research Celebration video.

Addendum: Please note that Livianna Tossutti, Faculty of Social Sciences, was lead author of the book Canadian Politics Today: Democracy, Diversity and Good Government, published in March 2020.

“COVID-19 social distancing protocols have prevented us from holding our yearly in-person celebration event,” says Kenyon. “This video aims to capture our many successes and convey congratulations and thanks to all who have made a difference in the world around them through their work.”

In his opening remarks, Brock University President Gervan Fearon says “conducting impactful, life-changing research is an ingrained part of Brock’s culture, and indeed it is part of our identity.”

In the video, Kenyon is joined by Associate Vice-President, Research Michelle McGinn and Director of Research Services Geoffrey Waters, who discuss accomplishments in external and internal funding as well as the attainment of other milestones in various fields.

Institutional research highlights over the past year include:

• A more than double increase in funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) as well as increases in funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
• More than $1.5 million in funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), a 100 per cent increase from last year
• A diversification of research funding sources, where more than 76 per cent of all grants received in 2019 were from sources other than CIHR, SSHRC and NSERC
• Increased investment in the Brock Research Enterprise, totaling over $7 million in 2020, up from $5.9 million in 2019-2020

Regarding Brock’s research funding sources, Research Infosource’s 2020 report, released this month notes Brock has had a 31 per cent increase in Not-for-Profit Research Income from last year’s reporting period. And, Brock’s overall research income grew 5.7 per cent, says the report.

The video also contains recognitions for scores of individual researchers and scholars.

Kenyon says Brock’s research and scholarship successes go well beyond the numbers.

“Your work has uptake and impact, as seen in the steady increases of research publications and other forms of contributions: artistic works and performances, policy shaping, community development, and intellectual property declarations,” he says. “I want to congratulate you and celebrate your achievements.”