Research

TORONTO, Dec. 7, 2009--- The new Network Centre of Excellence (NCE) in Graphics, Animation, and New meDia (GRAND) which recently received $23 million in funding from the federal government will be co-led by Dr. Abby Goodrum, Associate Dean, Scholarly Research and Creative activities in Ryerson Universitys Faculty of Communication & Design (FCAD), and the Velma Rogers Graham Research Chair in News, Media, and Technology. Investigators in the GRAND NCE share a common goal of advancing Canada's global leadership position in new media, animation and games.

Two Ryerson professors, Dr. Catherine Middleton, Canada Research Chair in Communication Technologies in the Information Society, and Dr. Deborah Fels, both from Ryersons Ted Rogers School of Information and Technology Management are participating in the GRAND NCE as principal investigators. Dr. Middleton is also one of five theme leaders. Together with Dr. Goodrum they add expertise in social sciences and humanities, engineering, and business to the disciplinary diversity of researchers in the network. Each will lead her own project as principal investigator, while also collaborating as co-investigators on other projects within the GRAND NCE.

"I am delighted that Ryerson researchers are taking leadership positions in the intellectual direction of the GRAND NCE," said, Dr. Tas Venetsanopoulos, Vice-President, Research and Innovation. "This is yet another confirmation by our peers of Ryerson's expertise in digital media research."

The GRAND NCE is composed of a multidisciplinary, cross-country network of investigators and researchers from 19 Canadian universities working in partnership with industry on 30 projects which explore five themes: New Media Challenges and Opportunities; Games and Interactive Simulation; Animation, Graphics and Imaging; Social, Legal, Economic and Cultural Perspectives; and Enabling Technologies and Methodologies.

Ryerson has long been a leader in the research and production of new media, said Dr. Goodrum, GRAND's Director for Social Sciences and Humanities Research. The depth of Ryerson's participation in the GRAND NCE not only recognizes Ryersons historic leadership, but also positions us to contribute to the future of graphics, animation and new media research and development in exciting ways. A unique strength of the GRAND research program is the synergy between social science researchers, engineering and computer science researchers, artists and designers and media industry professionals who are collaborating on many of the projects.

Researchers in the GRAND NCE will explore, challenge and advance the use of new media through collaborative, multi-disciplinary research, training, innovation and commercialization. As part of the student learning experience offered by the GRAND NCE, undergraduate and graduate student researchers and post doctoral fellows will have the opportunity to visit other labs involved in the collaborative research.

"The GRAND NCE will enable Canadians to take leadership roles in the development of the global digital economy, and will position them to take advantage of opportunities that arise as digital media become ubiquitous," said Dr. Middleton, leader of the New Media Challenges and Opportunities theme.

Dr. Fels, Director of Ryerson's Centre for Learning Technologies, sees the network as an opportunity to work with outstanding researchers in a variety of disciplines across Canada. "This NCE is an exciting initiative on a very grand scale," says Dr. Fels,. "It allows us to expand upon our ongoing research projects and infuse them with new energy and perspective from different disciplines."

The proliferation of social networks and new media represent one of the most significant popular adaptations of computer technology, said Dr. Kellogg Booth, GRANDs scientific director and a professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of British Columbia which is hosting the NCE. This new network will enable research collaborators to address issues and explore opportunities in this fast-growing sector.

GRAND was one of three NCEs announced by the federal government on Dec 1. In 2008, NCEs were responsible for 110 patents, 4,300 papers in refereed journals, and partnerships with more than 1,997 companies, government departments, and agencies, hospitals, universities in Canada and from around the world. For more information on NCEs, please see the NCE funding announcement at: Read more.