Executive Summary

Every year, Ryerson University’s Office of the Vice President, Research and Innovation is pleased to highlight the numerous successes of our community across a wide range of scholarly, research and creative activities. For the 2016-17 fiscal year, Ryerson’s overall external research funding reached $47.5 million, a figure achieved through work with 253 research funding partners. The key to our success remains our strong collaborative approach towards solving complex business and societal issues.

This fiscal year saw Ryerson receive $14.6 million in Tri-Council funding and be awarded one new Canada Research Chair. Additionally, Ryerson received $20.7 million in municipal, provincial and federal funding from non-Tri-Council agencies, including Heritage Canada, Public Safety Canada and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment.

Collaboration with industry and community partners has also remained an integral component of Ryerson’s research and innovation strategy, and in 2016-17, Ryerson received $10.7 million from industry, foundations and not-for-profit organizations. Our student researchers are recognized for their funding successes through programs such as the Ontario Centres of Excellence’s Mitacs and TalentEdge.

We have made great strides in the area of knowledge mobilization. Ryerson’s rising research impact is evidenced by a 6.71% increase in academic publications over the previous fiscal year and a 37.7% increase in citations of our faculty’s work over the previous fiscal year. Ryerson also continues to make its mark on the 21st century through new commercial ventures, with 58 invention disclosures, a 16% increase in the number of invention disclosures filed over the previous year. We continue to grow as a central hub for aspiring entrepreneurs to incubate and advance business or product ideas. Through partnerships and programs like the Incubate Innovate Network of Canada (I-INC), RECODE, and the RBC Immigrant, Diversity and Inclusion Project, our community has created 304 full-time jobs, brought more than 204 new products and services to market, and served over 8,000 new customers around the world.

This report also provides an opportunity to congratulate Ryerson’s researchers for the recognitions they have received, including congratulations to a new member of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) and a new member of the RSC College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists. Furthermore, we are pleased to recognize significant Ryerson student scholarly, research and creative achievements.

This report provides an overview of select scholarly, research and creative activities and funding awarded in 2016-17.