SPARK: Humber's Research & Innovation Quarterly, Issue 6

RESEARCH FOR A BETTER WORLD

Humber faculty member Lynn Short's researcher journey Humber FMCA’s first AR experience featuring Howie the Hawk Interview with Humber students about their experience in an international hackathon

Humber Press, Office of Research & Innovation (ORI)

Editorial Team

Anju Kakkar, Managing Editor, Humber Press, Research & Innovation

Saran Davaajargal, Editor, Humber Press, Research & Innovation

Editorial Assistants

Esha Rana Janice Saji

Contributors

Lucas Martins Da Costa Cunha

Design Team

Andrea Chan, Graphic Designer, Research & Innovation

Elisabeth Springate, Graphic Designer, Research & Innovation

Felipe Narcizo, Social Media & Mktg Coordinator, Videographer Research & Innovation

Published by Humber Press

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With thanks for the support of our Leadership Team

Ginger Grant, PhD. Dean, Research & Innovation

Dianna Dinevski, PhD. (abd), Associate Dean, Research & Development

Tania Massa, PhD. Associate Dean, Applied Research & Innovation

Did You know ORI stands for Office of Research & Innovation?

SPARK is a quarterly magazine published by Humber Press, Office of Research & Innovation. On request, this document is available in alternate e-formats.

Land Acknowledgement

Humber College is located within the traditional and treaty lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit. Known as Adoobiigok [A-doe-bee-goke], the “Place of the Alders” in Michi Saagiig [Mi-Chee Saw-Geeg] language, the region is uniquely situated along Humber River watershed, which historically provided an integral connection for Anishinaabe [Ah-nish-nah-bay], Haudenosaunee [Hoeden-no-shownee], and Wendat [WineDot] peoples between the Ontario Lakeshore and the Lake Simcoe/Georgian Bay regions. Now home to people of numerous nations, Adoobiigok continues to provide a vital source of interconnection for all.

PHOTO COURTESY OF HUMBER COLLEGE

Welcome to 2023 and a New Year at Humber Research and Innovation

2022 WAS A BUSY YEAR for ORI as we try and follow the directive of “Lead. Transform. Differentiate.” Easy words to say—much harder to do!

So a few updates along those lines. In this issue, you will read some reflections on our participation at ESOMAR. We are the only institution in Canada that has acquired membership in this global qualitative research organization. Usually reserved for industry partnerships only, we forged a relationship to explore how we might collaborate in qualitative consumer research and hope to form a student club shortly. More to come.

We are a finalist in the Canadian Online Publishing Awards! We will be sending our SPARK team to the award ceremony so keep your fingers crossed for us.

We successfully disseminated our research on learning practices at the Academy of Management Teaching and Learning Conference in Seattle as well as the International Scholarship and Learning Conference in Kelowna, BC. We also published a paper on our collaboration with our Global Polytechnic Alliance Partners, Jan Hendrik Roodt and Steve

Henry from Otago Polytechnic in New Zealand and Thomas Iskov and Niels Bjerre Tange, from VIA in Denmark. Our focus underlined that the purpose of Higher Education is to produce learning not just instruction and how that changes the current field of polytechnic education. The current international focus is on Student Centered Learning and Teaching—putting the emphasis on research on how we learn. Our research question was How can we move toward a joint research agenda for delivering professional practice programmes on the basis of our SCLT-review that makes sense both from a comparative perspective and from three, individual, institutional viewpoints? We are continuing to explore the power of student agency through SCLT. Are you interested in getting involved with our group? Come talk to me!

As a result of our ongoing work in faculty development, we were invited to present at the SOTL Commons Conference at Georgia Southern University in February 2023. ORI SoTL research focus differs from reflective teaching in that it not only involves questioning one’s teaching strategy but formally gathering and exploring evidence, identifying learning theory, researching the literature, refining your practice and then finally going public with your ideas in order to make a contribution to the field. This helps grow our reputation at Humber. The holidays are always busy as submissions for 2023 are due—so we have completed our new proposals to the Academy of Management (AoM), Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICAN), Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher

BY JEREMY HYNES ON UNSPLASH

PHOTO

 ADAPTED FROM THE CONNECTED CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK, 2022.

Education (STHLE/SOTL), the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada (ASAC) and the Canadian Association of Research Administrators (CARA).

One new community of practice is called the “Connected Curriculum Framework” and explores how the use of research in your day-to-day teaching practice not only increases student agency in the classroom but increases engagement and learning retention. Based in current research from the University College in London, England—the paper is available in Microsoft teams for you to explore. Using current research allows us to stimulate new creative ideas for enriching learner experience.

We have learned much from the pandemic—mainly that the rules of the game have changed—and that the new rules have yet to be written. Check out our communities of practice and our research workshops and come play with us! It is an open road ahead.

“We are now at a watershed in higher education. We are faced with the need for great change, and we have yet unrealized opportunities for achieving great change.”

NOBEL LAUREATE CARL WIEMAN (2016)

Ginger Grant, PhD. Dean, Office of Research & Innovation

EDITOR’S NOTE

Hello friends,

IT IS THAT TIME OF the year when the buzzword “resolutions” gets passed around. A sense of newness and hope fills our souls. We bid goodbye to yet another year of memories and embrace the unknown ahead of us. A new year also brings with it a frenzy when it comes to goal setting.

A large-scale experiment on New Year’s resolutions, which examined the success rates of different resolutions and investigated ways of increasing the likelihood of a resolution’s success, indicated that “approach-oriented goals” are more successful than “avoidance-oriented goals.”

I will share one of my “approach-oriented goals” with you. Beginning in February 2023, I will set aside a maximum of one hour every working day for six months to complete my autoethnography research paper. You will get an opportunity to read it when my article gets published in the Journal of Innovation in Polytechnic Education.

This issue of SPARK brings you a little bit of everything. First, read about our walk in the Humber Arboretum with researcher Lynn Short and learn about her research study. Next, read articles on how the Faculty of Media & Creative Arts created its first Augmented Reality (AR) experience featuring Humber’s beloved mascot, as well as how Humber students and new members of the Humber Press team approached opportunities for change and innovation. Finally, enjoy our usual section on book recommendations, quips and quotes.

We at the Office of Research & Innovation, including our Dean, Associate Deans, the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning team and the Humber Press team, wish you all continued success and joy in 2023. May this year bring you closer to your loved ones and peers. The quote below is one of my favourites, and I take pleasure in sharing it with you:

“I do not think the measure of a civilization is how tall its buildings of concrete are, but rather how well its people have learned to relate to their environment and fellow man.”

—SUN BEAR, CHIPPEWA

Now it’s your turn. Send me an email at anju.kakkar@ humber.ca and share one of your goals and one of your favourite quotes with me. Let’s hold each other accountable, and let’s make 2023 matter.

In kindness and always with hope, Anju

Kakkar Managing Editor, Humber Press, Research & Innovation Specialist

Anju

PHOTO BY JEREMY HYNES ON UNSPLASH

PHOTO COURTESY OF HUMBER COLLEGE

Holiday Greetings,

AU REVOIR 2022! IT WAS another interesting year managing the ups and downs of lockdowns and the COVID-19 health pandemic. Fortunately, we are in a better place and life is getting somewhat back to normal. It is delightful to have the students back on campus, have in-person meetings and embrace a hybrid work environment.

Our achievements could not have been possible without the incredible work of faculty, staff, students, grant agencies and industry & community partners. In addition, we are grateful for the unwavering support of Ginger Grant, PhD., Dean of Research and Innovation, as well as our Humber executive—Ann Marie Vaughan, President; Gina Antonacci, SVP Academic; and Derek Stockley, AVP, Academic.

Thank you, team Humber, for your dedication in making research at Humber even more successful than last year. Humber researchers are curious, creative, and passionate about effecting social and technological changes in our communities and across Canada.

The holidays are time for family and friends, a time to relax and unwind. Let us be mindful of those less fortunate and be generous with our spirit and kindness. May the New Year bring us health and community.

Bienvenue 2023!

Dianna Dinevski, PhD. (abd) Associate Dean, Research & Development

GINGER GRANT, PHD. ON SCHOLARSHIP AND INNOVATION

By Anju kakkar

What does leadership look like? At Humber’s Office of Research & Innovation, leadership looks like this!

Ginger Grant, PhD., Dean of Research & Innovation, candidly sheds light on “scholarship” and “innovation.” If this doesn’t bring a smile to your face, well…need we say more.

For now, we don’t need to say anything; click on the two videos and enjoy!

SCHOLARSHIP

BY GINGER GRANT, PHD.

In this short video, series Ginger Grant PhD., Dean of Research & Innovation explains how easy it is to do research. In the first video of the series, she makes an analogy between cooking chicken and scholarship! ` https://youtu.be/Rg57t5gbkQ0

WHAT IS INNOVATION BY

GINGER GRANT, PHD.

In this short video series, Ginger Grant PhD., Dean of Research & Innovation explains the process of achieving innovation. ` https://youtu.be/PZ1YB_HQ5aA

INTERESTED IN DIVING INTO THE WORLD OF RESEARCH, BUT NOT SURE WHERE TO START?

The Office of Research & Innovation (ORI) invites faculty to apply for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) funding programs: Seed (an investigation-oriented funding program) and Cultivate (a design-oriented funding program).

These funds create pathways for emerging researchers willing to grow from curiosity in the classroom to crossing boundaries with discovery and application of knowledge in practical applied research opportunities.

Read the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Handbook for complete information. (issuu.com/humber_research/docs/sotlhandbook)

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Handbook

researchprojects@humber.ca humber.ca/research

“IN NATURE, EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED”: LYNN SHORT EXEMPLIFIES THE MINDSET OF A LIFELONG LEARNER AND RESEARCHER

by Saran Davaajargal

Lynn Short’s passion for controlling invasive species literally started in her backyard. Twenty years ago, Lynn began to notice how Phragmites australis (common reed), an invasive species in the North American ecosystem, was blocking the area around her beachfront property in Georgian Bay. To preserve the ecosystem, Lynn started trying different methods to control Phragmites. After a few years of experimentation, Lynn developed the Spading Removal Technique, which weakened Phragmites and restored native species without using herbicides.

Lynn’s passion for controlling invasive species has its roots in her lifelong dedication to protecting and preserving the natural environment. In their original settings, these invasive species might not be harmful; however, when introduced to a new environment, they can become invasive and start causing disturbance to the native species that they are not accustomed to. For example, Phragmites often take over wetlands which are essential for the survival of many plants and animals. Such disruption results in a negative ripple effect for the entire ecosystem. Lynn notes:

— LYNN SHORT

Since discovering the Spading Removal Technique, Lynn has shared it with her neighbours and various local organizations in the wider community. “I’ve travelled to places that I’ve not known before,” says Lynn. Among many of her initiatives, Lynn has worked with EcoSpark, an environmental charity, and the City of Toronto to conduct citizen science research on Phragmites in collaboration with volunteers in Toronto’s parks. In a notable success story, the volunteer team has successfully controlled all the Phragmites found in the Charles Sauriol Conservation Area.

Lynn’s tireless efforts have not gone unnoticed. In 2017, Lynn was awarded the Severn Sound Bob Whittam Environmental Award for her contributions to controlling the spread of Phragmites.

“In nature, everything is connected.”

HUMBER ARBORETUM

PHRAGMITES FEATURE

MAKING FIRE IN THE KELLY KETTLE FOR TEA AND STORYTELLING.

DEDICATION TO SHARING KNOWLEDGE

Connecting with nature and sharing her knowledge are common threads in Lynn’s career. In a recent initiative at Humber, Lynn worked as a Co-Principal Investigator along with Louise Zimanyi, Faculty of Health Sciences & Wellness (FHSW), and CoInvestigators Bora Kim, FHSW, and Lyndsay MacDonald, FHSW, to incorporate the principles of Etuaptmumk/Two-Eyed Seeing (in the Mi'kmaq language) in Humber’s Early Childhood Education curriculum.

By braiding the ways of being, knowing and doing from both Indigenous and nonIndigenous worldviews, Two-Eyed Seeing honours the strengths of the diverse worldviews for the benefit of all. The course takes place within the traditional and treaty lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit, known as Adoobiigok, the “Place of the Alders” outdoors in the Humber Arboretum.

The project team explored how a new Early Childhood Education course in Two-Eyed land-based play and co-learning (ECE 234) engages and impacts the spiritual, emotional, intellectual, and physical realities of the learner and faculty. In partnership with the Maamaawisiiwin Education Research Centre (MERC), the investigators allowed students and faculty the opportunity to voice their experiences to assess the course’s impacts.

The research project was awarded a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning funding from Humber’s Office of Research & Innovation.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KAITLIN BEARD

CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECT

Lynn exemplifies the mindset of a lifelong learner and researcher. In her current role as environmental stewardship specialist, professor of Horticulture in the Faculty of Applied Sciences & Technology and land and culture-based curriculum specialist with Indigenous Education and Engagement, Lynn continues to share her knowledge with the Humber community and beyond. When asked, “Why research?”, Lynn responds:

team restarted the project with renewed enthusiasm and dedication. Lynn notes that being outside and doing research in the Humber Arboretum is an added bonus of her project. Lynn says:

— LYNN SHORT

Lynn’s most recent project is an investigation of various manual strategies for controlling invasive dog strangling vine (DSV) in partnership with the City of Toronto. Some of the main challenges DSV poses are their competition with existing native plant species and their contribution to the inhibition of forest regeneration by choking out tree seedlings. The dense mats of tangled DSV also make it difficult for animals or humans to travel through infested areas. Additionally, due to the similarity of DSV to plants in the milkweed family, monarch butterflies may lay their eggs on DSV by mistake, which can lead to a decline in the endangered population of monarchs.

While initially scheduled to start in 2020, the project has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, the

— LYNN SHORT

As part of the project, the research team is testing different approaches to manual control of DSV in the Humber Arboretum without using herbicides. The project is assisted by three Humber students—Sophia Bearden, Bella McWatch, and Lana Hafez.

The research assistants play an important part in the project by setting up the experimental plots, performing various manual control methods, collecting and analyzing the research data and preparing the project summary report. At the end of the project, the research team will be sharing their findings through various channels.

“I love to know how things work and how they connect. I don’t like to accept a non-answer.”

“Some days, it’s hot. Some days, it’s raining. But every day is a gift.”

PHOTOS BY FELIPE NARCIZO

THE RESEARCH DATA COLLECTION

GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

For Lynn, giving back to her community is a way of living. Whether she is controlling invasive species or educating the next generation of students, Lynn believes in contributing to her community in meaningful ways. Lynn states, “Picking up a piece of garbage is giving back.” She notes that everyone can give back to their community in big and small ways.

Favourite insect: Ambush bugs

Favourite things to do when she is not conducting research: Going for walks, knitting, crocheting and embroidery

Favourite plant to grow indoors when there is not much sunlight: Pothos

TOP: LYNN SHORT EXPLAINS DIFFERENT PLANT SPECIES TO THE HUMBER PRESS TEAM

BOTTOM: RESEARCH ASSISTANT SOPHIA BEARDEN

GET TO KNOW LYNN A LITTLE MORE. HERE ARE THREE THINGS YOU DID NOT KNOW ABOUT HER:

Purple Loosestrife

Did you know that purple loosestrife is not a native plant? Loosestrife used to take over wetlands; however, after much research, it was restored to balance after the introduction of loosestrife beetle larvae and adults which feed exclusively on the purple loosestrife.

Goldenrod

Myth: Many people think they have allergies to goldenrod; however, goldenrods are not the culprits as they are pollinated by insects. The more likely allergen is ragweed which relies on wind for pollination.

Medicine/Teaching Garden

Humber Arboretum Medicine/Teaching Garden is used for Indigenous education. Based on the Four Directions teaching, the garden was created as part of an Introduction to Horticulture program for Indigenous students. The upper structure has seven slats across each of the four directions representing the Seven Grandfather Teachings.

COME WITH US ON OUR WALK THROUGH THE HUMBER ARBORETUM

As the season changes from bright colours of autumn to snow-white winter, let us take a moment to pause and reflect on the beauty that surrounds us. During our walk with Lynn Short, our Humber Press team found much inspiration in the peace and beauty found in nature. In these pages, we invite you to come with us on our walk and get to know a little more about the Humber Arboretum.

Canada Thistle

Canada Thistle is an invasive plant species that has purple flowers and spiny, glossy leaves. Canada Thistle crowds out native plants and reduces the quality of rangelands. Despite its name, it is not a native plant!

Elderberry

Elderberry is an ornamental and a fruit plant, with beautiful flowers and fruits. Elderberry fruits normally mature between mid-August and midSeptember. The berries are excellent food for wildlife!

Dog Strangling Vine

Dog Strangling Vine is an invasive plant in Ontario that can grow up to two metres high. It crowds out native plants and can “strangle” small animals that enter its dense stands.

PHOTOS BY FELIPE NARCIZO, DOG STRANGLING VINE BY ASHOUR REHANA

HUMBER’S FACULTY OF MEDIA & CREATIVE ARTS CREATES ITS FIRST AUGMENTED REALITY EXPERIENCE FEATURING

HOWIE THE HAWK

By Janice Saji

IN TODAY’S EVER-CHANGING TECHNOLOGY AND innovation landscape, Humber College faculty members, students and industry partners continue to meet shifting demands through creativity and collaboration. A prominent example highlighting this commitment is Humber’s Faculty of Media & Creative Arts’ (FMCA) initiatives that integrate the newest technologies in academic settings.

In a recent initiative, FMCA’s faculty and students joined hands with the Office of the Registrar to create the first augmented reality experience for Humber’s beloved mascot, Howie the Hawk. Released in June 2022, the augmented reality experience allows Humber students to celebrate their graduation by capturing videos with a motion capture dance featuring the Hawk.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAVID NEUMANN AND MICHAEL SIMMONS

THE TEAM WORKS ON CREATING THE MOCAP FOR HOWIE THE HAWK.—MICHAEL SIMMONS (FMCA EMERGING TECH TECHNICIAN), CORY AVERY, PROFESSOR IN FMCA AND PROGRAM COORINATOR, TAEJAI HAMILTON, ADAM YEE-STEWART (3D ANIMATION STUDENT)

To learn more about the project, Humber’s Office of Research & Innovation spoke with project lead, Cory Avery, Professor in FMCA and Program Coordinator of Humber’s 3D Animation, Art & Design program; David Neumann, Professor in FMCA; and Adam Yee-Stewart, one of the FMCA students at the forefront of this creation.

BIRTH OF AN IDEA

So, where did it all begin? It all began with a simple idea— make the Hawk dance.

It had never been done before; it would represent an iconic symbol of Humber and be an excellent resource for departments to use in the future. At the end of the day, it was also something everyone could have fun with. With the pandemic taking away traditional college experience from students, especially international students, David thought that using the dancing Hawk during the spring convocation would be an excellent way for them to feel more in touch with their college. With this idea in mind, David started collaborating with Cory and Adam to bring the idea to life. With support from the Office of the Registrar, they were good to begin working on the idea.

David credits the Registrar’s Office for being open to explore emerging technologies for the convocation. Their support helped the team move forward with the project.

STEPPING OUTSIDE COMFORT ZONES

Innovation rarely evolves from within one’s comfort zone. The FMCA project is a testament to this.

David notes that when they were first asked by the Office of the Registrar to create something for convocation, they developed a filter for Instagram. But instead of stopping there, the team decided to go beyond and explore how much further they could take this project. With the Office of the Registrar supporting their vision, the team eventually decided to incorporate motion capture into their project. What started off as a simple idea soon evolved into an innovative creation. Within less than a month, the team worked together to bring the dancing Hawk to life.

3D RENDERING OF HOWIE THE HAWK

David recalls fearing not being able to complete the project by the Spring 2022 convocation due to limited time. Still, the team pulled it off successfully mere days before the

Reflecting on the collaboration, David states:

HUMBER HAWK SCANNING PICTURE —CORY AVERY, PROFESSOR IN FMCA AND PROGRAM COORDINATOR, 3D ANIMATION, ART, AND DESIGN TOP IMAGE: IMAGE OF HAWK BEING RENDERED

ceremony. The Hawk has since been used at Humber’s Fall 2022 Orientation as well as the Fall 2022 convocation ceremony.

“What I love about collaborating with faculty members like Cory is that it is not about if it is possible or not; it is about, ‘How can we make it work?’”

— DAVID NEUMANN, FMCA PROFESSOR

BRINGING RESEARCH TO LIFE

When faced with the possibility of creating something new, Cory’s main thought was to “make it work.” Cory explains that while 3D scanning was something they had done before, this was their first time scanning this particular type of subject. It was a new experience for the team. David says their guiding thoughts while working on the project were to spark curiosity, build confidence, and discover or expand agency on what students and faculty can do with their skill sets. And with technology evolving rapidly, David notes, “It’s important to have faculty members like Cory who are very much not risk averse and are open to trying and exploring new ideas.” Also, having IT support from team members like Michael Simmons, an IT Specialist from the FMCA, was crucial in the success of the project.

So how did an idea revolving around 3D scanning evolve to include motion capture and augmented reality? The answer is: Through collaboration. The project was a direct result of fruitful collaboration between faculty members, researchers, 3D animators, graphic designers, and support staff members.

A HANDS-ON LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Humber students were the backbone of this project. The entire project, from the dance and the poster to the development of the 3D model, was created by the students with support from the faculty and staff. Adam, an FMCA student who closely collaborated with David and Cory, says working on the project provided

him with an opportunity to practice what he was learning in class. Adam notes that being able to work on topics related to his field will help him merge better in the industry and improve his employability skills.

GUELPH-HUMBER KINESIOLOGY

Cory notes the important role the students played in the project. Cory says:

KEEPING THE MOMENTUM GOING

As one project ends, another one begins. Cory is currently pursuing a new venture, this time with Donna O'Brien-Sokic, a professor from the Film & Television Production program. While the project is still in its early stages, the new technology is expected to transform the use of 3D animation in television. In addition, David is in

the process of working on a project that focuses on collaboration between industry and academia.

David notes that success of these projects should also be credited to the FMCA administration, support staff, and students who consistently work together to create a culture of innovation and creativity.

With several exciting projects underway, the FMCA is heading into the new year with a focus on keeping up their innovative momentum.

“It was fun being able to work with other work-study students. It was also interesting to observe their work process and see outside of what I do.”

—ADAM YEE-STEWART, FMCA STUDENT

“The students played an important role in pulling all the elements together and making it a cohesive project. It was a hands-on learning experience for the students.”

— CORY AVERY, FMCA PROFESSOR

STUDENT TAEJAI HAMILTON SPENT A DAY DANCING OUT THE MOVES FEATURED BY THE HAWK.

AT AN INTERNATIONAL HACKATHON, HUMBER STUDENTS USE INNOVATION AND AUTOMATION TO TACKLE HEALTHCARE ISSUES

Two students from Humber’s Electromechanical Engineering Technology program talk about their experience at a hackathon in Germany and the nurse bot they developed there

By Esha Rana and Lucas Cunha

AS THE WORLD NAVIGATES THE third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, communities around the world continue to face numerous social and economic challenges that require innovation, creativity and collaboration. The Office of Research & Innovation (ORI) closely works with Humber’s Centres of Innovation to support research in finding innovative solutions to these challenges by fostering and highlighting partnerships between students, faculty and industry/community partners. Thanks to Temu Moore, project manager at the Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation, we recently met with Mannat Kaur and Daneep Lahl —two students who used their knowledge and creativity at the SICK Solution Hackathon to re-imagine how automation could overcome challenges in the healthcare industry.

Describing itself as a place where “science fiction becomes science fact,” this highly competitive hackathon was hosted by SICK, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of sensors and sensor solutions for industrial automation applications. The 48-hour international competition was held in Waldkirch, southern Germany, in October. Students and start-ups from 16 countries competed, employing their smarts and skills to develop creative solutions to problems faced by different industries.

We sat down with Mannat and Daneep before and after their participation in the hackathon to talk about the project they developed and presented there, what they expected from the event and what they learned from the whole experience. (This interview has been edited for length and clarity.)

COURTESY OF MANNAT KAUR

PHOTO

MANNAT KAUR EXPLAINING THE WHAT AND WHY OF THE NURSE BOT

BEFORE THE HACKATHON

SPARK: How did you learn about the hackathon?

Mannat: It was during my last semester at Humber. I got the opportunity to apply for the competition called SICK Solution Hackathon—SICK is a sensor company with a hub in Germany.

Every year they have a competition, where people come in from around the world to solve an issue, whether an industrial one or from any other area. We have to solve it using whatever new technologies we have access to.

Daneep: I got an email, and I was like, “I'm interested.” I know how to program, and I was involved in many high school robotics competitions. Even in my first year here at Humber, I participated in a robotics competition with

a friend. We competed against the University of Waterloo students for the chance to represent at a world-level competition, and we won that opportunity. But then COVID-19 happened, and I couldn't represent Canada.

SPARK: How was the application process?

Mannat: You have to send SICK a presentation or a video interview showcasing your skills and vision for the hackathon—what you would like to develop, basically. So, I created a YouTube video showing them all the projects I did in college and whatever else I developed during my free time. For example, one of the projects I did was building a humanfollowing robot.

After three weeks, I received an email stating I was selected. I was not expecting it; it was quite a pleasant surprise.

SPARK: How many people were selected? Do you know any of them?

Daneep: Only 114 people were selected in this global competition.

Mannat: They sent us a link to network with people selected for the competition. We get to see how people come from very different backgrounds. Some are still studying at universities, and some have graduated. Some are software

THE ROBOPILINGUIS TEAM AT THE HACKATHON. PICTURED

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:

BACK ROW: SIMON VINKEL, THOMAS THERKELSEN

FRONT ROW: ESTHER ANGELES, MANNAT KAUR, DANEEP LAHL

RIGHT: THE HACKATHON TEAM DISCUSSING AND SHARING EXPERIENCES IN-BETWEEN BUILDING THE NURSE BOT BELOW: SICK SOLUTION HACKATHON

engineers who are working in the industry. It's good to learn how diverse everyone is; they come from around the world.

From Humber, it's just Daneep and me.

SPARK: What kind of project are you planning for the hackathon?

Mannat: The first thing that came to mind is doing something that has a futuristic approach. So, I thought, "Why not create a nurse bot?" When COVID hit the country, there was a shortage of nurses. Hospitals were challenged to deliver primary care to patients, such as providing medicines and keeping track of each patient. So, we thought of building a nurse bot, an intelligent robot that takes care of a patient's basic needs, such as providing medication and collecting data.

Daneep: We're not trying to replace nurses. We're trying to help nurses by providing patients with primary care, such as medication delivery. I know it can sound a bit inhumane to get a robot to talk to a patient in need, but it's better than when patients do not receive attention for long periods of time. The idea is to enable more care for people and free up resources.

Let's say there's a triage for patients—the bot could assess how they're feeling and move them up or down a list, depending on their condition. That could easily be handled by a robot so that the nurse is free to talk to other patients.

SPARK: What are some of the challenges you think this project will present?

Mannat: I think initially people might be very resistant to being treated by robots. If I were a patient, I would prefer human interaction to a robot. That's why we are starting with the basics.

Let's say a patient must be given medication at a particular time. That can be done by a robot. That doesn’t require a nurse to be physically present. So, that way, nurses can focus on patients requiring immediate and undivided attention, thereby adding value and reducing some manual tasks for the nurses.

In the future, if we face a similar nurse shortage, repetitive tasks can be managed by the bot: from giving medicine and conducting regular medical examinations to checking blood pressure, heart rates, etc. If this is automated, people will become familiar with the process over time. Then we can make nurses collaborate with robots. So, the work is not going to be completely automated.

Daneep: Since we only have 48 hours to develop the

solution, I'm going to program a system that could analyze a face and interact with the person. I also have to figure out how to make the voice sound more human.

I’m also considering integrating everything based on the patient's information to supply medication. Also, depending on the patient’s condition, the robot will be programmed to speak in different ways (e.g., tone of voice used).

SPARK: How are you preparing for the hackathon? You also need to pitch your idea to the judges, right?

Daneep: I've been networking with people who are going to the hackathon, trying to build a team that will win the competition. I've been talking to people from the University of Southern Denmark and McMaster University and participants from Germany.

Mannat: I’ve seen that some projects do not have a practical and implementable angle. One could use those solutions, for sure, but they’re not suitable projects that companies would invest in, that’s my opinion. So, we do want to think about the practical side as well.

I'll create a PowerPoint presentation where I will share some facts and surveys that have been done to explain our point of view in healthcare. Then we're going to also create a threeto four-minute video.

At most, it will be a five-to-ten-minute presentation where I'll explain our approach. I'm going to split it into how we got this idea, what we thought, what we built and what can be improved in the project. I’ll also briefly explain our approach for the future. Because there's no way we're going to build everything we want in two days, as it’s just not possible. It's crucial to consider these different things and have a systematic approach.

SPARK: What are you looking forward to in this competition? What are you excited about?

Mannat: Actually, we’re excited about a lot. It's my first experience in a competition like this. I'll get to meet many people with different skills and collaborate with them in a team and present the work. I'm also looking forward to turning my vision into reality using my technical skills. I’m also excited about presenting my idea because I enjoy presenting my creations on stage and putting my thoughts out there.

So yes, I think it's going to be a great learning experience. Regardless of whether we win or not, we're going to meet a lot of people. I'm also very excited about going to Germany because that’s the tech hub these days (even though they're

having an energy crisis). For most of the plastic industry, all the machinery is made there.

Daneep: I’ll get to meet a lot of people. I like entering competitions. Since high school, I've been participating in them; they're a great networking opportunity. So that's why I wanted to take part in the hackathon. Also, it's a chance for me to learn a lot in a very short amount of time.

components. So we had to abandon that part of the plan, along with some other features we wanted to incorporate, so we could finish the project and the pitch in time.

SPARK: What was it like working with your group?

Daneep: We teamed up with two outstanding students, Thomas and Simon, from the University of Denmark. Since Denmark has a lot of robotics companies, the universities there take advantage of that and focus on both hands-on and theoretical learning and training. Both the students were highly skilled.

AFTER THE HACKATHON

SPARK: So, how did the hackathon go?

Mannat: It was great. The exposure to a new environment was fantastic, and it was wonderful to network with people. In just two days, I learned so much, and for that, I’d like to give credit to all the tutors who were there because they know so much and help you with everything that you’re doing.

We were able to implement our vision entirely and develop a solution. We had a working model by the end of the hackathon! We ended up finishing it in 40 to 42 hours. Then we had seven hours to work on the pitch and just celebrate that we finished our project.

Daneep: We were actually close to getting to the finals; we were literally one vote away. One of the judges mistakenly congratulated us, but we knew the result, so we clarified that we didn’t make it.

SPARK: Can you take us through your project?

Mannat: The nurse bot automated monitoring, delivery of medicines and data acquisition. It selected medications based on a timestamp and indicated to the patient that the medication was ready to be taken. After taking them, the patient scanned the barcode on their hand under a camera that I calibrated with one of the tutors and training staff from SICK. The scan generated and sent essential data, including the medication taken, the time it was taken, and the patient’s medical history to the doctors.

Daneep: The project was very close to being finished. I didn't have enough time to program the robot and integrate the AI

Mannat: On the first day, we discussed what we wanted to do for two to three hours. There were a lot of ideas coming in, but we knew we had to think of the time and be practical about what we could achieve. That discussion gave us a vision and allowed us to decide how to divide the work and proceed.

SPARK: How did you prepare for the pitch?

Mannat: The one thing I did to get ready for the pitch was to prepare the presentation in Canada. I knew that after we designed the robot, we wouldn’t have more than three to four hours to work on the presentation. But we finished early, and I added more information in the extra couple of hours. A staff member from NTT Data, one of the sponsors at the competition, liked our idea and offered to give us tips on how to pitch it more effectively. His recommendations helped, and even with the technical difficulties, I was able to wrap up the presentation in four minutes.

SPARK: What kind of difficulties exactly? Any other challenges you faced?

Mannat: We had trouble playing the video that we made of our working model, so we had to change laptops. Eventually, we found a way to go through the footage and were recognized by the vice president of SICK for navigating the situation effectively. His name is Patrick Bornstein, and he posted on LinkedIn that our team had some technical glitches, but we still managed everything and shared our ideas successfully on the stage.

Daneep: One of my tasks was to make sure to fix all the issues that arose at the hackathon and complete the technical undertakings. The Wi-Fi network bandwidth was slightly lower than we expected on the first day. We spoke with the hackathon organizers to get help improving internet speed. It was much improved on the second day.

SPARK: What did you think of Germany and its culture?

Daneep: I liked Germany, but I also did miss Canada a lot.

I'm used to the wide physical spaces we have access to here. Everything's so compact over there.

Mannat: The culture is really great. The people were friendly, and the food was excellent. It was interesting to observe the differences in how people approach work in Germany and North America.

SPARK: What was your biggest takeaway from the event?

Daneep: For me, it's about the people and what I learned. It was an eyeopening experience; I realized that everything is interconnected. Now I'm going to take what I learned and apply it to the robot that I'm building.

—MANNAT KAUR

Mannat: I feel that we try to put ourselves in a box and limit ourselves to where we are. We should always look forward to learning and getting the best out of ourselves.

SPARK: What’s next for you?

Daneep: I'm going to start making a robot again soon using free software called ROS, which is a robotic standard in the industry. Every big robotic company uses it. I'm still trying to decide if I should turn my robot into a mini autonomous forklift or into a lawn mower bot. Either way, the robot will

be able to visualize my entire room. It'll be able to create a map, which will be pretty cool. ROS makes it simple to create these things.

Mannat: I would like to participate in more hackathons because they provide a great learning experience. Also, after gaining some experience in the industry, I'll try to pivot to the software side and learn how to develop an economical product. I’d like to upgrade the nurse bot project we created because I’ve always wanted to do something in healthcare.

I would like to participate in more hackathons because they provide a great learning experience.

PHOTO BY ROBERTO CORTESE ON UNSPLASH

Q&A WITH AUTHORS PUBLISHED IN JIPE RESEARCHER'S CORNER

Researcher’s Corner shines the spotlight on two research studies that have been published in the special issue of the Journal of Innovation in Polytechnic Education (JIPE) in 2022. From exploring learner satisfaction and employability to examining the structuration of feedback in online teaching environment, these research studies address how the learner experience can be improved through and beyond COVID-19.

Read on to learn more about the research studies and the researchers behind them.

Through and Beyond COVID-19, Promoting Whole Person, Lifelong and Lifewide Learning

Research study by Doug Cole and Brendan Coulson explores how learner satisfaction and employability can be improved as the world moves to a position of coexisting with COVID-19

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected what was originally classed as ‘normal’ for everyone across the world and will undoubtedly continue to impact on the everyday lifestyle and well-being of the general public for years to come (Frampton, 2021). All the education sectors were affected, and the polytechnic sector was no exception. As the Government moves through and beyond COVID-19 with an agenda firmly rooted in developing skills, it starts to raise questions around widening participation, not just in terms of entry criteria, but also in terms of institutional readiness to support such diverse groups of learners using tailored whole person pedagogical approaches (Kim et al., 2021; McCoy, 2021).

Furthermore, with the pandemic’s rapid acceleration of automation and ways of working, should the focus just be on skills? (McKinsey and Company, 2020; McKinsey Global Institute, 2020; Shepheard, 2020; The World Economic Forum, 2021). Or should there be a parity of esteem with other aspects and outcomes of whole person learning such as reflective practice, professional identity, attitudes, and behaviours which might be best nurtured and developed through both lifelong and life wide learning? As the world moves to a position of coexisting with COVID-19, could

part of the solution to improving learner satisfaction and employability be through more person-centred programmes of study?

This review paper argues that the solution is one that is achieved by increasing learner agency and creating a tailored study programme that is focused on the knowledge, experience, social and emotional needs of the learner. The long-term success of these approaches that are discussed within this paper are dependent on several factors outlined within the paper, which will require further inquiry.

Read the full article: Through and Beyond COVID-19, Promoting Whole Person, Lifelong and Lifewide Learning

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS RESEARCH TOPIC?

Doug and Brendan: Preparing learners for a complex future world is a global education priority. We believe it is crucial the narrative moves beyond one of focusing on just knowledge and skills alone, and instead adopts a more holistic view of learning, recognizing the importance of other aspects of human development, such as attitude, behaviour and other personal qualities that are all vital in combination, harnessing learning that happens both in and beyond the classroom in life more broadly. We wanted to highlight these key considerations and share how we have sought to integrate this thinking into practice in the development of a new and unique blueprint for Higher Technical Qualifications at Nottingham Trent University.

WHAT NEXT? WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE IMPACT OF THIS RESEARCH STUDY?

Doug and Brendan: Having shared the principles underpinning our thinking in developing a framework for these new qualifications, we hope to share an update in the future in terms of the impact of this work in practice. Capturing both the academic tutors’ and students’ journeys in engaging in these programmes.

WHAT IS/ARE YOUR FAVOURITE BOOK(S)?

Personal, Social, Academic and Career Development in Higher Education (2022) by Arti Kumar

PCET: Learning and Teaching in the post compulsory sector (2019) by Jonathan Tummons

Doug Cole, PhD., is Deputy Director of Employability at Nottingham Trent University, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy with over twelve years industry experience and fifteen years in Higher Education. In 2012 Doug developed a national framework for embedding employability in the curriculum on behalf of the Higher Education Academy, to support institutions in developing graduates with the qualities and characteristics that are vital for success, not only in securing employment and developing a career, but in life more broadly. Doug completed his PhD in learning and teaching for employability in Higher Education in 2020.

Brendan Coulson is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He has over fifteen years of working within Further and Higher Education. He is currently the Head of Technical Education at Nottingham Trent University. His role includes leading the development of higher technical skills-based courses; advising on technical educational policy; and skills pedagogy. His experience encompasses teaching, leadership, educational governance, and research in the Further and Higher Education sectors.

Doug Cole

Brendan Coulson

The Online Condition as a Structuration of Feedback

Research study by Christian

Poulsen

examines the structuration of feedback in online teaching environment

Abstract: This article offers an analysis of codes of a broad spectrum of feedback situations reported during lockdown online teaching. The article will account for findings and provide explanatory frameworks for solid observations on feedback situations in a broad sense; for instance, there was a notion of Online Supervision having a structuring effect that suited many students’ learning; Peer feedback in assigned group work was reported as a central approach to learning at the School and provided the group members with well-being and a sense of belonging; Break-out rooms served as a special occasion for fast peer feedback in randomly assigned groups; and finally, evidence will be provided that Online group work is especially suited for Code script and other disciplines where Screen sharing technology serves as a structuring device.

Read the full article: The Online Condition as a Structuration of Feedback

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS RESEARCH TOPIC?

Christian: My article “The Online Condition as a Structuration of Feedback” is based on research on interviews with more than 2000 students during the second lockdown of Copenhagen School of Design and Technology (KEA). The research showed that although students and educators were not able to meet physically, students had a great focus on feedback on their learning. The context of the lockdown and the steep learning curve of educators doing Online teaching gave a different connotation to feedback, yet still provided immense value to the students’ work.

The open answers of the survey interviews were coded into more than 13000 codes bottom up, thus having no explicit hypothesis. A couple of themes emerged from the data as we went along with the coding. One of the strongest themes was Feedback entailing both Online delivered feedback from the teacher and feedback from peer students. The study showed feedback from the teacher to students being conditioned by the Online media, for worse in terms of intimacy and communicative accuracy, but for better in terms of the feedback being precise, timely and in some cases more frequent. The feedback from peers, especially from the study group was documented to be of high value to support academic and social well-being.

WHAT NEXT? WHAT IS THE PERCEIVED IMPACT OF THIS RESEARCH STUDY?

Christian: The study has changed the way KEA is advising educators on feedback and supervision. A blended approach to supervision, having some supervision sessions Online, is now recommended, especially in coding and other technical and design programmes were share screen possibility is an advantage. Attention is also drawn towards educators and peers giving shorter and more precise feedback. The study also reminded teachers and support functions at KEA about the importance of study groups. Further training in how students give in-group feedback is now encouraged.

WHAT IS/ARE YOUR FAVOURITE BOOK(S)?

Johan Asplund: Det sociala livets elementära former (A Swedish sociological classic, not translated into English).

Pierre Bourdieu; Las estructuras sociales de la economia, Anagrama (shows the great empirical work of Bourdieu).

Christian Poulsen is a PhD. in sociology from Lund university (Sweden) and has studied at Complutense university (Spain). He has during the last 15 years developed educational software, managed learning projects and offered counselling on Blended Learning. He currently holds a position as Learning consultant at KEA Learning Lab.

Christian Poulsen, PhD.

CONNECT WITH US

Does your work focus on the scholarship of teaching & learning? Did you work closely with an industry or community partner? Was it applied research? Was it a social innovation research project? Did you conduct experiments at centres of innovation and/or research labs? Whatever it may be, we want to hear about it.

The Journal of Innovation in Polytechnic Education (JIPE) welcomes research stories and manuscripts from seasoned and emerging researchers from across the polytechnic and community college sectors, both within and outside Canada. Students/research assistants are also encouraged and invited to submit in collaboration with a faculty member/ researcher. JIPE publishes original research papers, review articles, brief reports, book reviews and our “microdissemination” options, innovation spotlights and more. Share your research on JIPE.ca.

REFLECTIONS ON ATTENDING ESOMAR CONGRESS 2022

In the last edition of SPARK, we brought you some photos from the latest conference hosted by ESOMAR, the international organization for market, social and opinion research. Our team from the Office of Research & Innovation represented Humber College at the event which was held from September 18 to 21 at the Sheraton Centre in downtown Toronto.

Now, three of our writers share some of the things they saw, learned and discovered during those four days, when major names and brands in market research, insights and analytics got together to discuss new trends for their industry. Read along to see what they found out.

JEREMY GUTSCHE, CEO OF TREND HUNTER

PHOTO COURTESY OF HUMBER TEAM MEMBER

INTIMIDATED BY INNOVATION? IT’S NOT THAT COMPLICATED!

by Janice Saji

INNOVATION HAS ALWAYS SEEMED DAUNTING to me; and innovators—elite beings belonging to a special species handpicked by a greater power in the universe.

Think about it. A man woke up one day and decided walking wasn’t enough; he now wanted to fly. Little ol’ me would’ve thought he was bonkers, trying to achieve an impossible feat.

But the Wright brothers went ahead and did the impossible— they created a device that let humans fly among the clouds. We went from using candles to being illuminated by light bulbs, from writing letters to video calling our loved ones using smartphones, and from using libraries to creating computers that let us store it all. All of this seems nothing short of witchcraft or a special sort of genius to me.

So, when I was given the opportunity to attend ESOMAR Congress 2022, a conference attended by the leading and emerging innovators in the world, I was understandably a little intimidated. I attended the conference with members of Humber’s Office of Research & Innovation, including Anju Kakkar, IMBB™, the Managing Editor of Humber Press; Dianna Dinevski the Associate Dean of Research & Development; Raeshelle Morris the Innovation Program Manager; Barath Michel the Senior Project Manager; Camila Perez Pena the Strategic Innovation Manager; David Weisz the Director of StoryLab; Saran Davaajargal the Editor; and Felipe Narcizo the Social Media & Marketing Coordinator. I was also accompanied by my fellow research assistants Esha Rana, Lucas Cunha, and Muge Abac.

So, what do I do among innovators and professionals who use terminologies beyond my understanding to come up with these complex ideas?

The answer is: OBSERVE, INTERACT, LEARN.

ESOMAR was an eye-opening experience. It taught me that a driving catalyst for innovation is quite simple and understated. It begins with listening to people and leads to “collecting and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data,” as researchers and innovators like to say. A deeper conversation on what the term “innovation” means led me to learn that when the generation of novel ideas (creativity) leads to creating something new (invention) and creates value by bringing the desired new product/service to the marketplace/community–only then can we call it “innovation.” Read Issue #3 of our quarterly research and innovation magazine SPARK to read an article by Dr. Sharon McIntyre.

Listening to the keynote speakers at the ESOMAR Congress talk about using market research and insights to enhance and create services people want makes me realize that data, data analysis and data analytics are at the core of all innovation.

Holding a hot cup of coffee with one’s bare hands was too inconvenient and dangerous, so a cup sleeve was created. Going to the doctor to dress a wound every time a person scraped their knee or slightly cut their finger while cooking was not possible, so the band-aid was invented.

Every innovation is triggered by someone’s inconvenience or need to make life easier for themselves and others. And identifying these needs through data analysis helps prompt ideas that create tailored products or services.

ESOMAR WAS BRIMMING WITH A FLURRY OF THESE IDEAS.

At the ESOMAR Congress, every business, representative or professional, including the YES group (Young ESOMAR Students), had an idea towards improving data analysis and methods to further improve their understanding of people and their needs.

The presenters taught me that analyzing people and data helped enhance services that people wanted and created those they didn’t know they wanted. The professionals displayed a variety of methods to enhance market research. For example, Christopher Martin’s FlexMR presented their method of using emotional reactions to identify people’s preferences, while German company Epap used consumer receipts to get target audience insights.

THE CENTRAL THEME OF THE CONGRESS WAS, “WHAT IF?”

What an apt theme for a conference hosting professionals who support innovation. Because within those two words, “What If?” lies the crux of all innovations:

x “What if” the impossible was actually possible?

x “What if” there was an instant food-cooling device that contradicted the microwave? It would make baking and storing food convenient.

x “What if” there were sensors that alerted you every time you forgot your keys in the car? It would reduce car thefts by a significant margin.

I was left thinking all one needs to do to awaken the innovator within themselves is to ask, “What if?”

I walked into ESOMAR dreading the thought of innovation and analysis but walked out of it realizing how human these topics are.

Because at the end of the day, there will always be endless possibilities to make life easier. We need to give life to those possibilities by pausing, reflecting and listening to people and learning to use qualitative as much as quantitative tools for data collection, analysis and generating insights.

FROM NERVES TO NETWORKING TO HAPPY ENDING: THE STORY OF MY FIRST CONFERENCE

by Esha Rana

Apprehensive.

That’s how I felt when I learned that the first big thing I’d be doing at my new workplace was interviewing professionals at a conference. And not just any conference, but ESOMAR Congress 2022, the market leader of market research conferences.

“It’s a great opportunity to network,” my boss said, looking meaningfully at us as she gave the brief.

Internally, I wrung my hands and let out something between a sigh and a wail. I don’t think I’m prepared!

“Conference” conjured up pictures of a serious, formalwear event where learned scholars and experts convened to discuss matters of high import using terminology that no outsider or amateur would be able to understand. The added prospect and pressure to get something out of it made me more nervous.

Sternly, I reminded myself that this was a great opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and practice being the competent communicator I aspired to be. So, I adopted the founding value of my new organization as my North Star: research, and, by extension, preparation.

I pulled up the schedule for the Congress on my screen and painstakingly wrote down the sessions I wanted to attend along with their presenters. I looked at their LinkedIn profiles and websites to familiarize myself with their work, so I could at least approach them with a starting talking point if I wanted. I was well aware I might not get the time or opportunity, given how I had to be available to interview at the drop of a hat, but it didn’t hurt to be prepared, right?

By the time the conference rolled around, I felt excited. Of course, there were still a lot of unknown variables, but at the very least, my approach (and my wardrobe) was decided.

We arrived at the venue — the spacious Sheraton Hotel in Downtown Toronto — and sat ourselves down for the inaugural session. It was the first of the three accelerator sessions about asking the right questions. My curious, journalistic side was sitting ramrod straight in the seat.

From there on, it was a whirlwind of talks, interviews, meeting people, having delicious food and topping those up with the generously provided free drinks. After the first session, the first interview, and the first introduction, things didn’t seem so daunting anymore. I had a much more invigorating time than I had anticipated.

WRAPPING UP THE INTERVIEW WITH ANNE-SOPHIE DAMELINCOURT AT ESOMAR CONGRESS 2022

Here are my overarching takeaways from ESOMAR Congress 2022:

BEING CURIOUS IS THE ANTIDOTE TO NERVES

Market research is not my field. I was at ESOMAR purely from a communications perspective. The professionals I interviewed, however, shared different facets of the industry that I found nothing short of interesting.

Anne-Sophie Damelincourt, the founder of Blue Lemon Insight & Strategy, shared how the French market research industry’s Achilles heel was the fact that it was siloed. Annie Petit, Chief Research Officer at E2E Research, gave an excellent example of how Walmart was able to predict pregnancy through a woman’s shopping list when the woman herself was unaware of this. Grant Feller, Chief Storyteller at WeAreStoryMakers, and Leanne

Tomasevic, Managing Director at Truth, emphasized the importance of asking different questions like ‘and what else?’ in your organization. As an outsider to the market research industry, I left almost every conversation thinking, “Fascinating.”

THERE ARE MULTIPLE WAYS TO NETWORK

My first-time conference-attendeeself relied on research to navigate the unknown waters of networking. However, the secret I discovered was a wonderful balance of being prepared, being ready to be surprised and having a solid conversation opener.

A couple of hours of preparation gave me the confidence to approach Grant Feller and learn more about the intersection between journalism and market research. Slipping impromptu in a session about inclusivity in advertising led me to talk to Deepak Varma, Global Neuroscience Insights Executive at Kantar. We had an interesting conversation about immigration, Udaipur vs. Venice and the possibilities of neuroscience. Finally, the fact that I was there to interview people made it easy to go up to them and open with, “Would you be up for sharing your insights and experiences?”

A SUPPORTIVE TEAM MAKES EVERYTHING BETTER

I joined Humber’s Office of Research and Innovation (ORI) 15 days before the conference was held. So, while I was introduced to my colleagues, I hadn’t connected with them. The conference filled in those gaps beautifully.

I observed their interviewing skills in action and picked up helpful cues from

them. Later, the nine of us who were attending all three days sat around a table with plates of spring rolls and our choice of drinks. We shared our conference experiences, got an overview of potential departmental politics and basically talked about anything and everything that came up. Later that night, we attended the gala at Liberty Grand in our elegant best and returned home much later than expected, maxed out on dancing, laughter and the satiating glow of having had a good time with the best people around. Of course, we were back at the venue the following day — fresh-faced, professional and ready for it all over again.

For many, conferences might become taxing or boring. But, for me, the secret to a satisfying time was people. Be it the ones I already knew from the office, or the unfamiliar faces who flew in from different countries to share their experiences — actively interacting with, listening to and learning from people was the throughline that enriched my time at ESOMAR Congress 2022. I’m grateful that my first two weeks at Humber’s Office of Research & Innovation consisted of such a professionally expansive opportunity. Now, if only I could attend next year’s conference in Amsterdam!

BRAVE NEW WORDS

by Lucas Cunha

Almost a hundred years ago, the Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein wrote in his seminal Tractatus LogicoPhilosophicus that, "The limits of my language mean the limits of my world." Wittgenstein was referring to the relationship between language, philosophy and science, but this is an idea that seems to have spread its influence to different parts of our society.

Take, for example, marketing. It can be defined as the way brands and companies push their products or services to their target audiences. In essence, it's how they communicate with us. So, in a world that has seen such drastic changes in such a short span of time (think of how COVID seems somehow both yesterday's news and an everpresent threat) should the language that these same brands and companies use to reach their audiences also change?

And, if so, what does this new language look like?

This was the question Cato Hunt, Fiona McNae, Julius Colwyn, Anouk Bergner and Sui Lai Kang (who all work at Space Doctors, a British consulting firm part of InSites Consulting) decided to tackle in the paper they presented at the latest ESOMAR conference, in September of this year. Entitled New Worlds Need New Words — Why we must

change the language of marketing, the paper (which also mentions the famous Wittgenstein quote) argues that, for instance, “sustainability”, long a go-to word for brands and companies that suddenly noticed the need to talk about issues like climate change, is out. “Regeneration” is in. As they point out, “We need to create a world that restores the natural systems we rely upon for survival.”

They explain how several marketing expressions might hide outdated concepts and ideas that should be dismissed if the brand wishes to keep up with the times. For example, “positioning territory” could be interpreted as “a concept of domination and rule, bringing with it assumptions of conflict and invasion. It is the aggressive language of the colonial ruler; entering a territory to own it, claim it and prevent all others from existing within it.”

In their vision, this change of tone will be accelerated by three sectors of society. Number one is the public —

Facing a world that's rapidly changing, marketing professionals and researchers are arguing that brands should change the way they speak to their audiences

the paper notes how “young people worldwide view the planet’s wellbeing as of greater importance than economic opportunities.” Second comes our debilitated supply chains, ravaged by both war and pandemic. In third place, we have governmental and regulatory bodies, which “are becoming more active in guiding business towards regenerative practices by legislating around impact, investment and integrity.”

Interestingly, the authors also offer a roadmap of how to discard old market-speak and transition into new ways of thinking (and talking) about marketing: instead of “linear mechanisms”, which reeks of the industrial revolution, why not try “holistic process”? Instead of “novel disruption” go for “resilient adaptation.”

In the end, the authors seem to reach a conclusion that barely leaves room for doubts. They believe the need for change is real, urgent and not merely superficial. “Every

PHOTO BY ALEXANDRA ON UNSPLASH

organization will need to find a vocabulary which resonates for them, and which inspires others to use it. If we just move words around at the surface, then we simply greenwash, perpetuating ideas that represent our current failing system.”

They go on to say that, “Instead, we need to change the metaphors and meanings we use, cocreating a different language which helps us embody new assumptions and create new possibility together.”

“Every organization will need to find a vocabulary which resonates for them, and which inspires others to use it. If we just move words around at the surface, then we simply greenwash, perpetuating ideas that represent our current failing system.”

HUMBER COLLEGE TEAM ATTENDING ESOMAR

GLIMPSES FROM THE GCSHE VIRTUAL CONFERENCE

SCREEN SHOT IMAGES PROVIDED BY ESHA RANA

HUMBER COLLEGE PARTICIPATES IN GLOBAL CONFERENCE ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION

by Esha Rana

ON OCTOBER 18, OCTOBER 26 and November 3, The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) organized the Global Conference on Sustainability in Higher Education (GCSHE). Team members from Humber’s Office of Sustainability, Office of Research and Innovation (ORI), Student Wellness and Accessibility Centre (SWAC) and IGNITE student union attended the conference.

Centred around the theme of “The Urgency of Now,” the virtual conference discussed challenges, fallacies and strategies for tackling the climate crisis in the context of higher education.

The conference attendees — all from different departments and with different schedules — digitally convened during the mornings of the conference to discuss the sessions they would be attending. Questions, discussions, reflections and suggestions for further reading flowed freely during the day in-between the talks.

The keynote addresses were particularly thought-provoking. The opening keynote speaker was Tyson Yunkaporta, senior lecturer, Indigenous Knowledges, Deakin University, followed by Peter Kalmus, climate scientist and Dr. Elizabeth Popp Berman, professor of Organizational Studies at University of Michigan. The second day had keynote speeches by Kumi Naidoo, special advisor to the Green Economy Coalition and Dr. April Anson, assistant professor of Public Humanities, San Diego State University. On the final day, Jason Hickel, professor at the Institute for Environmental Science and Technology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona;

—TYSON YUNKAPORTA

Jessica Yinka Thomas, president, B Academics and Director of Business Sustainability Collaborative and Assistant Professor of Practice, North Carolina State University; and Amali Tower, Founder and Executive Director of Climate Refugees, wrapped up the conference’s series of enlightening keynotes.

Speaking about her experience at the conference, Gabi Hentschke, sustainability communications and engagement coordinator at Humber’s Office of Sustainability, said: “This was my first time attending the GCSHE. The mix of keynotes and presentations from post-secondary staff/students in the conference programming kept me inspired, connected to other institutions through shared values, and motivated to grow Humber’s sustainability events and initiatives. One of my many takeaways from the conference is the importance of addressing climate change and sustainability topics with a creative and action-oriented approach, since pessimism can be overwhelming and paralyze us. A quote from Tyson Yunkaporta’s keynote address really resonated with me: “Sustainability means moving into what will be, and not holding onto what was.” It reflects Humber’s values of innovation and courage in a very succinct manner.

“Sustainability means moving into what will be, and not holding onto what was.”

DEVELOP YOUR SPARK

WHAT’S ON OUR BOOKSHELVES

Title: Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?

Author: Seth Godin

Recommended by: Seyed-Youns Sadat-Nejad

About: This lifechanging manifesto shows how you have the potential to make a huge difference wherever you are. There used to be two teams in every workplace: management and labor. Now there's a third team, the linchpins. These people figure out what to do when there's no rule book. They delight and challenge their customers and peers. They love their work, pour their best selves into it, and turn each day into a kind of art.

Title: Educated: A memoir

Author: Tara Westover

Recommended by: Mary Lee

About: Tara Westover was seventeen when she first set foot in a classroom. Instead of traditional lessons, she grew up learning how to stew herbs into medicine, scavenging in the family scrap yard and helping her family prepare for the apocalypse. She had no birth certificate and no medical records and had never been enrolled in school.

Title: Gone Girl

Author: Gillian Flynn

Recommended by: Hamid Dehkordi

About: On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge.

Title: Hitting the Brakes: Engineering Design and the Production of Knowledge

Author: Ann Johnson

Recommended by: Sherif Hanna

About: In Hitting the Brakes, Ann Johnson illuminates the complex social, historical, and cultural dynamics of engineering design, in which knowledge communities come together to produce new products and knowledge. Using the development of antilock braking systems for passenger cars as a case study, Johnson shows that the path to invention is neither linear nor top-down, but highly complicated and unpredictable.

“If you lose the power to laugh, you lose the power to think.”

—CLARENCE DARROW

PHOTO BY DAN COOK ON UNSPLASH

QUIPS AND QUOTES

The

You can’t solve a problem on the same level that it was created. You have to rise above it to the next level.

Innovation is seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought.

When the winds of change blow, some people build walls and others build windmills.

chinese proverb

There is no innovation and creativity without failure. Period.

The secret to being wrong isn't to avoid being wrong! The secret is being willing to be wrong. The secret is realizing that wrong isn't fatal.

Seth Godin

skill I was learning was a crucial one, the patience to read things I could not yet understand.

Tara Westover

Albert Einstein

Albert Szent- Györgyi

If I had asked the public what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse.

Henry Ford

Brené Brown

PHOTO: UNSPLASH/ANDREJ LIŠAKOV

CONGRATULATIONS TO INNOVATION 360 BLACK BELTS

Congratulations to the Humber Office of Research & Innovation (ORI) team members who received their Black Belt IMBB Innovation Management™ certification from Innovation 360 Group: Anju Kakkar, Managing Editor, Humber Press, and Research & Innovation Specialist, ORI; Barath Roy Michel, Senior Project Manager, ORI; Camila Perez Peña, Strategic Innovation Manager, ORI; and Raeshelle Morris-Griffith, Innovation Program Manager, ORI. Dr. Ginger Grant, Dean, Research & Innovation, is now joined by the recent IMBB™ Licensed Practitioners. Dr. Grant is an Innovation360 Black Belt 2nd Dan Master Trainer.

HUMBER COLLEGE IS THE ONLY designated Canadian education provider of Innovation360 Group, which helps organizations become innovation ready through a data-driven methodology and a suite of tools for innovation management. It is the world’s largest framework and tool suite for online analysis, design, implementation, and execution of innovation management in any organization.

Humber has a growing number of certified innovation Licensed Practitioners (LPs)— Innovation360 four-level accreditations: Basic, Yellow Belt, Green Belt and Black Belt–in numerous functional areas who can conduct innovation assessments and analyses. Accreditation provides the global community of Licensed Practitioners with the training, tools, templates and support they need to succeed as innovation management experts. Innovation LPs are currently working with organizations in several sectors, including fintech, real estate, brokerage, government, education, healthcare and financial services, to measure their baseline innovation capacity.

The Innovation360 framework develops data analytics, data storytelling skills, and 21stcentury employability skills, including critical thinking, collaboration, and communication, which work towards developing career-ready citizens. This emboldens Humber on its mission to lead, transform and differentiate by improving Humber’s internal capacity to innovate and build innovation capability with students and partners.

INNOVATION360 TOOLKIT

1. InnoSurvey®: The only tool that assesses the effectiveness of an organization’s innovation strategy.

2. Ideation360: An ideation software that allows organizations to collect, cluster and link ideas to strategic initiatives to help them solve any problem within six to ten weeks.

3. PESTLED360: A strategy tool which helps organizations understand their external context and the global key drivers impacting their organization.

4. Scenario360: A strategy tool that collects the input from PESTLED360 to help identify a specific set of uncertainties and different “realities” of what might happen in an organization’s future.

ABOUT INNOVATION 360 GROUP®

Innovation 360 Group's mission is to help organizations all over the world to assess and strengthen their innovation capabilities for sustainable growth and profits. Innovation 360 Group helps organizations sharpen their innovation capabilities, generate and re-innovate their value propositions as well as speed up their global go-to-market projects through innovative strategy, business and organizational development. This is done by means of research-based innovation assessments and interactive online tools, based on Innovation 360's global innovation database and research in the innovation arena. Innovation 360 has sites in Stockholm, New York, Toronto and Sydney. Find out more about Innovation 360.

Article References

Editor’s Note

Oscarsson, M., Carlbring, P., Andersson, G., & Rozental, A. (2020). A large-scale experiment on New Year’s resolutions: Approach-oriented goals are more successful than avoidance-oriented goals. PloS one, 15(12), e0234097. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0234097

“In nature, everything is connected”: Lynn Short exemplifies the mindset of a lifelong learner and researcher

City of Toronto. (n.d.). Humber Arboretum. https://www.toronto.ca/data/ parks/prd/facilities/complex/1955/index.html

Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative. (n.d.). Management Techniques. https://www.greatlakesphragmites.net/management/techniques/

At an international hackathon, Humber students use innovation and automation to tackle healthcare issues

Daneep Lahl. [LinkedIn page]. https://www.linkedin.com/in/daneep-lahl8847b21a2/

Mannat Kaur. [LinkedIn page]. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mannat-kaurb4725119b/

Temu Moore. [LinkedIn page]. https://ca.linkedin.com/in/temumoore Researcher’s

Corner

Cole, D. & Coulson, B. (2022). Through and Beyond COVID-19, Promoting Whole Person, Lifelong and Lifewide Learning. Journal of Innovation in Polytechnic Education, 4 (1), 81-90. https://jipe.ca/index.php/jipe/ issue/view/5/6/81

Journal of Innovation in Polytechnic Education. https://jipe.ca Poulsen, C. (2022). The Online Condition as a Structuration of Feedback. Journal of Innovation in Polytechnic Education, 4 (1), 62-67. https:// jipe.ca/index.php/jipe/issue/view/5/6/62

Innovation 360 Black Belt IMBB Innovation Management™

Innovation 360 Group®. www.innovation360.com. Events

ESOMAR. https://esomar.org/ ESOMAR. (2022). YES Awards. https://esomar.org/initiatives/yes-awards Humber College. (2018). Lead, Transform, Differentiate: 2018-2023 Strategic Plan. https://humber.ca/strategic-plan/ McIntyre, Sharon. (2022, April 8). Real Artists Ship—So Do Real Innovators. Humber Press. https://issuu.com/humber_research/ docs/spark-issue003_83e3665646dfc4/9

McNae, F., Hunt, C., Colwyn, J., Bergner, A., & King, S. L. (2022). New Worlds Need New Words: Why we must change the language of marketing. ESOMAR Congress 2022: Conference Papers, 1(1), 351–369.

MINDFULNESS@ HUMBER SESSIONS

Humber College’s Office of Research & Innovation is proud to support initiatives that promote a healthy and inclusive community—one of the three pillars of Humber’s 2018-2023 Strategic Plan.

Examples of Humber’s initiatives that benefit health and wellness are mindfulness sessions and workshops. Studies show mindfulness helps to reduce stress and anxiety, and these sessions make it easier to include more mindful moments in your day.

ORI’s very own Anju Kakkar, Managing Editor, Humber Press, led several mindfulness sessions in November and December 2022 as part of the Mindfulness@Humber series. Stay tuned for more sessions from Anju in 2023!

If you are a Humber or University of Guelph-Humber employee, you can register for the Introduction to Mindfulness workshop taking place on Thursday, January 26, 2023.

Humber’s Centre for Innovation in Health and Wellness (CIHW) also offers virtual and in-person Mindfulness@ Humber sessions to all members of the Humber community (staff, faculty and students) throughout the semester. Mindfulness@Humber is offered through CIHW in collaboration with Student Wellness & Accessibility Centre and Human Resources & Organizational Effectiveness. Please contact the Centre for Healthy Living at CHL@humber.ca to learn more.

Students, are you interested in contributing to an upcoming issue of SPARK?

What is SPARK?

SPARK is Humber’s research and innovation quarterly magazine published by Humber Press, Office of Research & Innovation (ORI). Through SPARK, we shed light on and celebrate Humber’s growing community of research rock stars, faculty, researchers, employees, student researchers, and innovators. SPARK aims to demystify innovation and make research accessible and approachable through the art of creative storytelling.

SPARK ’s content is aligned with government priorities, including career-focused education, Canada’s innovation economy and closing the skills gap. SPARK aims to be at the forefront of communicating the importance of an inclusive and diverse research culture that reflects Humber’s values of courage, innovation, equity, health & well-being and sustainability.

SPARK highlights research projects in five main areas: social innovation; sustainable architecture; system integration; UX experience; and the Internet of Things (IoT).

From the latest news on North America’s first BroadcastBroadband Convergence B2C Lab at Humber to new developments in research funding to spotlights on Rock Star Researchers, SPARK features stories of exploration, innovation and collaboration.

Read the latest SPARK issue on the Humber Press website: https://humberpress.com/spark

Three Prompts

(You must respond to all):

1. What does the word “research” mean to you? If you had all the resources you needed (e.g., time, money), what topic would you conduct research on?

2. What does the word “innovation” mean to you? Who is your favourite innovator and why?

3. Favourite book(s) and one favourite quote?

Interested in being featured in SPARK?

 Simply answer the following three (3) prompt questions (below). Please limit each answer to 100 words max.

 Ensure your submission is copyedited and proofread.

 To indicate your agreement for Humber Press to publish your submission, please e-sign the short consent (https://ncv.microsoft.com/AjolRiwYFU) form.

 Share your profile pic (must be hi-resolution) and your LinkedIn address.

 Assign one team member to collect all the above details in a folder in OneDrive.

 Share the final submissions with Humber Press via humberpress@humber.ca

 Humber Press will publish your submissions in one of the first two issues of 2023.

What is the digital footprint of ORI?

Increasing awareness of the value and impact of Humber’s research activities is one of the core objectives of Humber’s Office of Research & Innovation (ORI). The ORI website has recently been refreshed to improve the user experience, featuring an up-to-date list of current grants, ways for stakeholders to get involved, and a list of upcoming workshops and events.

Analytics as of March 31, 2022:

Read all about the workshops in our feature article from SPARK Issue #2 (issuu.com/humber_research/docs/ spark-issue002-rev/12).

SOCIAL MEDIA

Season's Greetings & Happy New Year!

From all of us at the Office of Research & Innovation, we wish you a happy holiday season and a successful new year!

Tell us what SPARK means to you. If you have an idea or experience you’d love to share, let us know. Reach out to us at humberpress@humber.ca .

Check out all our latest news and publications!

linktr.ee/Humber_Research

Humber SPARK is … a The feeling of discovery a A desire to innovate a Igniting a passion for transformation a Ideas that inspire a Answering “what if?” a Pushing boundaries a A collaborative experience a Solving the unsolvable a Leading in curiosity a Freedom of exploration a Endless possibilities a Empowerment a Where critical thinking meets creativity a Evolution a Courage in the face of failure a Disseminating knowledge a Building a research culture a Supporting emerging and experienced researchers a Sharing research outcomes humber.ca/research