Lambton College has received $6.3-million in funding for three major research centres.
College officials made the announcement Wednesday during a celebration at the Applied Research and Innovation office.
Two separate grants of $2.3-million from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) will establish the Bio-industrial Process Research Centre and the Lambton Energy Research Centre. The college also received $1.7-million for the Centre for Industrial Material Development, funded through the Canada Foundation for Innovation.
Research Infosource recently ranked Lambton College first in Ontario and third in Canada for research activity.
Lambton College President and CEO Judith Morris says it's amazing what the funding has done and will do for the college and the community.
"People see that this college has that level of credibility and want to partner with us," says Morris. "The bio centre is at the research park, the other one which is really the energy focus, that's at the sustainable smart home, and the industrial materials is in the college in our centre of excellence."
Dr. Mehdi Sheikhzadeh, dean of applied research and innovation, says the centres are dedicated to connect faculty researchers and students to industry for potential projects and challenges industry has that they want to overcome.
"We are getting lots of attention and companies coming to us from outside of our region, either provincial or from different parts of Canada, because of the reputation that we have built," says Sheikhzadeh. "And that's the super important thing for the community because they can come to us and potentially they can do projects with us and maybe some of the activity gradually is going to move to Sarnia which is very good benefit for the community."
2016 has been a banner year for Lambton College with a number of funding announcements and the start of construction of a new NOVA Chemicals Health and Research Centre and an Athletics and Fitness Complex.
-With files from Dave Dentinger
