Dr. Kelly Vodden

One of my great pleasures as the associate vice-president of research and graduate studies is to learn about the new discoveries, collaborations and accomplishments of our researchers from day to day.

So much is happening at this campus; I and the rest of our committed team here at the Office of Research and Graduate Studies are thrilled to be able to share news about 2019 projects and accomplishments throughout our campus with you. This report, which follows on the 2016-18 report released last year, presents examples of the excellent work of our researchers.

Let me share some of the highlights. First, a big congratulations to Dr. Rie Croll for her book Shaped by Silence: Stories from the Inmates of the Good Shepherd Laundries and Reformatories, published in 2019 by ISER Books and short listed in 2020 for the Atlantic Book Award for Scholarly Writing, and to Dr. Bonnie White for her Palgrave Macmillan published book The Society for the Oversea Settlement of British Women, 1919-1964. In addition, Grenfell scholars produced 70 academic journal articles, nearly 50 presentations and a range of artistic contributions including exhibitions, theatre performances and productions, poetry, set, costume and lighting design.

Grenfell experienced a 27% increase in research spending between the 2019 and 2020 fiscal years, following an overall growth trend since the 2016 fiscal year. Though the total number of grant applications submitted decreased in 2019-2020, the total value of grant applications increased and we continue to see an increase in higher-value applications. This included submissions to the Ocean Frontier Institute and federal Tri-Councils. As a result, we have seen growth in external funding as our faculty pursue external grants and contracts and become less reliant on internal research funding.

The growing research portfolio at Grenfell is supported by Grenfell's Research Committee the Graduate Studies Working Group and the Research Ethics Board and I thank faculty for their valuable work on these committees.  As well, the Office of Research and Graduate Studies team, has worked tirelessly over the past year to support faculty and graduate students and I thank them for their efforts.

There have been exciting developments in graduate studies, bringing students to our campus who in turn enrich our lives and our scholarship. Our master of science in boreal ecosystem and agricultural sciences and master of arts in environmental policy gain more prestige as our graduates continue their careers in academia or enter the workforce throughout the world. The first master of fine arts students began their programs in the spring of 2019, with three of these already accomplished artist scholars receiving SSHRC doctoral fellowships. As well, proposals for the master of management and the PhD in sustainability science moved through their final stages and were approved in 2020, while proposals for a master of applied geomatics, PhD in boreal ecosystem and agricultural sciences, and master of arts in applied literary studies also took shape.

Finally, Grenfell continues to work with the community in projects that facilitate Newfoundland and Labrador's social and economic development through partnerships with governments, businesses and communities, such as the work you will see in the engaged research section of this report. 

I hope this report provides insight into, and inspiration from, the vibrant research landscape at Grenfell Campus. Please do not hesitate to contact the office with your ideas or feedback. And congratulations and thanks to all of our faculty, staff and students who have enabled us to share their, and in turn our collective successes.

Dr. Kelly Vodden
AVP (Grenfell Campus) Research and Graduate Studies