Yukon Research Centre
The Yukon Research Centre (YRC) hosts a number of programs and services with the common goal to develop collaborative research, innovation and outreach that meet the needs of northerners.
There are six key programs that operate under the YRC at Yukon College: Cold Climate Innovation, Technology Innovation, Northern Climate Exchange, Science Adventures, Resources and Sustainable Development in the Arctic, and Social Economy Research Network of Northern Canada.
YRC provides a number of services supporting research and innovation. These services include: research funding, laboratory space, support space, a residence for researchers, and logistics support.
Featured Projects & News
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
WHITEHORSE—They say great minds think alike. Later this month, the Cold Climate Innovation Centre (CCIC) at Yukon College is hoping that they’ll think together.
The CCIC is holding an ‘Innovation Think Tank’ on January 23 at 7 p.m. at the Westmark Hotel.
They’re hoping where brains meet brains, great things can come about.
“It’s basically an idea lab,” says Rick Steele, one of the organizers. “We want to hear from people who want to bounce their ideas off other people.”
The CCIC is holding a two-day ‘Research Innovation and Commercialization’ workshop January 23-24, and the think tank is a highlight of the program.
It’s a chance for people with good ideas to come and share them with like-minded inventors, dreamers, and innovators. Participants will be asked to talk about their ideas with others- without fear or favour.
And what is brought up in the room stays in the room- you’re not to take someone else’s idea and run with it, says Steele. You’ll be asked to sign a non-disclosure form before you enter the invitation-only event.
“We call it both full disclosure and non-disclosure,” he says. “It’s probably not the greatest thing to come to if you’re paranoid about sharing a great idea.”
The payoff for sharing? Steele notes that refining concepts and bouncing issues off others makes it more likely an idea will progress.
“You can have 100 per cent of nothing, or a share of something that actually becomes a reality,” he says.
Depending on the success of this month’s event, the think tank might become a regular happening, says Steele. Interested members of the public are now being invited to join.
To participate, you can contact Cold Climate Innovation at YRC.
Cold Climate Innovation is one of six key programs that operate under the Yukon Research Centre at Yukon College. The others are Technology Innovation, Northern Climate ExChange, Science Adventures, Resources and Sustainable Development in the Arctic, and Social Economy Research Network of Northern Canada.
Interested media can contact Kawina Robichaud to line up interviews at krobichaud@yukoncollege.yk.ca
Thursday, January 05, 2012
Cold Climate Innovation and Technology Innovation, of the Yukon Research Center, are hosting a 2-day workshop in Whitehorse, on January 23 and 24. Research, innovation and commercialization projects in the Yukon, and available funding programs, will be showcased in this engaging and thought provoking workshop.
Jan 23 morning: will focus on the Yukon Research Center Data Server. This hands-on session is targeted at researchers who have, use or want Yukon data. The session will highlight the project scope, policies and what is currently on the server. Input on researcher’s needs and suggestions will be welcomed in breakout groups.
Jan 23 afternoon and Jan 24 all day: Speakers from NSERC*, NRC-IRAP*, CanNor*, LookNorth, CICP*, SR&ED* and YBDP* will present how they support research, innovation and commercialization. Throughout the two days, Yukon Research Center’s Cold Climate Innovation and Technology Innovation programs will present examples of their projects in engaging vignettes.
Please register by 5:00pm on January 19th, 2012 for the 2 day workshop.
Monday night: RIC Special Evening Event.
Innovation Think Tank: Where we will Brew Ideas & Distill Products: A lively evening of ideas, innovation and development. Groups, at themed tables, will brainstorm and collectively work on finding innovative solutions to challenges. Participants are encouraged to bring some of their interesting challenges to the session. Refreshments will be made available.
Please register by 5pm on January 19th if you wish to attend this special evening event. Attendance of the 2 day workshop does not register you for the evening event. Participants must register for both events if they want to attend both.
We would like to invite you and your thinking hat to attend!
For more information, please contact us at krobichaud@yukoncollege.yk.ca
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Workshop Program:
Monday Jan. 23rd
8:00 am - 8:30am - Continental Breakfast
8:30 am - 12:00am - Yukon Research Center Data Server workshop
12:00pm -1:00pm - Lunch
1:00pm -4:30pm - Presentations by:
NSERC*
NRC-IRAP*
7:00pm -10:00pm - Special Evening Event: Innovation Think Tank
Tuesday Jan. 24th
8:00 am - 8:30am - Continental Breakfast
8:30 am - 12:00am - Presentations by:
CanNor*
LookNorth
SR&ED*
12:00pm -1:00pm- Lunch
1:00pm -4:30pm - Presentations by:
CICP*
YBDP*
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* NSERC: Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
* NRC-IRAP: National Research Council-Industrial Research Assistance Program
* CanNor: Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
* CICP: Canadian Innovation Commercialization Program
* SR&ED: Scientific Research and Experimental Development, administered by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
* YBDP: Yukon Business Development Program
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Technology Innovation and the College Prep students have built a "green" greenhouse on campus and will have plants growing in the New Year. Take a listen to CBC radio’s coverage to find out more.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
CBC national radio (As It Happens) covers how the City of Whitehorse has adopted the climate change adaptation plan developed by the Northern Climate ExChange at the Yukon Research Centre. Take a listen and scroll to minute 5:40.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Whitehorse –You may know how much fuel your furnace burns in a month- or how much you spend on gas for your car. Now imagine scaling that up to include all the energy used and emissions created by every person, home, business, and vehicle in your community.
That’s the job facing researchers at Yukon Research Centre (YRC) and the Kluane First Nation (KFN) in southwest Yukon.
“It’s actually a lot more complex than the home energy audit most people are used to hearing about,” says Lisa Christensen, the researcher with YRC. “That’s why we call it an ‘energy use and emissions inventory’.”
Working in partnership with the KFN, the inventory will look at the total energy use and emissions generated by the 65 private homes in Destruction Bay and Burwash Landing, as well as all the commercial and government activity taking place in the communities. The study will also try to quantify the emissions associated with land use changes, forestry, the local landfill, and even the sewage system.
The First Nation can then use this information to plan community energy strategies, and measure the success of alternative energy projects or energy conservation efforts.
“The First Nation has a number of renewable energy projects underway and ones they are interested in setting up,” says Christensen. “This kind of inventory can inform and support development of those projects by helping to create a picture of how energy use and emissions may be offset.”
Similar community energy and emission inventories are done in jurisdictions like British Columbia, but this is the first time one has been done at the community scale in Yukon. The YRC is working closely with the Kluane First Nation in planning and implementing the inventory. Researchers will hire a local person to work on the inventory and establish a local committee guide the project to make sure it meets the needs of the communities.
While the report, due in March, will give the First Nation government valuable information it can use to measure projects and plan for the future, it can also help individuals in their energy conservation efforts, says Christensen.
“I think people these days are well aware of climate change and its impacts, and there is a growing awareness of energy security,” she says. “People want to protect their energy security and this is one way of supporting efforts associated with that.”
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Contact:
John Boivin
Media Coordinator, College Relations
Yukon College
867 668 8786
jboivin@yukoncollege.yk.ca
www.yukoncollege.yk.ca
Jacqueline Bedard
Director, College Relations and Int’l
Yukon College
867.456.8619
jbedard@yukoncollege.yk.ca
