Dr. Kenny Corscadden has been appointed the new Associate Vice President of Research at Lethbridge College. Corscadden joined the college in August 2017 as Dean of the Centre for Technology, Environment and Design. He will continue in that role, while also taking on the AVP Research portfolio.
“Kenny’s enthusiasm, knowledge and vision for where we can build our research activities was apparent and he will be a natural fit,” says Dr. Samantha Lenci, Lethbridge College Vice President Academic and Provost. “This position was necessary as the applied research portfolio at Lethbridge College has increased in size and scope externally over the past year. There are many opportunities and activities that we wish to be a part of, so we need a strategic plan that fits with the overall college’s plan. This will help to propel the already tremendous work done by this team to a national scale.”
In his brief time at Lethbridge College, Corscadden has already made inroads in the campus’ research community. He has advocated for applied research and developed pathways to enhance the student research experience. He undertook an inventory of the college’s research activities and engaged industry with innovative approaches to grow research capacity. And he has represented the college provincially and nationally, including being a key presence on the agriculture and protein supercluster initiatives.
In his new role, Corscadden will collaborate with stakeholders across the institution, in the community and within government to ensure high levels of support for research, innovation and creativity. He will support the work being done by the Centre for Applied Research and Innovation, and he work to expand current and future research through innovation and entrepreneurship. Through relationships with grant facilitators, leadership teams and other staff, Corscadden will strive to increase research opportunities for both students and faculty.
“Research at Lethbridge College is emerging and has the potential to be a driver of economic growth within our region,” says Corscadden. “The college has a small but established research portfolio with an enviable combination of available space, infrastructure, research centres, research chairs and engaged faculty, eager to participate in research activities. I believe there is significant potential for growth across the entire institution.”
Before coming to Lethbridge, Corscadden had proven his abilities as an independent researcher. He has secured more than $1.5 million in funding from a wide range of sources, including the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). He has supervised and trained over 30 post-doctoral fellows, grad students, research assistants, co-op undergraduate students and interns. He has also published more than 40 articles in peer-reviewed journals.
Applied research is an essential component of Lethbridge College’s mandate. Through its diverse applied research initiatives, the college works to establish partnerships with local, national and international communities and nurtures those relationships to benefit students and industry. Lethbridge College is accredited by the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) as well as the Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) – endorsements that recognize the value of research being done on campus and that make government grants available to college employees for major research projects.