Increasing Canada's Capacity to Innovate Using Digital Technologies: Ryerson University's Response

Summary

Increasing Canada's Capacity to Innovate Using Digital Technologies:
Ryerson University's Response

Shaping Canada's digital future is a task that involves nearly every segment of our society. The Government of Canada is therefore seeking advice from a broad cross–section of Canadians on the critical elements of a multi–year digital economy strategy.

In this contribution to the Digital Economy Consultation process, Ryerson University is responding specifically to section 1 of the consultation paper: Capacity to Innovate Using Digital Technologies.

Ryerson' submission endorses the principle that "Enhancing our productivity and capacity to innovate is of paramount importance in today's increasingly digital world." We believe strongly that supporting the development and adoption of digital technologies across the economy will ensure Canada is innovative, productive, and competitive on the global level.

Digital innovation and commercialization that respond directly to the market's needs: this is the hallmark of a powerful digital economy strategy. The foundation of Ryerson's submission therefore rests on ensuring that policies and mechanisms are in place to empower universities, colleges, research institutions, and businesses to work more closely together in order to conduct and commercialize innovative digital media research. Social and economic prosperity will arise when digital innovations move seamlessly from labs to marketplaces.

Accomplishing these goals requires strategic partnerships between post-secondary institutions and the private sector that are focused on digital innovation (as distinct from invention). The key to such partnerships is the combining of entrepreneurial faculty members and students with small and medium–size enterprises (SMEs) — the main drivers of wealth creation in Canada and abroad — that have vested interests in digital technology commercialization.

Ryerson therefore offers two main recommendations:

• Combine the strengths of Canada's three research–funding agencies in order to support explicitly transdisciplinary digital media innovation and commercialization ventures.
• Conduct a two–year proof–of–concept pilot study (the start up funded by Ryerson and located in our Digital Media Zone) that would provide the basis for a government–supported extension of the model at three other universities the following year.

In preparing this submission, we had the benefit of the collective experience and insight of numerous Ryerson faculty members who are engaged in transdisciplinary digital media research and commercialization. These leaders stand ready to work with the Government of Canada to shape a multi–year digital economy strategy that is in the interest of all Canadians.

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Submission

July 9, 2010

Executive Summary

In this contribution to the Digital Economy Consultation process, Ryerson University is responding specifically to section 1 of the consultation paper Capacity to Innovate Using Digital Technologies.

Ryerson' submission endorses the principle that "Enhancing our productivity and capacity to innovate is of paramount importance in today's increasingly digital world." We believe strongly that supporting the development and adoption of digital technologies across the economy will ensure Canada is innovative, productive and competitive on the global level.

Digital innovation and commercialization that respond directly to the market's needs is the hallmark of a powerful digital economy strategy. The foundation of Ryerson's submission therefore rests on ensuring that policies and mechanisms are in place to empower universities, colleges, research institutions and businesses to work more closely together in order to conduct and commercialize innovative digital media research. Social and economic prosperity will arise when digital innovations move seamlessly from labs to marketplaces.

Accomplishing these goals requires strategic partnerships between post-secondary institutions and the private sector that are focused on digital innovation (as distinct from invention). The key to such partnerships is the combining of entrepreneurial faculty members and students with small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) - the main drivers of wealth creation in Canada and abroad - that have vested interests in digital technology commercialization.

Ryerson therefore offers two main recommendations:

• Combine the strengths of Canada's three research-funding agencies in order to support explicitly transdisciplinary digital media innovation and commercialization ventures.
• Conduct a two-year proof-of-concept pilot study (the startup funded by Ryerson and located in our Digital Media Zone) that would provide the basis for a government- supported extension of the model at three other universities the following year.

In preparing this submission, we had the benefit of the collective experience and insight of numerous Ryerson faculty members who are engaged in transdisciplinary digital media research and commercialization. These leaders stand ready to work with the Government of Canada to shape a multi-year digital economy strategy that is in the interest of all Canadians.

Increasing Canada's Capacity to Innovate Using Digital Technologies: Ryerson University's Response

A. Vision

Information and communications technologies (ICTs) are evolving at an astonishingly swift rate. Ensuring Canada's economic and social prosperity, as well as our country's global economic competitiveness, requires significant and strategic private- and public-sector investments in digital media research that leads directly to the mobilization and commercialization of Canadian innovation. Enhanced partnerships between post-secondary institutions and the private sector are important elements of this new landscape.

Canadian universities are world leaders in digital media research. The Graphics, Animation and New Media (GRAND) Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) program, for example, brings together 63 researchers located at 19 universities across the country. GRAND's aim is to undertake a comprehensive research program focused on "complex questions in New Media, Animation, and Games where significantly enabling technologies can be efficiently developed and effectively deployed." The goal of this research is "to understand the underlying technologies and to make selective advances in a coordinated, multidisciplinary setting that lead to social, legal, economic, and cultural benefits for Canadians."

Despite the groundbreaking work and scientific advances in digital media research being undertaken in Canadian universities, to this point in time, the transformation of research findings into commercialized innovations and increased productivity has been under-realized. In this country and around the world, small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) are the main drivers of wealth creation. Fostering innovation within SMEs is a critical component of Canada's economic and social prosperity. They provide a huge portion of all private-sector jobs and they play an enormous role in innovation and research and development. More than 70 per cent of Canadians work in firms that employ fewer than five employees, and more than 95 per cent work in SMEs. If Canada is to keep pace globally, we must develop strategic policies and mechanisms that support SME innovation potential and, in particular, the commercialization of innovation.

Realizing Canada's capacity to excel in the knowledge economy and fostering the mobilization and commercialization of Canadian digital innovation depend on embedding the principle of innovation - as distinct from invention - in government policies aimed at evaluating and funding research that is critical to achieving these goals.

Many researchers and business leaders distinguish between invention and innovation: An invention typically entails the discovery of something new that has arisen from an inventor's own curiosity or expertise, and that does not necessarily have any immediate functional use in the world. Innovations, meanwhile, are new products, services, social and interactive experiences, or processes that explicitly add value, are driven by consumer needs and desires, and improve economic or social well-being.

Ryerson University believes that Canada's governments and universities must develop ways to ensure that at least some Canadian research funding is specifically focused on innovation and commercialization.

As a major step towards overcoming the gap between digital media innovation and commercialization, Ryerson urges the federal government to consider revising the current approach to evaluating and funding university- based research. The model we propose builds on co-operative developments already underway at the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Our model - described in part C - would enhance the existing strengths of Canada's tri-agency peer-review and funding system in order to nurture partnerships that are truly transdisciplinary- that is to say, founded on rigorous research that crosses formal knowledge boundaries and brings together academic experts, SME entrepreneurs, community members, and other stakeholders to devise solutions to contemporary social and technological issues. We envision these collaborative partnerships as uniting entrepreneurial faculty members and students with SMEs that have vested business interests in digital innovation commercialization. These partnerships would tap into and extend the new consumer-driven business models that are emerging through social media networks.

B. Ryererson Profile

In this section of our response, we describe Ryerson University's research profile, focusing on digital media. This information is presented in order to set out a framework of best practices that, we believe, could well inform a new approach to supporting and conducting research on ICT innovations.

Ryerson research overview

Ryerson University was built on a foundation of successful technology research, development and production. Our faculty members typically combine academic credentials with business and professional experience.

Externally-funded research at our university has doubled in the past four years; it now stands at more than $22-million annually. Ryerson is the third fastest growing research university and currently ranks as the 30th top research university in Canada.

Our university also hosts well-respected research institutes and centres, including the Institute for Innovation and Technology Management; Rogers Communication Centre; the National Centre of Excellence in Graphics, Animation and New Media; Centre for the Study of Commercial Activity; Centre for Urban Energy; Ryerson Institute for Aerospace Design and Innovation; the Diversity Institute in Management and Technology; and the Privacy and Cyber Crime Institute.

We also have a critical mass of research laboratories. Those directly involved in the digital media arena include the Ryerson Multimedia Lab; Ubiquitous Computing Lab; Digital Cinema Lab; Experiential Design and Gaming Lab; AccessFabrik Lab; Infoscape Research Lab; Human Factors Lab; Robotics and Manufacturing Automation Lab; Digital Value Lab; and the Sound, Mind, Applied Research & Technology (SMART) Lab.

We are likewise home to numerous Canada Research Chairs, each connected to a graduate program. Ryerson also holds several digital industry-focused research chairs, including the Bell Globemedia Chair in the Creative Use of Advanced Technology, the Edward S. Rogers Sr. Chair in Media Management and Entrepreneurship, the Velma Rogers Graham Chair in News Media and Technology, the Ted and Loretta Rogers Chair in Entrepreneurship, and an NSERC Chair in Design Engineering.

Digital media research

Ryerson has an intense focus on digital media. Our collaborative and transdisciplinary projects in the digital sphere have included cross-platform news and entertainment platforms, mobile applications for policing and security, imaging for health diagnostics, education tools for the financial sector, accessibility applications for entertainment, and measuring and monitoring tools for social media. Examples of commercialized research include the work of Professor Deb Fels (research into human factors, user interface design and the use of multi-media interfaces in the field of rehabilitation with emphasis on access to computers for those with disabilities), Professor Abby Goodrum (the improvement of existing commercial tools for social media in the news and entertainment industries), Professor Robert Lachman (development of hybrid games-documentary adopted by major networks) and Professor Michael Murphy (cutting-edge research in new media production, digital audio, emerging technologies and technology-enabled learning).

Digital media research that supports SMEs

The use of digital media is emerging across sectors as a critical driver of innovation and commercial success. Many SMEs, however, lack the internal expertise or resources to fully understand and exploit these new tools. Drawing on our record of collaborating with innovative businesses (e.g., Appear Networks, IBM Canada, Condat, European Media Labs, Telecom Italia and Pratt & Whitney) on research endeavours that generate solutions for their real-world technology needs, Ryerson can help businesses succeed. In one of our labs, for example, researchers from engineering, management, psychology, design, the arts and computer science are currently working together to find ways of helping people with disabilities enjoy and access news, entertainment and cultural events.

Ryerson's Digital Media Zone

The rapid growth of the digital economy is altering our society. Ryerson's Digital Media Zone (DMZ) is now at the forefront of responding to these changes. The DMZ's raison d'être is to engage in digital innovation and commercialization projects that directly respond to the needs of the market. It accomplishes these goals by supporting a unique convergence of research and business interests that respects and builds on the strengths of each.

The DMZ epitomizes Ryerson's culture of entrepreneurial enterprise and inclusiveness. Placing equal weight on knowledge creation and knowledge transfer, the DMZ is built on a unique concept: providing a place where student innovation, energy and entrepreneurship combine with research strengths across the university. Student innovators are admitted into the DMZ by other student entrepreneurs on the strengths of a unique idea that has commercial or social value and a comprehensive business plan that demonstrates not only commercialization feasibility but also some development and strong entrepreneurial capability.

As a transdisciplinary docking point for industry, the DMZ enables Ryerson to create synergies, pioneer novel solutions to industry challenges and propel Canadian SMEs into the global marketplace. It is full of young, innovative entrepreneurs characterized by vision, boldness and the ability to execute their plans. The active participation of these entrepreneurs in the DMZ is not an insignificant strength in light of the fact that entrepreneurship is one of the largest and fastest growing segments in the Canadian labour market: in 2010, one in 12 adults will launch their own companies and more than 150,000 new firms are expected to be started in Canada.

The DMZ is already creating startups and finding real solutions for real industry problems across many sectors. To date, it has attracted more than 60 participants who have initiated 25 innovative projects and four new companies. For example:

• Phosphorus Media adds gesture recognition technology to high-impact digital advertising. The firm worked on projects in Toronto, New York, Chicago and St. Louis.
• The RoamBuster application can be installed on any GSM-enabled handset to reduce a user's long distance charges.
• Burstn is a new startup that aims to revolutionize digital photography on the go by enhancing the smart-phone camera experience.
• The Zone has established a relationship with Metrolinx, the parent company of GO Transit, to develop a series of pilot mobile applications for GO Transit riders. (GO Transit is an interregional public transportation service in southern Ontario; it carries 55 million passengers each year.)

As well as supporting innovation, the DMZ is an innovative idea itself. It brings together students, alumni and companies, and it provides budding entrepreneurs with access to modern equipment, advanced technologies, like-minded people to team up with, and advice and insight from mentors.

C. Recommendations

In this section of our response paper, we present two main recommendations:

1. Combine the strengths of Canada's three research-funding agencies in order explicitly to support transdisciplinary digital media innovation and commercialization.
2. Conduct a two-year proof-of-concept pilot study with the startup funded by and located at Ryerson that would provide the basis for a government-supported extension of the pilot at three other universities.

1. Tri-agency evaluation and funding

Ryerson recommends merging the evaluation and funding activities of Canada's three main federal research evaluation and support organizations in cases involving digital media innovation.

Three national bodies currently provide the majority of support for university-based research in Canada: the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Each of these organizations typically funds individuals and projects that fall within their traditional disciplinary orbits.

This approach to discipline-specific research evaluation and funding is often at odds with digital media research which, by its very nature, is transdisciplinary and requires researchers who possess diverse scholarly backgrounds, including the natural sciences, the humanities, the social sciences, the health sciences, engineering and technology, and business. Described in brief earlier, GRAND is the first NCE supported by both SSHRC and NSERC. It is a promising indication that revising the traditionally siloed approach to evaluating and funding university-based research will strongly increase Canada's capacity to innovate using digital technologies. GRAND's success points to the kind of change on which universities and the federal government can build.

In addition, Ryerson's proposal accords with recent developments at SSHRC, NSERC and CIHR that are aimed at intensifying inter-agency collaboration that generates a seamless research peer-review and funding environment. Ryerson fully endorses this tri-council recognition of the benefits of supporting transdisciplinary research. We therefore urge the Government of Canada to take swift action in this regard by forming a Digital Research and Innovation Board (comprised of representatives from SSHRC, NSERC and CIHR) whose mandate is specifically focused on digital media innovations and their commercialization.

Our recommendation does not involve creating a new federal funding body, nor does it require allocating new financial resources. Rather, it envisions combining - as relevant to each individual project - the existing intellectual and financial resources of SSHRC, NSERC and CIHR.

As a corollary to this inter-agency cross-cutting model, we urge the development of a new set of criteria for funding digital media research. When reviewing applications, the Digital Research and Innovation Board would weigh the extent to which projects satisfy three core evaluation criteria:

• Transdisciplinary theory and practice.
• Combined knowledge as well as the entrepreneurial drive and expertise of collaborative teams comprising researchers, students and SMEs.
• Focus on commercializing research innovations that directly respond to the market's needs.

2. Innovation and commercialization pilot study

Testing this new evaluation and funding model is critical to ensuring that it is able to enrich Canada's capacity to innovate in the digital economy. We, therefore, propose the following:

• Ryerson conducts, in close collaboration with Canada's three research-funding agencies, a two-year pilot study intended to explore and further develop the model.
• Ryerson University funds the first year of the pilot. This is based on our belief that investing one's own resources deepens the commitment to the pilot and its outcomes. During that time, Ryerson, the federal government, and industry collaborate and identify desired measurable outcomes.
• Based on the Ryerson pilot's clearly measurable outcomes - for example, number of new businesses and entrepreneurial innovations, number of commercialized products and services, and number of Ryerson-industry partnerships - the federal government funds Ryerson's second year to further refine the model.
• Thereafter, in collaboration with Ryerson University, industry and other universities, the model is further refined and the federal government extends the pilot to three other universities.

At Ryerson, we possess an ideal environment in which to conduct the proposed pilot: the DMZ (described in full previously). By bringing together commercialization-focused researchers, students and SMEs, the DMZ is a proven high-quality hub for the transfer of research knowledge into innovative commercial ventures that increase productivity and can generate wealth, as well as employment, for Canadians.

The DMZ would be an ideal locus in which to conduct the pilot study we propose, the emphasis of which would be on the broad transferability of our recommended new model of digital innovation evaluation and funding.

As evidence of Ryerson's commitment to this proposal, we commit to funding year one of this pilot study at our DMZ. A major focus and result of the pilot would be - in collaboration with SSHRC, NSERC and CIHR - the creation and tracking of performance measures related to digital media innovation and commercialization. This DMZ-based pilot would also provide deep insights into the factors that are essential for developing and adopting innovative ICTs across the Canadian economy.

At the conclusion of the two-year pilot, we recommend that the federal government take the metrics and lessons learned, build on the principle that universities need to commit resources to pilots and use this experience as the foundation for swiftly rolling out a series of similar initiatives at three other universities located in the West, Quebec and Atlantic Canada. The cumulative results of this federally funded one-year national pilot would then form the basis for a well-tested model of digital media innovation that unites the strengths of entrepreneurial academic researchers with the business acumen and drive of Canada's SMEs.