ECU Researchers Lead, Collaborate on Projects Totalling More Than $6.3M
By Emily Carr University
With partners across the country and beyond, ECU faculty are advancing an extraordinary range of cutting-edge research projects aimed at building a better world through art and design.
Faculty researchers at Emily Carr University of Art + Design (ECU) are leading or collaborating on research projects which have been awarded funding totalling more than $6.3 million.
Spanning disciplines, geographies and institutions, more than a dozen projects will bring a total of nearly $600,000 in direct funding to ECU through the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) College and Community Innovation program, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council’s (SSHRC) Insight Grants, Insight Development Grants and Partnership Grants.
“At ECU, our commitment to practice-based research means our faculty and students generate knowledge by making, creating prototypes, artworks and designs that open new possibilities for crucial sectors ranging from Indigenous initiatives, immersive technologies and material innovation to social justice, ecological sustainability and the built environment,” says Justin Langlois, ECU’s Associate Vice-President of Research + Dean of Graduate Studies.
“ECU researchers spark cultural dialogue and contribute in enduring and invaluable ways to urgent issues at a global scale. These exceptional practitioners are also mentoring tomorrow’s leaders at the highest level, providing a world-class example of what can be accomplished through forward-thinking collaboration.”
Among the funded initiatives is Shumka x Buffalo Buffalo: Birdseed, led by Faculty Lead, Daniel Wildberger with Cemre Demiralp named as co-applicant, which was was awarded $25,000 on an NSERC Mobilize Grant.
This project, in collaboration with Vancouver-based independent game studio, Buffalo Buffalo, explores how design can enhance the sense of presence in virtual reality environments, with direct application in the studio’s latest VR birdwatching game, Birdseed.
This research builds on ongoing creative collaborations supported by the Shumka Centre for Creative Entrepreneurship, which brings together artists, designers, and industry partners to explore new forms of creativity, storytelling, and interaction.
You can read more about all the funded ECU research projects through Emily Carr News.
To learn more about the Shumka x Buffalo Buffalo: Birdseed project, please visit our project page.