Scholarly Activity Week 2025 Schedule

Welcome to Scholarly Activity Week for 2025

BEAM ON – A BCIT Radiation Therapy Podcast is an interview-based series featuring faculty, alumni, and BC Cancer staff who share their clinical experiences with current and prospective students. These stories help bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world practice, offering valuable insights into environments where students often have limited exposure. This presentation will explore how educational podcasts can enhance traditional teaching, walk through the process of launching a podcast at BCIT, and share student feedback on BEAM ON so far. Whether you’re an educator, program coordinator, or student, podcasting may be a powerful tool to add to your teaching toolkit.

Statista is known as a tool for gathering current business statistics, but it also contains information on politics, society, education, health and global indicators. This session will demonstrate Statista as a valuable tool for finding secondary data for research across multiple disciplines.

This presentation will highlight a youth-led, grant-funded project focused on recovering valuable metals from spent lithium-ion batteries using supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂) as a sustainable solvent. The project addresses both climate mitigation and the environmental challenges associated with improper battery disposal. The initiative is currently supported by the Wawanesa Climate Champions: Youth Innovation Grant and involves students from the Chemical and Environmental Technology Program at BCIT.

Do you have an idea for a scholarly activity you’d like to pursue and curious about how you could fund it? Join us to hear about the 4 grants administered by the Learning and Teaching Centre: Special Interest Grants (SIG), Travel Reimbursement for Enhancing Knowledge (TREK), Instructional Enhancement Grant (IEG) and the Learning and Teaching Innovation grant (LTI). These grants can financially support the successful completion of your scholarly pursuit. We’ll cover the purpose of each grant with examples of recent successful proposals, the amount available for each grant, application schedules and the process of applying.

Non-fatal strangulation (NFS) is a significant predictor of escalating interpersonal violence and carries high risks of hypoxia, anoxic brain injury, and lethality, yet it often goes undetected due to subtle or absent external injuries and under-recognition of neurological symptoms. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project aimed to implement and evaluate the Strangulation Hypoxia Anoxia Symptom Traumatic brain injury Assessment (SHASTA) tool within a forensic nursing service in British Columbia to improve the identification, documentation, and management of patients experiencing NFS. The standardized use of SHASTA shows promise for transforming forensic nursing practice with potential for broader adoption across Canadian healthcare systems.

Access to MRI equipment for educational purposes is often limited by safety concerns, high operational costs, and logistical barriers, leading to inequities in simulation-based learning opportunities. In response, BCIT’s MRI program collaborated with Computing students to co-create a Virtual Reality (VR) MRI department. This applied, interdisciplinary project exemplifies BCIT’s commitment to practical innovation and industry-informed education by providing a scalable, low-cost, and immersive learning environment that enables students to practice MRI procedures without exposure to magnetic fields. This presentation will share key lessons learned, practical implementation strategies, and considerations for adapting VR simulation to other specialized healthcare education contexts.

We will showcase an innovative approach using the library makerspace and 3d printing technology to introduce students to core concepts in Project Management and Operations Strategy. By engaging students in the selection and production of physical prototypes using readily available maker technologies, we move beyond the theory into a hands-on learning environment that mirrors real-world manufacturing. We will present a modular course assignment where students research, plan, and produce a simple product prototype using makerspace tools. We will also discuss how physically building a prototype allows students to reflect on constraints, queuing issues, and continuous improvement opportunities.

A silver lining from the COVID-19 pandemic was a commitment from both the Provincial and Federal governments to create biomanufacturing capacity in Canada and the consequent need for skills training in these processes. Instructors Joan Shellard, Rob Forsyth and Hsin Kuo developed bioprocessing methods that closely match those used by the biopharmaceutical industry for the biomanufacturing of mAbs and these new lab modules were rapidly incorporated into last Fall’s Process Systems, Biochemistry and Analytical Chemistry courses. Our ‘inaugural’ cohort of Biotech students grew and sampled animal (CHO) cells in a 2L bioreactor, followed by downstream bioprocessing, mAb purification and analysis. The results were great! Gram quantities of mAb were obtained with excellent purity and quality and Biotech students are now well-prepared for jobs in animal cell bioprocessing.

From infrastructure to housing, scarcely a week goes by without an announcement of a new initiative that utilizes the skilled trades. BCIT is at the forefront of trades education in BC and we are soon to host a state-of-the-art trades building to help meet a growing demand. With all this activity we wondered: how can the library best support trades education? In this presentation, a BCIT Librarian and a practicum student in UBC’s Master of Archival Studies and Library & Information Studies program will reflect on their year-long collaboration to try to answer this question. Surveying a range of scholarly activities including small ‘r’ research, poster presentations, an article and more, we’ll look at what we’ve learned and the many questions that remain in this often overlooked area of library work.

In Canada, September 30th is the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, a day to honor and work to reconcile Canada’s First Peoples colonization experience. Committing to this national responsibility, BCIT explores meaningfully nursing students’ understanding of how Indigenous communities have suffered negatively from Colonialism. We highlight Indigenous stewardship of the environment, which preserves land, water, and resources we benefit from daily. At the beginning of each class, a land acknowledgment is offered. To echo the inspiring work of various authors, we worked on an extra layer of commitment, learning, and self-investment among nursing students and faculty when stating land acknowledgment, we have developed with our students an activity for them to choose how they would like to offer their gratitude in class opening session. As an outcome, we notice more meaningful and rich discussions since we have empowered students to decide how they would participate and be truly part of offering gratitude as a community of active learners, this result was even reflected in a positive appreciation on the faculty evaluation.

The BCIT Centre for Architectural Ecology provides a platform for faculty collaboration in research about nature-based solutions and climate adaptive infrastructure to advance sustainability in the built environment. This provides an essential dimension of the transition from cities to ecocities as part of an urban restoration transformation. This presentation follows the evolution of a singular focus on buildings in one educational program, to a growing alignment with many BCIT educational programs in multiple disciplines in regard to i) Building Science and ii) Nature-based solutions group. The evolution in the research agenda for the BCIT Centre for Architectural Ecology demonstrates the leadership of BCIT faculty to advance the state of practice in sustainability that meets multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including: SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation, SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 13 – Climate Action, SDG -15 Life on Land, and more.

This presentation describes and analyses the Energy OASIS microgrid at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), which was developed as a testbed for sustainable energy solutions and electric vehicle (EV) charging. Launched in 2014, the microgrid integrates a 250 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) array, a 500 kWh battery energy storage system (BESS), and an advanced energy management system to provide renewable energy to EVs and assist local power grid stability. The Energy OASIS microgrid has not only facilitated hands-on education and research opportunities but has also inspired subsequent projects and collaborations in sustainable energy practices. The findings from this project underscore the potential of microgrids in supporting clean energy transitions and enhancing community awareness of renewable technologies. Ultimately, BCIT’s experience with Energy OASIS positions it as a leader in applied research for future smart grid developments.

Applied research is vital to make the tools for scientific exploration. Since 2019 BCIT has supported Dr. Barry Pointon and teams of students making analysis software and hardware contributions to the great Super-Kamiokande (SK) and Hyper-Kamiokande (HK) physics experiments. SK is located 1 km under a mountain in Japan and has made Nobel-awarded contributions to our understanding of both the sub-atomic world and the Cosmos. HK is under construction and will be a world leading particle detector, eight times larger than SK. As part of international collaborations, Dr. Pointon and BCIT students achieved great success in R&D for these experiments, especially in helping prepare the world to observe the next galactic supernova. In this talk, I will describe this work, as well as the spin-offs that benefit the global scientific community and the students I teach at BCIT.

Hallway healthcare, also referred to as corridor or overflow care, is a growing phenomenon in hospital systems strained by chronic capacity challenges. This practice, which involves delivering care in hallways, corridors, and other non-designated treatment areas, raises significant concerns related to patient safety, dignity, and the quality of care (Ontario Premier’s Council, 2019; BC Nurses’ Union, 2025). This presentation presents a study that investigates how hallway healthcare environments influence the teaching and learning experiences of undergraduate nursing students and faculty. The project illustrates the value of student-led research, faculty-student partnerships, and applied inquiry in advancing a scholarly culture within polytechnic nursing education. We anticipate that the implications will be relevant to nurse educators, leadership, and our clinical partners working to ensure equitable and effective clinical learning and teaching experiences.

Creating an inclusive and accessible environment is essential to the success of Deaf students, faculty, and staff in STEM fields. In this sharing session, fellow researcher Shannon Kelly (Communication Department) will interview BCIT Deaf researcher Jamie Finley (Applied Research – NRG) about how he used BCIT’s Learning and Teaching Innovation Grant funding to create comprehensive resources for supporting Deaf students and Deaf researchers & staff, and for working with ASL Interpreters. Whether you are a faculty member, staff member, or colleague, the tools and tips Jamie has created will help ensure that all individuals can fully participate, contribute, and thrive in STEM settings. Jamie and Shannon will preview the contents of these modules which include practical guidance, strategies, and resources to help foster effective communication, collaboration, and engagement in classrooms, labs, and workplaces. A resource for individuals in STEM.

ASL Interpretation will be provided for this session.

Do you have a research project, event, or initiative you want to amplify? The BCIT Communications team will guide you through BCIT’s official communication channels and show you how to effectively share your story with a wider audience, including those within and outside of BCIT. You’ll learn how to craft a compelling and newsworthy story, discover the best ways to collaborate with the Communications team, and gain practical tips to strengthen your storytelling for institute channels and traditional media. You’ll also learn from examples of BCIT faculty who have successfully shared their stories in the media and see what made them resonate.

Nursing students face intense academic demands, clinical stressors, and emotional labor throughout their education (Sharda & Nowell, 2025). While institutions increasingly recognize the importance of well-being in student success, little is known about how nursing students define, practice, and sustain self-care during their undergraduate journey as this definition spans across emotional, mental, physical, social, spiritual, and cultural dimensions. This presentation presents our study being conducted in partnership between BCIT and Douglas College and has received funding through the BCcampus Research Fellows program (2025–2027). In alignment with BCIT’s commitment to the Okanagan Charter and guided by the IDEAS framework (specifically the conceptual definition of well-being as a component of the framework), we aim to understand undergraduate nursing students’ perceptions and practices of self-care and identify the personal, institutional, and systemic factors that influence their well-being. In doing so, the research will generate actionable insights to inform educational design, support services, and well-being initiatives that are meaningful to students.

Nursing instructors are dedicated to their students’ success; we discuss what we can do to improve our class activities and provide guidance to new faculty. In the last 5 years, BCIT has experienced increased numbers of faculty in the Nursing Department with a mandate to graduate more students to respond to healthcare system shortages. At this same time how can we build collegiality among instructors in this dynamic growth? Do we know each other? The literature discusses the challenges of developing collegiality among instructors, as well as some possible solutions. This presentation will share how the department sought to break this isolation for the term 1 team, fostering a sense of community by developing a connectivity activity among peers.

In this talk, I will show how our team turned a drone-based wildfire idea into a funded project worth $1 million. I will walk through each step: choosing the shared goal with an industry partner, matching the plan to NSERC and Mitacs rules, and writing a clear scope that links technical tasks to risk and budget lines. I will then cover project launch: forming a data plan, setting timelines, and how to hire students. Next, I review year-one field results from British Columbia, including thermal mapping flights and AI fire-spot models. I close with tips on public reports, joint press notes, and next steps for tech transfer. Attendees leave with a simple checklist they can reuse for any mixed grant-industry project.

Presented by the FSA Caucus on Applied Research and Advanced Studies (CARAS): Faculty and staff share best practices for how they navigated BCIT resources, including research funding, and work loading, including release time, to pursue scholarly activities. Adrianna D’Ilio (Faculty, Nursing) is the Board Liaison for CARAS who will moderate the panel. Borna Noureddin (Faculty, Computing) drew on BCIT’s Institutional Research Fund for the first phases of his research, co-leads the Digital Tools and Social Transformation Collaboration, and currently holds a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Discovery Horizons grant. Shannon Kelly (Faculty, Communication) has used several sources of BCIT funding over the years to support her research, including Instructional Enhancement Grants and BCIT’s Institutional Research Fund, along with external funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Zaa Joseph (Advisor & Specialized Faculty, Indigenous Initiatives and Partnerships) has accessed BCIT resources including PD funding, to advance his scholarship, including obtaining degrees at the Masters level, most recently pursuing his second Masters, this one in Counselling.

This presentation will showcase how students are integrated into applied research projects in collaboration with industry partners. Drawing on examples from the Natural Health & Food Products Research Group (NRG), we will highlight strategies that provide students with hands-on learning opportunities using industry-driven research. We will explore both the benefits and challenges of incorporating students into real-world projects, and share stories that illustrate the value of student participation through engagement of industry projects

This workshop provides an introduction to the IDEAS Lens and related resources to support IDEAS-informed scholarship at BCIT. This includes exploring how a research question might be informed or adapted using an IDEAS Lens, and considerations for research design, investigation, reporting, and peer review. Participants will be invited to connect with peers through table discussions and reflect on inspiration, current or potential research activities, next steps to engage in scholarly activity using an IDEAS Lens, and possible funding sources.

Wrap-up of 2024 Scholarly Activity Week