Research with Reach
Athabasca University researchers aim to build a better, more equal world
Research with Reach video series highlights AU’s research impact
Athabasca University’s (AU) research expertise in key areas, including health, education, and sustainability, maximizes the university’s contribution to, and impact on, communities near and far, says Dr. Andrew Perrin, AU’s associate vice-president of research.
Innovation, collaboration, and accessibility figure prominently in the university’s refreshed strategic research plan, to launch this fall. Its research themes align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, taking a “grand challenges” approach to research with global impact, he adds.
Discover Research with Reach
Research with Reach is a video series showcasing the work of AU researchers and graduate students who are tackling some of the world’s biggest problems.
They are pushing the boundaries of knowledge and discovery—and helping to realize AU’s highest contribution.
Research explores food choices, eating habits of teens in rural Alberta
Food has a huge impact on nutrition and health, and what we choose to eat is heavily influenced by our food environments—where we live, but also social, economic, and political factors that affect eating choices.
Dr. Alexa Ferdinands, an assistant professor of health and nutrition, is working with teens in Drayton Valley, Alta., to understand their food choices and eating habits in a rural oil-and-gas town.
Helping nurses advance skills critical to Canada’s health-care woes
A worldwide shortage of nurses has resulted in a surge of nursing positions in Canada going unfilled. This puts a heavy strain on health-care systems in Canada.
Dr. Venise Bryan, an assistant professor of nursing, is researching the experiences of nurses and health-care workers as they advance their careers and expand their skills. The results could help improve nursing education and mentorship.
Read more about research to address Canada’s nursing shortage
Researcher explores Canada’s affordable housing crisis
The spotlight on Canada’s affordable housing crisis intensifies as rent hikes, dwindling rental units, and urban encampments grab public attention.
Dr. Katie MacDonald, an associate professor of sociology, is studying the experiences of people working in the affordable housing sector. She also explains why a shift in thinking is needed to ensure housing is a human right.
Knowledge and discovery at Athabasca University
Borders do not define the research challenges we face today, says Perrin. That means our solutions can’t be either. Athabasca University is open in everything we do. With researchers located across Alberta and Canada, we are the ideal partner to co-create salutation to local problems of global significance.
How microbes can help us protect the environment
Microbes are powerful but unappreciated allies in our efforts to clean up the environment and fight disease, says Dr. Srijak Bhatnagar, a researcher and assistant professor of computational biology in the Faculty of Science and Technology.
Technology enables education for all
A quote from Nelson Mandela that he saw early in his career had a profound effect on the research of AU professor Dr. Mohamed Ally.
“‘Education is the only weapon to change the world.’ That changed my research,” he says of the billboard he saw on a trip to a conference in South Africa. “Whatever I do, I try to do it globally.”
Is climate change hurting teen mental health?
A new national study will explore the impact of climate change on the mental health of Canadian teens.
As the climate changes, there will be widespread environmental, social and economic impacts from rising temperatures to extreme weather events. AU researcher Dr. Gina Martin said teens are one of the groups most vulnerable to these effects.
How archaeology can reveal missing voices in Alberta’s history
History is selective in what is passed down orally or through documentary evidence. Even the relatively recent history of Prairie settlements from the past century is often dominated by white settler men.
AU researcher Dr. Meaghan Peuramaki-Brown says archaeology plays an important role filling in historical gaps. That means including the voices of women, but also of Indigenous People and children.
Designing smart cities
A “smart city” is less about technology than it is about improving people’s lives, says an AU researcher.
Digital technologies are the “core carrier” of a smart city, says Dr. Anshuman Khare, a professor of operations management in the Faculty of Business.
IDEA Lab redefines research through cloud technology
IDEA Lab isn’t a traditional university research lab because it isn’t a physical space. It represents a new way of doing research virtually using cloud computing and a first-in-Canada partnership between Athabasca University, Amazon Web Services, and RONIN. With IDEA Lab, AU researchers can investigate big problems with even bigger datasets to propel discovery and deliver results.
Harnessing technology to advance and enhance learning
Video games, AI, and phone apps are all great tools to help people learn, and to make learning accessible to more people. At AU, Canada’s open university, expert researchers are exploring how to use technology to enhance and encourage learning, how humans interact with technology, and the limits and ethical considerations that come into play.
Protecting food, water, and ecosystems through research and technology
Sustainability is about finding ways to meet our needs for today and for the the future. For Indigenous communities in northern Alberta, it’s about protecting water and food sources that are under threat from industry so that future generations can practice traditional ways of living. It’s about understanding how environments and systems work, interact, and respond to emerging threats such as climate change. It’s about developing new technologies that can solve environmental problems at the local, regional, and global scale.
Designing sustainable businesses and cities through research
Sustainability is also about ensuring that businesses look beyond profit and consider their role and obligations to the communities in which they operate and serve. It’s about designing communities and gathering spaces that serve the needs of today and tomorrow.
Discovering a flexible graduate experience
What does graduate student research look like at an online university? Like a rich and rewarding experience, say graduate researchers at AU, Canada’s open university. They work in the field and online, seeking answers to important questions in nursing, teaching, business, science and more.
