Recognizing Innovation: GBC Research launches the Excellence in Research and Innovation badge

GBC Research was at the OCE Discovery conference these past two days, a great event that every year brings together those who function as innovation intermediaries in Ontario. This includes the OCE as conveners and intermediaries, and the colleges, polytechnics and universities who help firms and student and faculty startups get to market. It's a great event that showcases the bench strength of the Ontario innovation ecosystem. There were many good speakers, and a real highlight was the lunch time keynote interview with Steve Blank, on the agenda as "Godfather of the Lean Startup method, Silicon Valley entrepreneur expert and author of The Startup Owners Manual." Blank had many good things to say - including that startups are in search of a business model that scales, while established companies execute business models. Good advice.

Discovery was also the setting for a real landmark event for GBC Research: the awarding of the very first Excellence in Research and Innovation digital badge to GBC Mechanical Engineering Technology graduand John-Allan Ellingson. John-Allan is an exemplary student, having participated in many applied research projects and presentations to industry, government and academic audiences on the value of his experience and the innovation skills gained as a result.

Photo (from L-R) of  OCE Director John MacRitchie, GBC Research Director Dawn Davidson, Innovation Badge recipient John-Allan Ellingson, and GBC VP Research  Robert Luke 

About the George Brown College Excellence in Research and Innovation digital badge:

Badges are a way to recognize informal learning. The GBC Excellence in Research and Innovation badge is how we are now recognizing innovation literacy in those students who have participated in an applied research project.

George Brown College Excellence in Research and Innovation digital badge

Distributed by the Office of Research & Innovation to commemorate successful student participation in research projects, these badges can be attached to a LinkedIn page, Facebook account, or wherever a prospective employer could see it. These badges go beyond what’s learned in class to acknowledge the skills that don’t appear on a transcript: the ability to problem-solve, communicate with team members and produce innovative solutions to industry problems. This is the essence of innovation literacy.

Congratulations to John-Allan!

John-Allan Ellingson

Learn more about John-Allan's work through these two videos:

The SOS Crane


The Advanced Prototyping Lab