News Archives: Northwestern Polytechnic Celebrates Sweet Success
Monday, July 17th, 2023
Northwestern Polytechnic is pleased to be the recipient of a $1.75 million grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). The grant will provide funding over five years for the National Bee Diagnostic Centre - Technology Access Centre (NBDC-TAC).
The NSERC funding initiative aims to strengthen the core operations of established Technology Access Centres (TACs) across the country including NWP’s National Bee Diagnostic Centre, located in Beaverlodge.
“TACs are specialized centres for applied research and innovation,” explains Sivagowry Lewis, NWP Associate Dean of Applied Research and Innovation. “These facilities are an integral part of the research landscape, enabling access to expertise, technology and equipment which in turn leads to positive business, social and health outcomes.”
The National Bee Diagnostic Centre Technology Access Centre (NBDC-TAC) was the first Canadian TAC on the scene. Established in 2013, it quickly became a leader in bee diagnostics, providing innovative solutions to honey beekeepers and the research community. The NBDC has steadily broadened its focus to include the ecology, health, and management of all pollinators to ensure the continued production of pollinator-dependent crops in Canada and to maintain ecosystem health.
“We are immensely proud of our NBDC-TAC achievements to date and looking forward to a bright future,” says Dr. Vanessa Sheane, Provost and Vice-President Academic. “Applied research and innovation are core elements of our polytechnic mandate so we are eager to work collaboratively with new and existing partners on impactful solutions.”
Building on ten years of cutting-edge contributions to the industry, the NBDC will now focus on beekeeping and honey producers; the crop pollination industry and sustainable agriculture; as well as biodiversity and native pollinator conservation.
The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada partners with universities, colleges and not-for-profits to fund innovators and support Canada’s research community. Funding for TACs is a collaboration with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
For more information about the National Bee Diagnostic Centre - Technology Access Centre, visit NWP.me/NBDC
