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This past weekend at the Girls in Aviation event, Red Deer Polytechnic faculty, staff and alum were excited to showcase our STEM and aviation-related programs and applied research opportunities. The Girls in Aviation Alberta Day is a premier event dedicated to inspiring and empowering young women to explore careers in aviation and aerospace. This annual event brings together industry professionals, educational institutions and aviation enthusiasts from more than 30 Alberta organizations to provide a hands-on, immersive experience focused on exploring the world of aviation. The tradeshow aims to spark interest in aviation careers among girls and young women, providing them with the resources and connections necessary to pursue their dreams in this dynamic field. “Red Deer Polytechnic is committed to empowering the next generation of women to explore careers in aviation and STEM,” says Lindsay Engel, Vice President Academic and Student Experience. RDP’s booth was a hub of innovation and learning, designed to engage visitors with a variety of interactive and educational experiences. Some key features at the RDP booth included program demonstrations, an overview of the Polytechnic's Red Hot Science Program and Virtual Reality (VR) experiences. The VR experiences allowed visitors to experience aviation technology and STEM applications in

Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) has advanced its commitment to global engagement by entering into partnership agreements with two German post-secondary institutions. In conjunction with a major International Education Conference held in Toulouse, France, Red Deer Polytechnic leaders formalized partnerships that will offer new international opportunities for students and faculty. Alberta’s Advanced Education Minister, the Hon. Rajan Sawhney was in attendance to celebrate these new agreements. In 2022, RDP initiated a Student Exchange Agreement with German university, Europa-Universität Flensburg (EUF), for students enrolled in RDP’s Bachelor of Education program. A new Letter of Intent expands the availability of the exchange opportunity to eligible students in all programs and commits RDP and EUF to developing a cooperative Guest Lecture Series. The Letter of Intent also states that the two institutions will create Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) projects. Through the COIL projects, faculty at RDP and EUF will teach the same course -- or a specific project within a course -- to students from both institutions. This will create opportunities for RDP students to gain an international experience without having to leave the country. The second agreement is a Memorandum of Understanding with Hochschule Bielefeld, University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSBI)

Today experts in applied research across Alberta convened for the second annual Alberta Corridor Technical Symposium, titled Research Matters: Empowering Alberta Through Innovative Solutions. This event organized by the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) and the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) brings together students and applied researchers from colleges and polytechnics across Alberta to present their cutting-edge, industry and community facing applied research projects. With the aim of creating innovative solutions to support Alberta’s diverse economy, the research projects explored a wide range of topics including medical device innovation and assistive technology for long-term care patients. Students also had a chance to showcase their research, providing essential capacity and industry partnerships that fuel a thriving economy. Students from all three post-secondaries exhibited their research findings on topics such as parasport equipment design and energy innovation. “Alberta’s polytechnics are at the forefront of applied research, providing essential capacity and industry partnerships that fuel a thriving economy,” says Dr. Tonya Wolfe, Associate Vice President, Applied Research, RDP. “Red Deer Polytechnic, a leader in advanced manufacturing, sustainable energy and social and healthcare innovation, is proud to collaborate with SAIT and NAIT to showcase the groundbreaking research shaping

Ben Rainforth, a Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) welding journeyperson, can add WorldSkills bronze medalist to his resume. Lacombe’s Rainforth demonstrated his world class welding knowledge and skills, ranking third among his peers at the 47th WorldSkills Competition in Lyon, France. Only Sanghyeok Lee (gold) from Korea and Zehong Hu (silver) from China placed ahead of Rainforth in welding at the prestigious event which took place from September 10 to 15. “I want to congratulate Ben and Lee. To place third in the world is an incredible accomplishment and a testament to Ben's dedication,” says David Pye, Dean, School of Trades and Technology at RDP. “Along with numerous hours Ben trained for WorldSkills, his path to success was supported by his trainer Lee Yasinski, RDP faculty and staff, industry partners and members of our communities.” Rainforth trained diligently for WorldSkills. Along with working as a journeyperson, Rainforth dedicated approximately 40 hours per week to prepare for the global competition. “We are extremely proud of Ben earning a bronze medal at WorldSkills,” says Stuart Cullum, President, Red Deer Polytechnic. “This not only reflects the dedication and hard work from Ben and his Skills Coach Lee, but also the world class skilled trades

Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) has been awarded a $3.25 million Mobilize grant, the largest one-time applied research grant in the institution’s 60-year history. The Mobilize grant provided to RDP by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) will enable Red Deer Polytechnic to leverage data-driven solutions to foster regional innovation and prosperity across RDP’s applied research pillars: Manufacturing & Advanced Manufacturing, Energy Innovation, Healthcare & Health Technology and Social Innovation. “Data-driven innovation will be a cross-cutting applied research theme, enhancing synergies across the existing applied research pillars and positioning Red Deer Polytechnic and our students at the forefront of digital transformation to increase regional productivity and enhance social innovation,” explains Dr. Tonya Wolfe, Associate Vice President, Applied Research. “Over the next five years, our data-driven strategy will result in cutting-edge interdisciplinary applied research and the adoption of digital technologies by multisectoral organizations with direct benefits to regional prosperity, including improved regional productivity, revenue generation, and job creation.” The grant’s flexibility will allow the Polytechnic to enhance the use of data to support applied research with resources where they are most needed. As examples, the Mobilize grant will permit RDP to develop and improve health care devices and

Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) has recognized 11 outstanding faculty and staff who have made impactful contributions in serving students, the institution and communities throughout the past year. The awards were presented at the annual RDP Awards of Excellence event held August 28 on RDP’s main campus. “We are proud of our faculty and staff who consistently demonstrate excellence in their roles. The Awards of Excellence celebrate the dedication, expertise and innovation that our team embodies every day,” says Cristal Glass-Painchaud, Chief Human Resources Officer and Executive Director of People and Culture at RDP. “This year’s recipients have set a remarkable standard, inspiring us all to strive for greatness in service, teaching, leadership and collaboration. We are honoured to celebrate their achievements and are grateful for their unwavering commitment to advancing education and fostering a vibrant learning environment at RDP." This year, there were 34 nominations. Faculty and staff were nominated by colleagues and students for demonstrating excellence in innovation, leadership, service and teaching. Support staff were recognized in two categories – the Grace Taylor Memorial Award of Excellence and Vicki Mix Administrative Excellence Award. The Grace Taylor Memorial Award of Excellence is awarded to support staff who embody competence, humour

Red Deer Polytechnic’s 60th Anniversary Golf Classic proved to be a hole-in-one, bringing together community members, staff, and partners for a day of camaraderie, competition, and charity. Held at the picturesque Red Deer Golf and Country Club on August 26, 2024, ideal weather conditions set the stage for a day filled with activities that appealed to golfers of all skill levels. The day kicked off with a breakfast courtesy of FortisAlberta, followed by opening remarks that established an upbeat atmosphere for the event. Participants eagerly awaited the shotgun start, which launched the Texas Scramble format, offering a fun and inclusive experience for all. As golfers made their way through the course, they encountered unique challenges and entertainment at various holes. One highlight was the “Hockey Putt Playoff” on Hole 2, where participants used a hockey stick to sink their putt, vying for a special prize. The excitement continued on Hole 15, where players had a thrilling opportunity to win a $35,000 cash prize for the first hole-in-one, sponsored by Beyond Insurance. Excitement carried on throughout the day with engaging activities like the "Closest to the Pin" challenge on Hole 17, where golfers competed against RDP President Stuart Cullum for a

Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) will recognize employees who have made extraordinary contributions serving students, the institution and communities over the past year at the 2024 Awards of Excellence.   The Awards of Excellence are given annually as formal recognition for remarkable contributions from faculty and staff that extend beyond their job requirements. These contributions may be through innovation, leadership, excellence in service or teaching, and make a positive impact at the institution, in communities or in their profession.   This year, there were 34 RDP nominations in six categories:   Innovation Jennifer Dornstauder, Engineering Technical Lead, has consistently explored creative ways to enhance manufacturing designs in RDP’s Centre for Innovation in Manufacturing-Technology Access Centre (CIM-TAC). In addition to being a role model to students, she has helped to enrich the teaching, learning and applied research opportunities at the Polytechnic. As a respected Design and Fabrication Lab Technician, Blair Foster has helped to create enhanced prototypes in the CIM-TAC, advancing the Polytechnic’s applied research and manufacturing capacity. His expertise, positive demeanour and ability to teach have provided valuable mentorship to students and colleagues, enhancing innovation and opportunities at RDP. Leanne LaBrash, Training Development Lead, has explored the development of new programs in RDP’s Continuing

Sandra MacDougall, Biology instructor at Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP), has been awarded a $474,700 grant to amplify black bear research. The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) has provided $426,000 to this research over three years. This is the largest grant provided by NSERC that an RDP instructor has ever received, exemplifying the value of MacDougall’s research on the national stage. In addition, MacDougall has received nearly $50,000 over two years from the Alberta Conservation Association. This historic grant will provide MacDougall the opportunity to examine the characteristics of a recolonizing population of American black bears within the Beaver Hills Biosphere region located 40 km east of Edmonton. The study will explore how fast the bear population is growing and what bears are eating seasonally, with a lens to predict the impact of black bear predation on Elk Island National Park’s ungulate populations (e.g. elk and moose). “This applied research grant will create a vast impact on Alberta, contributing to academia and wildlife education,” says Dr. Tonya Wolfe, Associate Vice President, Applied Research. “Sandra’s innovative research is one example of the diverse applied research that occurs across the Polytechnic. At RDP, we are committed to advancing our

Earlier today, the Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) community gathered to celebrate the spirit of inclusion and Pride with a new art installation on main campus. The colourful mural titled Kaleidoscope, designed and painted by RDP Visual Art alum Kat Simmers, adorns the exterior of the Students’ Association of Red Deer Polytechnic (SARDP) building space near the institution’s main entrance. “This mural affirms SARDP’s commitment to supporting all students in an environment where they feel welcome and can succeed,” says Devyn Shannon, President, Students’ Association of Red Deer Polytechnic. “Pride is a core intersectional component that supports equity and relates to the importance of respecting others regardless of their sexual orientation, age, ethnicity, gender and race.” The artwork is a joint initiative between the Students’ Association of RDP, Pride on Campus Student Group and Red Deer Polytechnic. “Red Deer Polytechnic aims to be a welcoming and safe community for all students and employees, and this new artwork conveys that message of belonging,” says Stuart Cullum, President, Red Deer Polytechnic. “We are proud to support this student-led initiative and commend RDP alum, Kat Simmers, who has brought to life this symbol of solidarity with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.” Since graduating from RDP, Simmers

Student-athletes from the RDP Royals Dance and Rodeo teams will join Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics, rebranding as Kings and Queens, beginning in the 2024/2025 season. “We are extremely excited to add student-athletes from the Dance and Rodeo teams to our athletics program,” says Kristine Plastow, Dean of Students, Division of Student Success. “Since the Kings and Queens were first established in 1964, our student-athletes have demonstrated excellence in the classroom, during competition and as ambassadors in our communities. The inclusion of student-athletes from the Dance and Rodeo teams will grow and strengthen RDP Athletics, enhancing the overall brand.” Previously part of RDP’s Ancillary and Sport Services, the Dance and Rodeo teams join the Polytechnic’s nationally recognized Athletics program. Recently, Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics was ranked third in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) during the past 50 years. Throughout the Polytechnic's athletics history, RDP Athletics teams and individual student-athletes have won 25 CCAA national gold medals and 199 Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) team and individual titles. “As Kings and Queens, members of the Dance and Rodeo teams become part of a cohesive group of more than 190 student-athletes at Red Deer Polytechnic,” says Randy Stewart, Manager, Athletics and Student

Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) continues to provide opportunities for aspiring artists to immerse themselves in creative environments throughout the academic year. Throughout July, 291 artists participated in 31 Series Summer Art Workshops, held in the Polytechnic’s world-class art studios. RDP hosted both one-day and one-week workshops, providing options for artists. “We are extremely proud to continue the longstanding tradition of hosting Series Summer Art Workshops on main campus,” says Martin Thomsen, Interim Dean, Continuing Education and Corporate Training. “As a polytechnic, we offer diverse applied research, education and training opportunities, including in the arts, that contribute to the economic, social and cultural development of Alberta.” Nineteen art instructors from across North America, including one from New York City, taught a variety of art disciplines. The workshops included metalsmithing and sculpting, glass bead making, painting and printmaking. There were four feature artists who shared their expertise at Series Summer Art Workshops: Jean Pederson - painting with mixed media, wet glazing with watercolour and open studio Arne Handley – introduction to pottery Willie Wong - watercolour for beginners and northern lights painting Milt Fischbein - filigree jewelry “I want to thank the instructors, participants, staff and volunteers for making this year’s Series