News

In this three-part video series, Stuart Cullum, President, Red Deer Polytechnic and Janine Sullivan, President and Chief Executive Officer, FortisAlberta discuss the changing landscape of the energy industry, and how through an innovate partnership RDP and FortisAlberta are working together to drive innovation and productivity in Alberta. Part One | Developing talent for the next generation of Alberta’s workforce. Part Two | Contributing to Alberta’s productivity & growth strategy by creating strong communities Part Three | A shared vision for Energy Innovation

The future of energy innovation at RDP is brighter thanks to a generous $600,000 donation from RBC Foundation to establish the Energy Test Hub.

The Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) community continues to recognize and share research that creates vast institutional, industrial and societal impact. Red Deer Polytechnic recently hosted the Student Science Conference and Agora Student Conference which showcased a breadth of applied research that has been conducted by RDP learners. “As a polytechnic institution, we align education, training and applied research opportunities to create innovation ecosystem spaces that help address the needs of industry and communities,” says Lindsay Engel, Vice President, Academic and Student Experience. “The Student Science Conference and Agora Conference are examples of unique student experiences offered at RDP that create positive economic and social impact and lead to meaningful employment.” At the Student Science Conference, attendees were able to view 28 poster projects highlighting a variety of subject areas while discussing the objectives and findings with student researchers. Guests were also invited to select from 20 formal student presentations, which showcased a variety of scientific topics. Additionally, the Student Science Conference featured keynote speaker Dr. Michael T. Woodside, Department of Physics, Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, and Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, at the University of Alberta. Dr. Woodside shared his research that found unique RNA structures

Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) is joining forces with many of Alberta’s other post-secondary institutions to increase supports for students and employees who are recovering from substance abuse and addictive behaviours to achieve success throughout their academic journey and in their careers. During a ceremony held earlier today on RDP’s main campus, the Polytechnic was designated as a recovery-friendly campus, after the Recovery Friendly Campus pledge was signed. This pledge is led by Recovery on Campus Alberta, providing RDP students, faculty and staff with services, resources, education and training that supports and celebrates diverse recovery pathways for individuals. “We are pleased to pledge our support of Alberta’s Recovery on Campus initiative,” said Lindsay Engel, Vice President, Academic and Student Experience, at Red Deer Polytechnic. “We are committed to creating an inclusive environment on our campuses that provides opportunities for our students to thrive in their studies, and for faculty and staff to make an impact in their work. Through Recovery on Campus, we appreciate the additional resource now available to better assist our diverse Polytechnic community members as we grow opportunities through education, training and applied research to meet the economic and social priorities of our province.” RDP is pleased to

Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) has been awarded a three-year PromoScience grant by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) valued at $162,000. This grant will help RDP grow the impact of its Red Hot Science outreach program by offering more land camps to Indigenous high school students. Additionally, the grant will enhance dual credit opportunities, enabling Indigenous high school students to earn both high school and post-secondary credits through the newly created land-based Indigenous Perspectives and Science course that integrates Indigenous knowledge and traditions. These initiatives aim to create a seamless path for Indigenous students to pursue studies at Red Deer Polytechnic while honouring their cultural heritage. The Four Seasons land camps, which have engaged 50 Indigenous youth, blend land-based teachings such as fish leather tanning and food preservation with opportunities to create digital stories capturing their year-long journeys. The Aunties in Training program, attended by 40 Indigenous girls, addresses the unique challenges they face through a curriculum guided by Indigenous women leaders. Both camps are led by Elders, Knowledge Keepers, educators and Red Deer Polytechnic faculty and staff, creating enriching experiences. The camps are among many programs offered through RDP’s Red Hot Science, coordinated by Pamela Neumann

The Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) Alumni Association has donated $100,000 to the RDP Student Industry Engagement Fund. This innovative fund enhances the learning experience for students across the Polytechnic by providing funding support to cover the costs associated with attending external conferences, forums and events hosted by industry and professional organizations. “I would like to thank the Red Deer Polytechnic Alumni Association for their generous donation to the RDP Student Industry Engagement Fund,” comments Stuart Cullum, President, Red Deer Polytechnic. “Through the Student Industry Engagement Fund, more learners will create meaningful industry connections across a variety of sectors. This kind of exposure not only elevates the student experience but also provides students with opportunities to grow their professional networks.” Most recently, eight RDP business students utilized the fund to attend the Central Alberta Business Summit where they had an opportunity to hear from keynote speaker, Andrew DiCapua, Principal Economist of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, participate in breakout sessions with local leaders and network with attendees. The Alumni Association has donated a total of $236,000 to the Polytechnic in support of student initiatives, including five annual student scholarships. “Our hope is that through the Student Industry Engagement Fund and through

Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) is pleased to announce Dr. Tristin Brisbois and Ms. Melina Dharma-Wardene as the newest members on RDP's Board of Governors, appointed by the Government of Alberta. Dr. Tristin Brisbois is a PepsiCo Executive, currently their Senior Director of Life Sciences Living Lab and Advanced Personalization Ideation Center. She has worked in research and development for over 15 years in various roles in the USA and Canada and holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from the University of Alberta and a Master of Business and Science (MBS) from Rutgers University. Dr. Brisbois has recently relocated from New York back to Red Deer where she began her studies at Red Deer College while playing soccer with the Queens. She is an active volunteer in the community and serves on several non-profit and academic boards across North America. Ms. Melina Dharma-Wardene is the Executive Director of the South Calgary Primary Care Network, an organization serving patients in the southeast quadrant of Calgary in partnership with 285 physicians and 87 clinics. She has previously held executive positions at Sante Medical, Canada Diagnostic Centers, and Bethany Care Society. She is a cancer scientist, holding a Master

Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP), the Students’ Association and PRIDE on Campus Student Group are collaborating to support members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community through hosting a series of events during Pride Week, from March 24 to 29, 2025. Festivities begin on March 24 at 9:30 am with a Pride Flag Raising Ceremony outside the main entrance of RDP’s main campus. Additional activities include: a Pride Fair featuring opportunities to learn about the Pride community, as well as supports available for 2SLGBTQIA+ community members at RDP and in the surrounding community. Pride pin-making and Dreamcatcher making discussions and workshops that include topics such as allyship, intersectionality and peer support a Queer Prom where everyone is invited to join the party. Week-long activities as part of Pride Week festivities include: opportunities for people to make friendship bracelets & other Pride crafts in the Makerspace (in RDP’s Library) writing a message to an individual’s younger self to be added to a patchwork quilt. Tables will be set up across campus to contribute messages to the quilt. the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre on main campus illuminated in rainbow colours each night reading various books and resources available at RDP’s Library Book Display. View

Red Deer Polytechnic is pleased to welcome Rafael (Raf) Mohammed to its academic leadership team, as Dean of the Donald School of Business.

RDP & Sunchild First Nation have signed an agreement that will enable Sunchild First Nation School students an opportunity to gain firsthand experiences of trades work in carpentry, plumbing and electrical under RDP’s instruction and supervision, while also helping build homes for Elders near the Nation’s school.

Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) continues to recognize and celebrate its vast applied research that helps create tangible outcomes to specific challenges across our province, and beyond. On March 12, members of the Polytechnic community shared its innovative research projects and scholarly activity at RDP’s Fourth Annual Research Showcase. “The Research Showcase demonstrated the multi-disciplinary research that is initiated by students, faculty and staff across the Polytechnic, providing significant impact for academia, industry and communities,” says Lindsay Engel, Vice President, Academic and Student Experience, Red Deer Polytechnic. “As a polytechnic institution, we strategically integrate applied research with education and training to help advance Alberta’s priorities and productivity.” This year, the Polytechnic’s Research Showcase featured three poster displays and 18 presentations about a variety of subjects. Many of the applied research projects that were presented involved interdisciplinary collaboration between students, faculty and partners, highlighting actionable outcomes in communities and industry. Seven breakout sessions, which covered topics in humanities, science, technology and wellness, complemented the experiences of attendees. As an example, one session featured a research project titled Identification of Vertebrate Prey Within Black Bear Scat. It showcased collaboration between Taylor Eaton, an RDP student, Ramona Maraj, Ecologist Team Leader II with Parks

Through grants and funding, Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP), Canadian Sport Institute Alberta (CSIAB) and Bowhead Corp. are collaborating to revolutionize the parasport equipment used by para-athletes across the country in training and competition. This project, titled Increasing Accessibility to Specialized Parasport Equipment Across Canada Through Advanced Design and Manufacturing, is worth $860,000. It is supported by a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Applied Research and Development (ARD) grant ($450,000) and an Alberta Innovates Campus Alberta Small Business Engagement (CASBE) grant ($300,000). In addition, CSIAB has contributed $110,000 toward this project. These funds will be distributed over three years. “We are grateful for these investments which help integrate sports, multi-disciplinary applied research and advanced manufacturing to develop customized parasport equipment and reduce barriers for Canadian athletes,” says Dr. Tonya Wolfe, Associate Vice President, Applied Research, Red Deer Polytechnic. “This is an exciting project and is one example of how RDP’s multi-disciplinary approach in applied research and enhanced partnerships help to address the needs of people, industry and communities across Canada.” Red Deer Polytechnic staff and the institution’s Centre for Innovation in Manufacturing–Technology Access Centre (CIM-TAC) will play an integral role in helping to create inclusive and cost-effective