Event

Ideas to Impact 2026

Event Date: 03/31/2026

Starting Time: 8:30 am

Ideas to Impact: Strengthening Community Innovation will take place on March 31, 2026, at Mohawk College’s Fennell Campus, bringing together industry partners, community organizations, funders, government and municipal leaders, and colleges for a half‑day of focused discussion on building capacity and adapting to new realities, in a climate of uncertainty. Running from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., followed by a lunch and an optional tour of our research facilities, the event will explore how applied research continues to shape and strengthen innovation. Participants will engage with thought‑provoking panels tackling topics like the evolution & opportunities of Applied Research in southern Ontario, dual‑use in the 21st Century, and seeing how Applied Research intersects with tariffs. With this dissemination of ideas and discussions taking place, we are able to work together to strengthen collaboration and chart the future of community‑driven innovation.

IDEAS TO IMPACT 2025

Dr. Cebert Adamson speaking to the attendees of Ideas to Impact 2025, taking place in the Joyce Centre for Partnership and Innovation at Mohawk College. Paul Armstrong, Monica Ciriello, and Jessica Lamers interacting with TEMI the robot in a Mohawk College hallway. A crowd of Mohawk leadership, including Paul Armstrong, Monica Ciriello, and Sherif Abdou, walking down a Mohawk College hallway, following TEMI the robot.

Ideas to Impact 2026: Strengthening Community Innovation

Time

Topic

Stream

Speakers

7:30am – 8:30am

Registrations open, breakfast is available, and easels are being setup for the upcoming student poster competition.

JCPI (Gallery + Upper Walkways)

Time

Topic

Stream

Speakers

8:30am – 12:00pm

Poster Competition

Taking place on the Upper Walkways of the JCPI, students feature their major projects and research within the Mohawk research ecosystem.
Participate in the Audience Award nomination by voting using the QR codes!

JCPI (Gallery + Upper Walkways)

Time

Topic

Stream

Speakers

8:30am – 9:00am

Leaders Breakfast Session: Capacity Building With AR101

The Leaders Breakfast Session will feature Capacity Building with AR 101, led by Andrea Johnson, General Manager of CERI. Andrea will introduce AR 101, walk the participants through the Applied Research Canvas, introduce key terminologies around applied research, help them evaluate their research readiness and how to position themselves post-applied research collaboration.

EA015 Lecture Hall

Andrea Johnson

Andrea Johnson is the General Manager for the Centre for Emerging Research Initiatives at IDEAWORKS at Mohawk College. She has been a member of the IDEAWORKS team since 2015. In her current role, she introduces faculty, staff, and students to applied research and oversees research activities in unmanned and remote sensing, materials testing, biotechnology, AI, and healthcare technology. Her portfolio also includes the Applied Research 101 series, that she created and launched in 2022, as well as the Steeves Family Innovation Fund.

Time

Topic

Stream

Speakers

9:00am – 9:15am

Networking Break

EA015 Lecture Hall

Time

Topic

Stream

Speakers

9:00am – 9:15am

Networking Break

JCPI (Gallery + Upper Walkways)

Time

Topic

Stream

Speakers

9:30am – 9:45am

IDEAWORKS Overview with Jeff McIsaac, Dean of Applied Research

EA015 Lecture Hall

Jeff McIsaac

As Dean of Applied Research at Mohawk College, Jeffrey McIsaac provides leadership in managing all applied research initiatives. His vision for IDEAWORKS is to foster a dynamic community of research experts dedicated to advancing new knowledge, supporting economic growth in Canada, and enhancing societal well-being. Jeff also holds the role of Dean of Engineering Technology and Aviation in addition to this role.

Time

Topic

Stream

Speakers

9:45am – 10:45am

Panel 1: Evolution & Opportunities of Applied Research in Southern Ontario

EA015 Lecture Hall

Time

Topic

Stream

Speakers

10:45am – 11:45am

Panel 2: Understanding Dual‑Use in the 21st Century

EA015 Lecture Hall

Time

Topic

Stream

Speakers

11:45am – 12:00pm

Networking Break

EA015 Lecture Hall and JCPI (Gallery + Upper Walkways)

Time

Topic

Stream

Speakers

12:05pm – 1:05pm

Panel 3: Applied Research Innovation in a Tariff Landscape

EA015 Lecture Hall

Time

Topic

Stream

Speakers

1:05pm – 1:25pm

Award Announcements

EA015 Lecture Hall

Time

Topic

Stream

Speakers

1:25pm – 1:35pm

Closing Keynote

EA015 Lecture Hall

Time

Topic

Stream

Speakers

1:35pm – 3:00pm

Lunch

JCPI (Gallery + Upper Walkways)

Time

Topic

Stream

Speakers

2:15pm – 3:00pm

Tours of the IDEAWORKS Research Centres

Across Mohawk College