Dr. McIver Is NBCC’s First Industrial Research Chair In Mobile First Technology
May 23rd, 2013
FREDERICTON, N.B. (Thursday, May 23) – It was just over a year ago when the New Brunswick Community College was granted eligibility to apply for research funding by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
It did not take long for NBCC to celebrate its first NSERC success story, landing an historical Industrial Research Chair for Colleges (IRCC) grant one year later.
NSERC and NBCC have announced Dr. William (Bill) McIver will be NBCC’s Industrial Research Chair in Mobile First Technology.
Dr. McIver will be responsible for conducting research and for working collaboratively with partners in the information and communications technology sector to develop advanced mobile first technology and to increase the productivity and competitiveness of companies in New Brunswick.
“Obtaining an NSERC grant for this fascinating project is a tremendous milestone for all of us at New Brunswick Community College,” said NBCC president and CEO Marilyn Luscombe. “We recently launched our first five-year strategic plan which puts a new focus on applied research and innovation. This announcement is a significant leap forward in positioning NBCC in the research and innovation ecosystem. Dr. McIver’s role will enable us to fulfil our commitments to our learners and to our communities. We have always had close linkages with industry, but this initiative provides us with new capacity to enhance those relationships. It also aligns positively with the province’s new agenda for research and innovation. NBCC will continue to play a critical role in the socio-economic development and sustainability of New Brunswick.”
Dr. McIver is a graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta, Ga., Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Colorado at Boulder. He has worked in academic, industrial and governmental research institutions, where he has developed patented and commercially-licensed technologies. Most recently, he was a Senior Research Officer in the Emerging Technologies Division at the National Research Council (NRC).
“Mobile platforms such as phones, tablets and other devices have come to play an increasingly critical role in all areas of life and society around the world,” said Dr. McIver. “Mobile-first technology design is a strategy that recognizes the need to prioritize technology development for mobile platforms over desktop computers and helps technology developers innovate within unique restraints such as screen size and to make the most of unique capabilities of mobile platforms.”
NSERC is a federal agency that helps make Canada a country of innovation. IRCC grants were launched from new funds announced by the Government of Canada in 2011. The 2011 federal budget allocated $3-million in 2011-12 and $5-million a year, on a permanent basis, starting in 2012‑13.
Note: The NSERC announcement for NBCC’s Industrial Research Chair will be held Thursday, May 23, at 3:45 p.m. at NBCC Fredericton. Invited speakers include NBCC President and CEO Marilyn Luscombe, NBCC chairperson Cheryl M.G. Robertson, NSERC representative Richard Isner, New Brunswick Premier David Alward and Industrial Research Chair Dr. William McIver.