What we do

Recent advances in materials science (smart materials, self-assembly), biology (targeting, biomanufacturing), and engineering (statistical optimization, machine learning, high-throughput screening) are enabling the creation of next-generation controlled release technologies to make patient therapeutics safer, more effective, and more convenient, advance precision agriculture to ensure food security, create new functional foods for preventing disease, and design new biomedical devices.

NSERC CREATE ContRoL Training Program

The NSERC CREATE ContRoL Training Program aims to equip trainees with both technical and professional skills to enable them leverage these new technical advances to create real-world products that make an impact both in Canada and worldwide.  We aim to achieve this goal through a combination of diverse partnerships and training initiatives that will give trainees a comprehensive background across all aspects of the field of controlled release and transitioning technologies from the lab to the market.

Term Year 1 Year 2
Fall Term Career Mentoring (initial audit) Job readiness workshop
Development of activities plan Course #2
Winter Term Industry discovery Industry placement
Podcast Interview
Course #1 webinars Online modules (microcredentialed)
Summer Term Course #1 practicum Design sprint
AGM AGM/3MT
Industry skills workshop Career mentoring (final review/feedback)
Lab exchange
Term Year 1 Year 2 Years 3/4
Fall Term Career mentoring (initial audit) Job readiness workshop Podcast interview
Development of activities plan Course #2 Grant writing collaboration
Winter Term

 Industry discovery Industry placement Lab exchange
Course #1 webinars Online modules (microcredentialed) Online modules (microcredentialed)
Summer Term Course #1 practicum Design sprint Design sprint mentorship (1 year)
AGM AGM/3MT AGM (annually)
Industry skills workshop Career mentoring (review activities plan) Career mentoring (final review/feedback)
Term Year 1 Year 2
Fall Term Career mentoring (initial audit) Job readiness workshop
Development of activities plan Grant writing collaboration
Winter Term

 Industry discovery Industry Placement
Podcast interview
Education 600 teaching course Online modules (microcredentialied)
Summer Term

 Co-instruct Course #1 Design sprint
AGM AGM/3MT
Industry skills workshp Career mentoring (final review/feedback)
Lab exchange
Term
Summer Term


 Career mentoring
Industry skills workshop
Podcast interview
Design sprint
AGM/3MT

Within the NSERC CREATE ContRoL Training Program, trainees will experience:

Career Mentoring

Customized career mentoring from start of the program to ensure that the program activities match with the goals of each individual trainee.

Integrative Courses

Two integrative courses, Collaborative Design in Controlled Release and Leadership for Innovation, that aim to build technical and professional skills to design, fabricate, and translate controlled release technologies, incorporating directed training in design thinking strategies and leadership and teamwork fundamentals and partnering with our industry collaborators to ensure our solutions have commercial relevance.

Design Sprint

A Design Sprint in which the controlled release solution developed in the courses is validated with potential customer input.

Industry placements

Industry placements for graduate students to gain hands-on experience outside of academia as an integrated part of their graduate school experience.

Exchanges

Exchanges to other labs within or outside of the ContRoL network (both local, national, and international) to develop hands-on experience in an area outside your own research expertise.

Entrepreneurship modules

Entrepreneurship modules, including the option to take a graduate certificate program in Health Innovation, to gain competencies and immersive experience in the entrepreneurship and start-up ecosystem.

Scientific communications training

Scientific communications training, including participation in a 3 Minute Thesis competition to learn how to clearly describe a core research project and a podcast aiming to make science relatable to the general public.

Industry Skills

Workshops on Industry Skills, aiming to develop an understanding of concepts not often covered in academia but important in industry (e.g. industrial health and safety, regulatory issues, ISO/Six Sigma, societal impacts), and Job Readiness, giving practical advice on interviewing skills, resume building, and networking strategies.

Annual General Meeting

An Annual General Meeting featuring presentations from ContRoL trainees and internationally-recognized experts in the area coupled with monthly trainee meetings to share technical ideas and develop collaborative research projects that leverage the diverse expertise within ContRoL.

Mentorship Circle

Access to the ContRoL Mentorship Circle to build links with industry leaders in the field and address individual challenges on each trainee’s path to success.

External conferences

Travel to external conferences to share your research with experts in your field.

Partnerships

Opportunities to partner with the Canadian Chapter of the Controlled Release Society (CC-CRS) to develop and/or participate in national workshops and networking events.