George Brown Polytechnic is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and other Indigenous peoples who have lived here over time. We are grateful to share this land as treaty people who learn, work and live in the community with each other.
Welcome to Research & Innovation at George Brown Polytechnic — where research drives impact.
At George Brown, we turn ideas into action. We partner with industry and community organizations to solve real-world challenges — quickly, responsibly, and with the people who will actually benefit from the results.
Since 2007, our research and innovation teams have built significant capacity in areas vital to Ontario's economic and social development — from advanced manufacturing and digital transformation to social innovation and sustainability. Shaped by practical applications, real timelines, and the need for solutions that hold up beyond the lab.
Think boldly. Make with purpose. Test for real-world impact. It's how we work — and it's what sets George Brown apart. We work with our partners to de-risk innovation, explore ideas, build and test solutions, and validate them in real-world settings. We bring researcher expertise, student talent, specialized facilities, and funding support to projects at every stage.
If you're looking for research that's collaborative, grounded, and built for real conditions, George Brown is ready to get to work with you.
By the numbers 2024-2025
112
Faculty and Student Researchers
154
Projects
134
Industry and community partners
257
New or improved products, servics, technologies, and prototypes
George Brown's Research & Innovation Institutes establish defined priority areas where interdisciplinary teams tackle the challenges that matter most to industry and community. As part of Canada's innovation ecosystem, our Institutes create the focused conditions for evidence-informed collaboration — and knowledge that drives real change.
Since 2007, George Brown has attracted over $110 million in research funding, collaborated on more than 2,100 projects, and delivered nearly 20,000 student research experiences. Explore what's possible when industry ideas, academic expertise, and community need come together.
At George Brown, research is designed by people — curious minds, bold thinkers, and committed partners who bring real-world expertise and a drive to make things better. When you work with us, you gain more than a research team — you gain co-creators invested in your success.
Stay up to date with all of the exciting Research and Innovation projects happening at George Brown.
Questions? Connect with our team!
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News and Projects Highlights
George Brown College is embarking on a three-year partnership with the Ontario Museum Association (OMA) to guide Ontario’s 700 museums into the digital age. “Digital transformation in museums is changing how people interact with and experience museums through technologies like virtual reality and...
A successful community needs space guided by the needs of its residents—in other words, programming, places and protocols designed for those who use these spaces most. For youth, in particular, access to safe and reliable public spaces helps to stave off isolation and alienation at a crucial point...
Shortly after Hannah Gaum started the Bachelor of Commerce (Culinary Management) program she realized she wanted to work in a lab instead of a kitchen. She seized an opportunity to work at George Brown College’s Food Innovation and Research Studio (FIRSt), and is collaborating with culinary...
Culinary Technologist Candace Rambert’s passion for problem solving moves her clients’ food and beverage ideas from the lab to store shelves. It also helped George Brown College’s Food Innovation and Research Studio (FIRSt) meet the challenges posed by COVID-19. FIRSt offers a range of services for...
Do N95 respirators effectively protect health care workers from COVID-19? Are surgical masks a safe alternative? Amid the pandemic, researchers around the world have been studying the effectiveness of different masks in an effort to answer these questions. Dr. Md. Safiuddin, Professor of...