program area

Environment & Sustainability

Interdisciplinary Studies

award type

Student research funding

Application open date

Application deadline

April 01, 2022 23:59 PM

Each year for four years (2020-2023), one Royal Roads University student who is qualified and able to participate for 12 months in the “Community Housing Canada: Partners in Resilience” Research Project will be given a $16,000 tuition credit (renewable) for their time spent undertaking research. Pending availability of funding, the Fund may be renewed once per recipient, provided continued and satisfactory research and enrollment, except for the final year of the award program. Should the funding be renewed, a new competition will not be held that year.

Canada’s National Housing Strategy (NHS) is placing focus on the needs of low- and moderate- income households and those belonging to the community housing sector. Community housing accounts for about 5% of all dwellings in Canada but 16% of all rental units. The purpose of this Fund is to develop research projects leveraged by the activities of an already-established Partnership Grant and will be available to students whose interests relate to sustainability in housing, with a specific focus on the energy needs of those residing in community housing and the buildings they reside in. This work directly relates to Dr. Runa Das’ overarching program of research focusing on the human dimensions of energy use, inclusive of the building sector.

Funding provides support for research to: 1) assist with conducting research across a nationally-linked network of researchers and stakeholders and 2) accelerate the mobilization of research discoveries; develop, validate, and/or evaluate interventions; evaluate the impact of interventions on health and social situations. This will be achieved by looking at: 1) Social challenges: how can community housing improve social connections, while also catering to changing household sizes? 2) Economic challenges: how can community housing secure funding, address deferred maintenance, and expand supply? 3) Environmental challenges: how can the energy efficiency of community housing be improved?

Eligibility

  • actively enrolled in RRU’s Master of Environment and Management or MA in Interdisciplinary Studies programs during the competition year
  • involved in the Community Housing in Canada Research Project
  • achieve academic excellence at RRU (min 3.67/4.33)
  • at least 12 months remaining in the program

Applications will be reviewed holistically and in comparison to other applications received, taking into consideration academic excellence, potential as a researcher, and personal characteristics. See the Federal Canada Graduate Scholarship Masters selection criteria for further details about these attributes.

How to apply

Should a competition be launched that year, interested applicants will submit a one-page research proposal to Dr. Runa Das, runa.das@royalroads.ca by April 1st for each year of the four years running 2020-2024.