Office of the Vice-President Research
Office of the Vice-President Research
Our mission
Thompson Rivers University will earn recognition as the most committed and innovative university in Canada for research and scholarship based on community partnerships; for involving graduate students in community-centred research; and for undergraduate research training.
Our actions will be defined by shared, deeply held values. We respect each other (Xyemstwécw), the land, knowledge, the peoples of our region and beyond.
Strategic Research Plan
Thompson Rivers University is entering a new phase where our research is advanced not only by individual scholars and projects, but also by strategic partnerships, collaborations and international networks. TRU’s new 2022-27 Strategic Research Plan articulates the key challenge areas where we will strive to make significant contributions during the next five years.
- Understanding and responding to changing climate, its consequences for our environments (built, natural, social), and pursuing sustainable solutions.
- Contributing to greater social cohesion and sense of belonging through a commitment to social justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and social responsibility.
- Strengthening health, quality of life, and cultural sustainability in our local and regional communities.
- Advancing technological, social and economic development and innovation that improves people’s lives.
- Seeking truth, reconciliation, and rights through Indigenous-led research and capacity building.
Our Strategic Research Plan represents a road map to connecting research with community needs, engaging in global research challenges and ensuring the research enterprise contributes to the university’s 10-year strategic change goals. In the next 10 years, TRU will lead in community research and scholarship while supporting all faculty members in knowledge-seeking, knowledge creation, and creative inquiry.
Thompson Rivers University campuses are on the traditional lands of the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc (Kamloops campus) and the T’exelc (Williams Lake campus) within Secwepemcúlucw, the traditional and unceded territory of the Secwépemc. The region TRU serves also extends into the territories of the St’át’imc, Nlaka’pamux, Nuxalk, Tŝilhqot'in, Dakelh, and Syilx peoples.
In the news
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Research team looks at full-circle sustainability
Dr. Bala Nikku looks at pressing societal challenges by examining ways to adopt a circular economy, after receiving a research grant.
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TRU researchers awarded over $500,000 through Discovery Grants
Three Thompson Rivers University researchers have received $590,000 through the federal NSERC Discovery Grants program.
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Audiobooks as a sound learning aid for students
Associate Professor Paul Simpson, from TRU's Piping Trades program, has created audiobooks to support students who struggle with reading.
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TRU student awarded prestigious medal for academic excellence
TRU student Bhavithry Sen Puliparambil has received the Governor General’s Gold Medal for highest academic standing at the graduate level.
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Researcher-in-Residence program gets early national recognition
The Researcher-in-Residence program has been getting a lot of attention, receiving two honourable mention awards before its 2024 completion.
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TRU researcher renewed as Canada Research Chair
The federal government has announced the renewal of Canada Research Chair Dr. Mukwa Musayett (Shelly Johnson) at TRU.
More news
The Conversation
The Conversation is an international independent source of news and views from the academic and research community. TRU has been a contributing member since 2018.
More from The Conversation
Events
So You Need a Data Management Plan (Fall Session 2 of 3)
Date: October 24, 1:30pm - 2:30pm
Location: Brown Family House of Learning
Tri-Agency has recently announced the funding opportunities which require applicants to submit a Data Management Plan (DMP). As this list of grants which require DMPs grow, Scholarly Research Librarian, Erin May, and Postdoctoral Fellow, Evelyn Asiedu, are here to support you to create DMPs which both, address Tri-Agency requirements and meet your needs. This semester, there will be three workshops to...
Faculty of Law Research Series – “What it’s like to write a treatise, and why it matters” with Prof. Chambers, Diab, and Hunt
Date: October 25, 1:00pm - 2:30pm
Location: Old Main
Professors Chambers, Diab, and Hunt discuss their recent work on book-length treatments of subjects important to them and why it matters.
So You Need a Data Management Plan (Final fall Session)
Date: December 6, 10:30am - 11:30am
Location: Brown Family House of Learning
Tri-Agency has recently announced the funding opportunities which require applicants to submit a Data Management Plan (DMP). As this list of grants which require DMPs grow, Scholarly Research Librarian, Erin May, and Postdoctoral Fellow, Evelyn Asiedu, are here to support you to create DMPs which both, address Tri-Agency requirements and meet your needs. This semester, there will be three workshops to...
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Research is on the rise at TRU
TRU research storytellers
Dr. Rees’s SSHRC-funded research helps to inform science and math education, providing children with a love of discovery and the confidence to ask great questions and look to science for the answers.