Dalhousie University School of Information Management faculty member and Director of the Social Media Lab, Dr. Anatoliy Gruzd, has been awarded a Leaders Opportunity Fund (LOF) award in the amount of $150,000 from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and the Nova Scotia Research and Innovation Trust (NSRIT).
This new infrastructure grant will allow Dr. Gruzd to continue to grow his social media research lab at Dalhousie. Dr. Gruzd will use the grant to renovate newly allocated space within the Dalhousie Faculty of Management and to purchase new equipment to support the lab’s future projects. Equipment includes new tablets, computers and a large multi-touch video wall that will allow researchers to visualize large datasets on a single screen and discover patterns in online data.
“I am very excited to have access to the new research space, latest computer equipment and analytics software. It will allow me and my students to thoroughly analyze and visualize social networks found in social media as well as to create new mobile apps that can help people to easily navigate through the vast amount of social data that is being created on the web. And more importantly, it will allow the lab to forge stronger connections with software developers and social analytic companies in Canada and abroad.” –Anatoliy Gruzd, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Management.
“The CFI has made possible the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment that is necessary for high level science to take place. Without it researchers cannot do their work and without research we cannot advance the knowledge that improves our lives, our society and our health.” – Martha Crago, Vice President Research, Dalhousie University
Canada Foundation for Innovation funding is awarded through a rigorous, objective and merit-based national competition process. The information technology research being conducted at the Dalhousie’s Social Media Lab is embedded in a growing industry, advancement made here will help businesses, government and not-for-profit organizations understand how to engage in online conversations with Canadians.
Extremely exciting news that will benefit the students, the School, and the community. Anatoliy’s expertise and passion for the field is a good indicator of bright future that awaits the School and the students. Congratulations!