Chris Paci, a lead researcher and the vice president of research at Aurora College says the college has doubled their research projects to over 70 in the last year alone. The college is looking to continue expanding their research capacity and continue to build a base in Yellowknife.
“The goal is to build a North Slave Research Centre so we’re not in rented space. The college has been here in Yellowknife for quite a few years. And during all of that time, we’ve yet to put down roots and build a building. And so, we need to do that to expand the research that we’re doing as well to support the development of academic programs here.”
The college has been named one of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges for 2025 for the ninth consecutive year. The college also ranked among the top 15 (small tier colleges) for their research partnerships, for their completed research projects and for their college research income growth.
“For the last nine years, we’ve been in that top 50 because we do so many research projects here in the North. And it’s because we’re trying to build research capacity here and ask the questions that are of importance to communities.”
The college currently ranks number 36 and two years ago they were at 41.
“So we see a slight Trend towards getting towards the top 20, maybe the top 10 – eventually number one, but we also are competing against colleges like Sheridan and other big colleges like BCIT and other big schools like Grand River and so it’s tough to crack the top ten.”
Paci explained that one of the research funds the college has successfully won funding through is Arctic Net, which is out of the Strategic Science Fund. It is a federal government fund that is not usually accessible to academic institutions, but it is accessible to large networks. Paci explained that Arctic Net has been around for many years and is based out of Lavalle University.
The college was awarded three years of funding, about $800,000, for building Northern research capacity.
The finding is focussed on looking at emerging threats in the northern freshwater environments. The research is being led by Dr. Mike Palmer, who is located at the North Slave Research Centre.
Paci said the college will also be hiring two new staff, a senior aquatic scientist and an aquatic data scientist to start looking at all of the data collected on ecosystems and the changes due to climate change.
“We’re see more algae blooms. We’re seeing changes in fish composition and textures. Communities are telling us about changes in their local water system. So, being able to do the research to understand, what’s actually going on is really important,” said Paci.
“We’re different from other researchers in that. We’re based here in the north. And building Northern scientific research capacity also means working with Indigenous communities and Indigenous knowledge and building capacity in the community,” added Paci.
While some researchers come from the south, staying temporarily to do research, the researchers from the college are located here all year round.
“We’re not doing that. We’re staying here. We’re building capacity here,” explained Paci.
Paci said that the college holds Indigenous knowledge and science in the same esteem as conventional ‘western’ knowledge and science.
“Our goal is to bring them together in a way that’s going to be respectful and produce better outcomes and knowledge that’s useful in the communities. We’re not just interested in publishing scientific papers,” he said.
“We have a lot of respect for Indigenous knowledge and when we look at, aquatic ecosystems, for example, we’re interested to find out from the communities what’s of value to them and what they’re seeing so their observations, their knowledge, the locations on the land where they want to do sapling and the kinds of sampling they want to do, those are paramount to the kind of work that we do.”
The research is also for the most part open to the public, it’s open access, which is another way that the Aurora college is different from other research institutions in the country.
“Over the years there have been hundreds of papers and books written,” says Paci.
This spring, Michael Palmer, who is a lead researcher and professor at the college published a study on historic arsenic pollution in local waterbodies in Yellowknife. The study is widely cited in academic circles and in the media.
Aurora College supported Chris Cannon to do work with the Dene community for what was his PhD thesis and was turned into a book titled, In the Footsteps of the Traveler: The Astronomy of Northern Dene.
The book was published by the University of Manitoba Press. Chief Fred Sangris wrote the preface.
Another group of researchers from the college recently published a study on water titled, “Towards Characterizing the response of water quality to regional variability in permafrost thaw.”
The research community at the college has been part of a diverse range of applied research projects within and between physical and social sciences, health, environmental studies, biology, Traditional Knowledge, food security, and engineering.
Some of their latest key research projects include permafrost monitoring, climate change impact studies, air quality monitoring, renewable and alternative energy research, Northern and Indigenous health care studies, soil safety research, Northern agriculture, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping and monitoring, research on traditional uses of native plant species, youth outreach in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Aurora College President Angela James says the college’s current Mandate Agreement with the Department of Education highlights the need to improve infrastructure, particularly the Yellowknife North Slave Campus and student housing across the College.
The Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce announced yesterday that they submitted a letter to Minister Caitlin Cleveland in support for advancing the proposed Aurora College North Slave Campus at the Centre Square Mall site.
Mark Henry and Matt Halliday, with the chamber, say the proposal is a time-sensitive opportunity that will not only strengthen post-secondary education, support workforce development but will also contribute directly to downtown revitalization through private-sector investment.
Agata Gutkowska, with the GNWT’s Ministry of Education, Culture and Employment, said that there is no specific timeframe for a response at this stage, but added that the department continues to work closely with Aurora College to address infrastructure needs.
“While operational decisions rest with the Aurora College Board of Governors, ECE continues to collaborate closely with the College. The GNWT is committed to supporting Aurora College’s infrastructure priorities in a way that is well-informed, fiscally responsible, and aligned with long-term needs and the public interest,” said Gutkowska.
“Aurora College has identified the need for additional capacity at its Yellowknife North Slave Campus to better support students, faculty, and staff as it advances its transformation into a polytechnic university. From ECE’s perspective, infrastructure that enhances the student experience, supports program growth, and responds to future needs can strengthen post-secondary education outcomes and help build a skilled Northern workforce,” added Gutkowksa.
James says the college is is working with the Colliers Group on a feasibility study for the potential new campus and student housing.
