T he IMMERSe Mitacs Partnership came as a direct result of the IMMERSe grant. Neil Randall made contact with Mitacs very early on, and the relationship resulted in a series of funded Mitacs project and an ongoing relationship with Mitacs for the entire duration of the IMMERSe network. Indeed, this relationship proved instrumental in the relationship SSHRC developed with Mitacs by which PG holders are eligible for a streamlined project approval process, something that has helped IMMERSe faculty members convince industry partners to co-fund several projects. These projects have added a total of $260,000 to the IMMERSe project overall, and have resulted in satisfying Mitacs’ goal in getting HQP working with industry partners. Indeed, that goal has permeated IMMERSe as well, as several faculty researchers have supported the goal, with Neil Randall (Waterloo), Stacey Scott (Waterloo), Mark Hancock (Waterloo), and Bart Simon (Concordia) all receiving Mitacs awards through this streamlined process (indeed, several for Randall and Scott). In addition, the collaborative work with the Stratford Festival conducted by IMMERSe researchers Neil Randall (Waterloo) and Colin Davis (UC Davis) helped lead to the acceptance of non-profit organizations as viable corporate partners for Mitacs funded projects.

*Video taken from the Mitacs Website