Research and Innovation Partner Collaboration

It has been a great pleasure to work with St. Clair College's Research and Innovation Department in the funding proposal writing, especially collaborating with the Research and Innovation Director, Karamjeet Dhillon, and the Business Development Manager, Sonja Popovski. Their team combines creativity, efficiency, and a genuine passion for community impact in every project they take on. They consistently deliver innovative, well-crafted proposals tailored to funders' priorities, with clear and efficient communication throughout the process with project partners. What truly sets them apart is their heartfelt dedication to helping local not-for-profit organizations create meaningful changes. Working with St. Clair College's Research and Innovation Department has been an absolute pleasure, and I am confident that any organization will benefit from their expertise and commitment.

I had the privilege of collaborating with Dr. Karmie Dhillon, Director of Research and Innovation at St. Clair College, on a Youth Mental Health Grant. This grant was developed under tight deadlines, with objectives shaped by a coalition of over 30 organizations dedicated to supporting youth. Karmie played a pivotal role in leading the literature review, demonstrating her expertise in research methodology and its application to future studies stemming from this grant. Her approach elevated the grant-writing process beyond securing funding—it became an opportunity to integrate applied research that would enhance program scalability and development. She effortlessly bridged academic evidence with service provision, ensuring that the research would directly inform and improve youth mental health initiatives tailored to our community's demographics. Her exceptional skills in writing, editing, and synthesizing academia with healthcare significantly strengthened the process. Moreover, her ability to adapt quickly and seamlessly to evolving goals and community needs was invaluable. Working alongside Karmie was an incredible learning experience, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity. Her contributions will have a lasting impact on both the potential implementation of this grant and the broader knowledge base of youth mental health in our community.

Networking and a strong positive relationship of trust and respect, this is how I would sum up our association with St Clair College, Research, and Innovation. Fetherstill Inc was incorporated in Windsor, Ontario, for the sole purpose of developing technology that improved battery functioning in extreme temperature conditions. I made a fully committed move to Windsor to pursue this vision, and I knew from the very beginning that this could not be achieved without the support of the local organizations and a fantastic team. Our dedicated space for product development and testing at St Clair College. I began my quest to get support much before my move to Windsor and much before the company was even incorporated. With constant research, I contacted Mackenzie Habash, now Senior Program Manager at Invest Windsor Essex, who was the first one to convince me to make the move and connected me to WEtech Alliance. Susana Martins, Business Advisor from WEtech Alliance, recognized Fetherstill's potential and advised me to proceed with incorporating in Windsor and guided me to make one of the most strategic decisions of my life. Our team members are working on some preliminary cell testing. With the right team—comprising Mario, Design Engineer, Rishab, Electro-Mechanical Engineer, Edwin, Electrical Engineer, Aidan, Owen, and Rodrigo, we have achieved strong progress since the beginning of 2023, completing our proof of technology using Battery Module 1.0. We are now developing Battery Module 2.0, named 'Powerboost', which will output 1.75KWh of power and will be installed in our test vehicle. Lithium Ion 2170 cells that go into our module. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity. As the founder, my goal is to leverage this partnership to create value for our community, the city, and our country. Regardless of Fetherstill's success, the relationship between the two organizations will go down in history as one of the most influential the city has ever seen.

Dr. Karamjeet Dhillon and her team at St. Clair College's Office of Research and Innovation are true specialists in research and grant writing. Their deep understanding of the process, ability to craft compelling applications, and critical approach to funding opportunities make them invaluable partners. They not only know how to write winning grants but also have a keen awareness of the best funding opportunities available. As a community agency, we have experienced firsthand their expertise and collaborative spirit, working together on two grant applications and consulting on a third. Their support has been instrumental in advancing our projects, and I highly recommend them to anyone seeking a skilled and strategic grant development team.