THUNDER BAY — Students from Confederation College’s post-graduate Health Informatics program showcased their capstone research projects on Thursday.
The projects aren't just theoretical — through the city of Thunder Bay's CityStudio initiative students worked with real data that could impact future city planning.
The projects focused on collecting data on health indicators relating to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which the UN lists within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
In small groups, students then validated and updated data from a 2022 Thunder Bay Voluntary Local Review of the SDGs to inform the City of Thunder Bay’s next Community Safety & Well-Being Plan.
“The innovative and analytical skills of our students in this project are outstanding,” said Christina Foresto, a Health Informatics professor and program coordinator.
“This project was a great way to exercise their research skills and ability to present complex data in a simple and visually appealing way. All data tells a story, and to have students apply what they have learned to uncover these stories is a rewarding experience for everyone.”
At the event, students also networked and fielded questions from other students and faculty before inviting questions from city representatives and community partners.
“The greatest value was that it was an intensive learning process in which we worked on actual data and were able to appreciate how our work may go further and be applied to help the community. We learn these skills throughout the program, so to apply them to a real project is very rewarding,” said Roslin Rejee, a Health Informatics student.
Robyn Gillespie, manager of Applied Research at the college, said these projects provide great networking opportunities for students and can even help local employers in their own hiring processes.
“Seeing what students are capable of in this program and how those skills could be employed in the health care sector is a win-win as we grow the next generation of civic leaders,” said Gillespie.
