Thank you again for a great question.
I want to pick up on a couple of points before I give another couple of examples. I agree with Pam that there is a balance that we have to strike in Canada where, as you say, there is blue sky research and there is applied research, which are both very important. I would argue, though, that the time horizon for applied research is short. If we're able to create in the minds of our students a sense of inquiry that they're able to take to the workplace, that lasts for many years beyond just four years. That's what we hear back from the private sector partners that we work with. They want to hire not only a bundle of skills but a bundle of problem-solving abilities. That sense of inquiry that's gained through applied research development is a lifelong skill that helps the economy in Canada.
The second thing when we think about researchers is that there are big-I research and small-i research. The big-I research would be something that large corporations would develop and would have a dramatic effect on the economy, but there are thousands of examples of small-i innovation happening in the country.
That's what we're finding throughout rural Canada. Local volunteer fire departments are benefiting from small-i innovations, for example. One of our students was a volunteer firefighter. One of his biggest and most saddest moments was arriving at a car accident and having to wait literally hours before a car could be removed or lifted safely, because it had to be secured. He invented a special jack that could secure a hydraulic jack, secure a vehicle within minutes, and allow for the quick removal of the injured parties involved. He has now taken that product and patented it and is selling it around the world. There's an example of a small-i innovation. That individual now has gone on and taken that platform of technology and used it in different areas.
I think we need to look beyond just the ends of our noses in terms of the benefits of applied research.