PhD in Educational Studies (UBC); MA in Policy and Administration (U of Calgary); BSc and BEd (Lakehead University)
Dr. Terri MacDonald is the Director of Applied Research and Innovation at Selkirk College. Terri provides strategic leadership and oversight to a team of 23 research staff and $5 million in research and innovation projects annually, including innovative work happening at the Selkirk Technology Access Centre (STAC), Selkirk Ion-source Research Centre (SIRC) and the Selkirk Social Innovation Lab (SSIL).
Terri has worked passionately since joining the Selkirk College team in 2011, first as the Regional Innovation Chair in Rural Economic Development and then advancing to director of applied research and innovation in 2018. She has led the growth of research and innovation, including increasing the self-funded research budget from less than $500K to $5 million annually; increasing student paid internship opportunities from four to more than 50 annually; harnessing $4 million in research infrastructure funding; developing foundational research administration policies (including IP); securing funding for 10 new micro-credentials, and launching and growing the STAC, SIRC and SSIL.
Terri has positioned Selkirk College as a leader in internships, securing funding for over $500,000 in student wages annually and allowing interns to earn while they learn through multiple MITACS cluster grants and other funders. In the 2024 Canada’s Top Research Colleges ranking, Selkirk College made the winners circle for small colleges for research intensity (#3), paid student researchers (#3) and industry research income growth (#1).
Terri is a member of the Selkirk College Leadership team and has served as a BC Applied Research and Innovation (BCARIN) committee member since 2014 and as an elected member of Colleges and Institutes Canada National Research Advisory Committee since 2020. She continues to serve on NSERC evaluation committees on an ongoing basis. Terri envisions an expanded role for colleges as they innovate to meet the increasingly complex and rapid response needs of the communities and companies they serve while educating the next generation workforce. Terri is grateful for the opportunity to help realize this vision.
Born and raised in Northern Ontario, Terri now finds herself on the north shore of Kootenay Lake just outside of Balfour with her husband, Toby, daughter, Zoe, and super cute dog, Joey. She enjoys golf, camping, skiing, music making and spending quality time with her family.