Sheridan faculty Jamie March explores the power of senses in design and innovation

At Sheridan College, research isn’t just about theories and papers — it’s about making real, tangible impacts. Jamie March, a professor in the Faculty of Animation, Arts & Design, is proving just how powerful research can be when it involves the senses. March is leading a project that’s all about sensory exploration — and he’s inviting fellow faculty, staff, students and partners to join the journey.

In 2019, March’s curiosity was piqued during a perfumery course in France, where he discovered how powerful scents and other sensory experiences can trigger memory and emotion.

“As a designer, most of my work was digital or screen-based,” said March. “But there’s something about tactile, sensory experiences that sparked a new passion for me.”

This spark led to the creation of Sheridan’s SenseLab, a research space focused on multisensory experiences. March’s shared interest in the power of sensory experiences with Dr. Lia Tsotsos, Director of Research and Innovation at the Centre for Elder Research and the Screen Industries Research and Training Centre, sparked their collaboration.

With funding from a Generator Growth Grant, an internal award for faculty members to pursue their research passions, the two recently set out to create a space where this kind of research could thrive. The SenseLab is designed as a vibrant, interdisciplinary environment where students, faculty, industry professionals and community partners come together to test, learn and create with all five senses in mind.

In this space, research becomes a dynamic, hands-on experience. March teaches Multisensory Experiences, a first-year course in the Honours Bachelor of Experiential Design program that incorporates many of the methodologies and principles being explored in the SenseLab. For students, this creates a unique opportunity to see the theories they study in the classroom come to life in real-world applications.

Students in the program are already rolling up their sleeves, and getting a head start in an emerging field. This includes March’s first student researcher, Emmerson Plumb, a fourth-year student who has been instrumental in designing the lab’s layout, inventory system and pilot studies.

“As a designer, most of my work was digital or screen-based. But there's something about tactile, sensory experiences that sparked a new passion for me.”

– Jamie March

At the core of March’s research is a focus on aging and sensory engagement, a field of growing importance as the Canadian population ages. Sensory experiences go far beyond creating memorable moments — they have the potential to significantly improve the quality of life for older adults by engaging their senses in ways that promote well-being and emotional connection.

Through SenseLab, March and Tsotsos demonstrate what research at Sheridan can look like — interdisciplinary, community-driven and focused on making a tangible difference. The lab invites faculty, staff and students to think differently, collaborate across fields and develop projects that push the boundaries of design and human experience. As SenseLab evolves, March hopes it will ignite a new wave of designers and researchers at Sheridan to explore the untapped potential of sensory design.

With endless possibilities ahead, the lab stands as a catalyst for change, aiming to lead the way in reimagining how sensory experiences can shape the future.

Interested in learning more about how to get involved as a faculty or staff member in research, innovation and entrepreneurship at Sheridan? Visit sheridancollege.ca/generator.