Government of Canada Invests in Building and Sharing Knowledge on Economic, Social and Cultural Issues

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - June 21, 2012) - The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for Science and Technology, today announced investments in research that will help build a better understanding of important societal issues. The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) has awarded Public Outreach Grants, part of SSHRC's Connection Program, to researchers at postsecondary institutions across Canada for research-related events and outreach activities.

"Our Government's top priority is the economy: jobs, growth and long-term prosperity. To remain at the forefront of the global economy, our government is investing in the people and ideas that will produce tomorrow's breakthroughs," said Minister Goodyear. "The mobilization of knowledge leads to a more robust economy and helps develop new opportunities for economic growth while strengthening Canada's research advantage."

In total, $6.3 million has been awarded under SSHRC's Connection program to 95 public outreach research projects. The projects involve Canadian and international researchers covering a wide range of topics such as history, education and First Nations communities. SSHRC's Public Outreach Grants mobilize and leverage research for a range of audiences beyond the academic community to inform Canadian and international debate, decisions and actions. Through these grants, SSHRC encourages researchers to find effective ways to disseminate, transfer, exchange and synthesize research results to wider audiences such as policy-makers, organizations in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, students at all levels, and the general public.

"Knowledge sharing among multisectoral partners is essential to innovation and to building the expertise needed for Canada's future," said Dr. Chad Gaffield, president of SSHRC. "These Public Outreach Grants enable the flow and exchange of knowledge across campuses and the private, public and not-for-profit sectors, which, in turn, produces benefits for Canadians."

Funded research projects include:

• Paul Lovejoy from York University will work with numerous organizations, including the Central Ontario Network for Black History, the Niagara 1812 Bicentennial Legacy Council, and the Essex County Black Historical Research Society, to mobilize knowledge and enhance understanding of the African-Canadian role and experience in the War of 1812.
• Rollande Deslandes from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières will partner with organizations including the Association canadienne d'éducation de langue française to exchange and disseminate knowledge, and sensitize practitioners and parents to the possibilities of providing small rural schools with videoconferencing and networking tools.
• Susan O'Donnell from the University of New Brunswick will work with the First Nations Education Council in Wendake, Quebec, the Keewaytinook Okimakanak chiefs council based in Fort Severn, Ontario, and the Mi'kmaw Kina'matnewey organization in Membertou, Nova Scotia, on a project to raise awareness about research on broadband infrastructure and technologies in First Nations communities.
• Prescott Ensign from Wilfrid Laurier University will translate existing bodies of knowledge of the entrepreneurial experiences of Aboriginal Canadians for wider consumption. This undertaking will be conducted in partnership with Australia's Charles Darwin University, the Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference, the Makivik Corporation, and other organizations.
• Margaret Jackson from The Feminist Research Education Development and Action Centre for Research on Violence Against Women and Children at Simon Fraser University will explore the continuum of violence against women and girls through a multidisciplinary conference.
• Jean-Philippe Vergne from Western University will partner with the Harvard Business Review and the HEC School of Management in France to better understand the influence of pirate communities (including hackers) on the evolution of the digital economy.

A full list of the grant recipients is available on the SSHRC website.

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) is the federal agency that promotes and supports postsecondary-based research and training in the humanities and social sciences. Through its programs, SSHRC works to develop talented leaders for all sectors of society, help generate insights about people, ideas and behaviour and build connections within and beyond academia that will build a better future for Canada and the world. For more information, visit www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca.