Research

Aug 9

2017 pre-budget submission: Research drives innovation and growth

As part of the federal government’s pre-budget consultation process, the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences is recommending significant investments to strengthen research, experiential learning and Indigenous academic inclusion. Read our full submission here.

Canada depends on a strong research ecosystem to prosper in a fast-changing knowledge economy. Budget 2016 made some important contributions to strengthening that system, and this important work must continue. The Federation believes that by strengthening Canada’s education and research systems, we can produce the new knowledge and talented workforce Canada will need to achieve long-term equitable growth. To succeed, we will need to tackle three key challenges:

1: Ensure a high performing and globally connected Canadian research ecosystem

While Canadian researchers continues to rank highly compared to their...

Apr 7

The Faculty of Nursing’s symposium will take a fresh, multidisciplinary approach to compassion during Congress 2016

As part of the Congress 2016 exciting line-up of events, the University of Calgary will host six Interdisciplinary symposia to exhibit the university’s most compelling and leading-edge thinking and research. This article is part of a six-part series showcasing each event, all of which are open to Congress attendees and the general public.

On Sunday May 29, the Faculty of Nursing will host an Interdisciplinary symposium on compassion called Compassion under Contemporary Conditions: Keynote with Margaret Atwood; panels with scholars and community leaders. Why compassion and why now? Glad you asked! Symposium leads Graham McCaffrey (RN PhD) and Shane Sinclair (BA, MDiv, PhD) answer all your burning questions.

Q: So why compassion and why now?

McCaffrey: Compassion has become a subject of interest...

Feb 29

Why we need to remove the uncertainty around assisted dying

This op-ed was published in The HIll Times on February 29, 2016

Jocelyn Downie is a professor in the faculties of law and medicine at Dalhousie University. She has advised several official committees on assisted dying, such as the Canadian Senate Committee on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide. Prof. Downie presented a lecture on assisted dying on Parliament Hill on Feb. 23 as a part of the Big Thinking lecture series hosted by the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences.

The Supreme Court of Canada has made it clear that patients who meet the Carter criteria should have access to physician-assisted death. While we...

Nov 2

Stephen Toope: How sound science policy can make Ottawa better

This op-ed was published in The Hill Times on November 2, 2015

Stephen Toope, President, Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences; Director, Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto

The new government will soon take office, carrying with it the hopes of a broad range of Canadians. And for those of us who value scientific research—either because we use it in our professional lives or simply because we value its role in a modern knowledge society—there are many reasons to be optimistic.

The role of science in democracy, good policy and government was an important...

Apr 23

SSH News: April 23, 2015 (Budget Edition)

This week, SSH News is focusing on the response to the federal budget announcement by different groups and individuals in Canadian higher education and the media. Cette semaine, SSH News se concentre sur la réponse à l'annonce du budget fédéral par différents groupes et individus dans l'enseignement supérieur et les médias au Canada:

Federation of the Humanities and Social Sciences | Fédération des sciences humaines
Federal budget 2015 invests in research and innovation | Le budget fédéral 2015 investit dans la...

Apr 21

Not really a philosopher

Chris Eliasmith, University of Waterloo

Chris Eliasmith, Canada Research Chair in Theoretical Neuroscience, is professor with a joint appointment in Philosophy and Systems Design Engineering and cross-appointment to Computer Science at the University of Waterloo. He is Director of the Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience. He was awarded the NSERC John C. Polanyi Award for his work developing a computer model of the human brain. We have invited Professor Eliasmith to share his thoughts on interdisciplinary approaches to research. Here is what he wrote:

Not really a philosopher.

And not really an engineer... or a neuroscientist, computer scientist, or psychologist. Instead, I am someone really interested in how the brain works—all of it, at all levels of description. Brain function is tackled by many disciplines, and there is no good reason to think that only one discipline has all the answers. So, to me, disciplines...

Apr 8

A mega brainstorm!

Caroline Milliard, Manager, Media Relations at the University of Ottawa

The first image evoked by the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences is that of a huge gathering of academics, researchers and intellectuals from different disciplines to exchange ideas and create unique partnerships.

This year, that image will be doubly meaningful since Congress will be held at the University of Ottawa, a crossroads of ideas and culture.

Defy the conventional. This is how the University of Ottawa defines itself. It is a place where bold minds gather to redefine debates and generate transformative ideas.

But what does that mean, exactly?

Here are a few examples of innovative ideas generated on our campus:...

Mar 19

Canada can learn from the UK’s “The Business of People” report

Nour Aoude, Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences

Released by the UK’s Campaign for Social Science on February 24, 2015, “The Business of People” report underscores the critical role that social science research should play in the that country’s science and innovation strategy. The report’s release comes two months after the UK government’s December 2014 announcement of its science and innovation policy. While the policy clarifies that “science” is used to encompass “the natural, physical and social sciences, engineering, technology, the arts and humanities”, there is...

Feb 23

Open Social Scholarship in Canada

Alyssa Arbuckle, Assistant Director, Research Partnerships & Development, Electronics Textual Cultures Lab (ETCL), University of Victoria

Ray Siemens, Canada Research Chair in Humanities Computing and Distinguished Professor of English in the Faculty of Humanities with cross appointment in Computer Science, University of Victoria

The humanities and social sciences have moved online, and this shift has changed the way knowledge is shared between scholars, students, the public, and other aligned groups. For instance, ideas asserted in informal venues can be circulated widely via social media, and research papers can be published in electronic, open source journals accessible to all. Beyond the viral sharing capacity of the internet, however, digital...

Dec 17

Good Science Policy Will Require Good Communication and Better Support: A Night Out With CAUT

Matthew McKean, Policy Analyst, Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences

In what turns out to have been the run up to the unveiling of the federal government’s new Science, Technology, and Innovation Strategy (ST&I), the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) launched its “Get Science Right” campaign. The goal of the November 27 town hall was to “lay the groundwork for a new direction for science policy” and much of what was discussed was emphatically relevant to the humanities and social sciences community.

Moderated by science journalist Mike De Souza, the evening event took the form of a lively discussion among panelists, including Diane Beauchemin, Chemistry...

Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences

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