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Background: The response of Canada's research community to the COVID-19 pandemic provides a unique opportunity to examine the country's clinical health research ecosystem. We sought to describe patterns of enrolment across Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)–funded studies on COVID-19. Methods: We identified COVID-19 studies funded by the CIHR and that enrolled participants from Canadian acute care hospitals between January 2020 and April 2023. We collected information on study-and site-level variables from study leads, site investigators, and public domain sources. We described and evaluated factors associated with cumulative enrolment. Results: We obtained information for 23 out of 26 (88%) eligible CIHR-funded studies (16 randomized controlled trials [RCTs] and 7 cohort studies). The 23 studies were managed by 12 Canadian and 3 international coordinating centres. Of 419 Canadian hospitals, 97 (23%) enrolled a total of 28 973 participants — 3876 in RCTs across 78 hospitals (median cumulative enrolment per hospital 30, interquartile range [IQR] 10–61), and 25 097 in cohort studies across 62 hospitals (median cumulative enrolment per hospital 158, IQR 6–348). Of 78 hospitals recruiting participants in RCTs, 13 (17%) enrolled 50% of all RCT participants, whereas 6 of 62 hospitals (9.7%) recruited 54% of participants in cohort studies. Interpretation: A minority of Canadian hospitals enrolled the majority of participants in CIHR-funded studies on COVID-19. This analysis sheds light on the Canadian health research ecosystem and provides information for multiple key partners to consider ways to realize the full research potential of Canada's health systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Professor Louis Bernatchez, a renowned figure in genomics applied to the conservation and management of aquatic resources, has passed away at the age of 63. He was the Editor-in-Chief for Evolutionary Applications and made significant contributions to the journal. Professor Bernatchez's work focused on microevolution's role in macroevolution using sympatric Lake Whitefish species pairs, and he emphasized the integration of molecular genetics and ecology. His legacy includes advancements in phylogeography, functional genomics, and conservation genomics, and he was highly active in fish research with Indigenous communities in Canada. The text is a collection of personal reflections and tributes to Professor Bernatchez, highlighting his mentorship, support, and contributions to the field. The authors celebrate his lasting impact on the scientific community and express their sadness at his passing. [Extracted from the article]

Background: As research teams, networks, and institutes, and health, medical, and scientific communities begin to build consensus on the benefits of patient engagement in cancer research, research funders are increasingly looking to meaningfully incorporate patient partnership within funding processes and research requirements. The Canadian Cancer Society (CCS), the largest non-profit cancer research funder in Canada, set out to co-create a patient engagement in cancer research strategy with patients, survivors, caregivers and researchers. The goal of this strategy was to meaningfully and systematically engage with patients in research funding and research activities. Methods: A team of four patient partners with diverse cancer and personal experiences, and two researchers at different career stages agreed to participate as members of the strategy team. Ten staff members participated in supportive roles and to give context regarding different departments of CCS. The strategy was co-developed in 2021/2022 over a series of 7 workshops using facilitation strategies such as ground rules and consensus building, and methods such as Design Thinking. The strategy was subjected to 3 rounds of validation. Results: The co-creation and validation process resulted in a multi-faceted strategy with actionable sections, including vision, guiding principles, engagement methods, 13 prioritized engagement activities spanning the spectrum of research funding, and an evaluation framework. The experience of co-creating the strategy was captured using the Patient and Public Engagement Evaluation Tool and revealed a positive, supportive experience. Conclusions: Lessons learned included the value of an emphasis on a co-creation process from day one, the utility of facilitation techniques such as ground rules for dialogue, consensus building and Design Thinking, and the importance (and challenge) of designing for and incorporating equity when drafting the strategy. Future work will include implementation and evaluation of the strategy, as well as an examination of further ways to meaningfully and systematically engage diverse voices in research and research funding. Plain English Summary : As researchers and healthcare providers see benefits of patient engagement in cancer research, research funders are also looking to engage with patients in their funding processes and research activities. The Canadian Cancer Society (CCS), the largest non-profit cancer research funder in Canada, set out to co-create a patient engagement in cancer research strategy with patients, survivors, caregivers and researchers. The goal of this strategy was to meaningfully and systematically engage with patients in research funding and research activities. Four patient partners and two researchers were supported by ten CCS staff members to co-create the strategy in 2021/2022 over a series of 7 workshops. They used facilitation strategies such as ground rules and consensus building, and methods such as Design Thinking. The strategy was then validated. Co-creation resulted in an easy-to-use strategy with actionable sections, including vision, guiding principles, engagement methods, 13 prioritized activities, and an evaluation framework. The experience of co-creating the strategy was captured using a well-regarded evaluation tool and revealed a positive, supportive experience. Lessons learned during the process included making sure the co-creation process started on day one, the usefulness of facilitating the process, and the importance of considering issues of equity when drafting the strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HostSeq was launched in April 2020 as a national initiative to integrate whole genome sequencing data from 10,000 Canadians infected with SARS-CoV-2 with clinical information related to their disease experience. The mandate of HostSeq is to support the Canadian and international research communities in their efforts to understand the risk factors for disease and associated health outcomes and support the development of interventions such as vaccines and therapeutics. HostSeq is a collaboration among 13 independent epidemiological studies of SARS-CoV-2 across five provinces in Canada. Aggregated data collected by HostSeq are made available to the public through two data portals: a phenotype portal showing summaries of major variables and their distributions, and a variant search portal enabling queries in a genomic region. Individual-level data is available to the global research community for health research through a Data Access Agreement and Data Access Compliance Office approval. Here we provide an overview of the collective project design along with summary level information for HostSeq. We highlight several statistical considerations for researchers using the HostSeq platform regarding data aggregation, sampling mechanism, covariate adjustment, and X chromosome analysis. In addition to serving as a rich data source, the diversity of study designs, sample sizes, and research objectives among the participating studies provides unique opportunities for the research community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There are a variety of costs associated with publication of scientific findings. The purpose of this work was to estimate the cost of peer review in scientific publishing per reviewer, per year and for the entire scientific community. Methods: Internet-based self-report, cross-sectional survey, live between June 28, 2021 and August 2, 2021 was used. Participants were recruited via snowball sampling. No restrictions were placed on geographic location or field of study. Respondents who were asked to act as a peer-reviewer for at least one manuscript submitted to a scientific journal in 2020 were eligible. The primary outcome measure was the cost of peer review per person, per year (calculated as wage-cost x number of initial reviews and number of re-reviews per year). The secondary outcome was the cost of peer review globally (calculated as the number of peer-reviewed papers in Scopus x median wage-cost of initial review and re-review). Results: A total of 354 participants completed at least one question of the survey, and information necessary to calculate the cost of peer-review was available for 308 participants from 33 countries (44% from Canada). The cost of peer review was estimated at $US1,272 per person, per year ($US1,015 for initial review and $US256 for re-review), or US$1.1–1.7 billion for the scientific community per year. The global cost of peer-review was estimated at US$6 billion in 2020 when relying on the Dimensions database and taking into account reviewed-but-rejected manuscripts. Conclusions: Peer review represents an important financial piece of scientific publishing. Our results may not represent all countries or fields of study, but are consistent with previous estimates and provide additional context from peer reviewers themselves. Researchers and scientists have long provided peer review as a contribution to the scientific community. Recognizing the importance of peer-review, institutions should acknowledge these costs in job descriptions, performance measurement, promotion packages, and funding applications. Journals should develop methods to compensate reviewers for their time and improve transparency while maintaining the integrity of the peer-review process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the Canadian Open Neuroscience Platform (CONP) portal to answer the research community's need for flexible data sharing resources and provide advanced tools for search and processing infrastructure capacity. This portal differs from previous data sharing projects as it integrates datasets originating from a number of already existing platforms or databases through DataLad, a file level data integrity and access layer. The portal is also an entry point for searching and accessing a large number of standardized and containerized software and links to a computing infrastructure. It leverages community standards to help document and facilitate reuse of both datasets and tools, and already shows a growing community adoption giving access to more than 60 neuroscience datasets and over 70 tools. The CONP portal demonstrates the feasibility and offers a model of a distributed data and tool management system across 17 institutions throughout Canada. Measurement(s) Digital Data Repository Technology Type(s) Digital Data Repository [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The absence of disease modifying treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is in large part a consequence of its complexity and heterogeneity. Deep clinical and biological phenotyping of people living with ALS would assist in the development of effective treatments and target specific biomarkers to monitor disease progression and inform on treatment efficacy. The objective of this paper is to present the Comprehensive Analysis Platform To Understand Remedy and Eliminate ALS (CAPTURE ALS), an open and translational platform for the scientific community currently in development. CAPTURE ALS is a Canadian-based platform designed to include participants' voices in its development and through execution. Standardized methods will be used to longitudinally characterize ALS patients and healthy controls through deep clinical phenotyping, neuroimaging, neurocognitive and speech assessments, genotyping and multisource biospecimen collection. This effort plugs into complementary Canadian and international initiatives to share common resources. Here, we describe in detail the infrastructure, operating procedures, and long-term vision of CAPTURE ALS to facilitate and accelerate translational ALS research in Canada and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Participatory action research can be a research methodology that seeks to offer relational processes that develop high touch research relationships, create coempowerment, while fostering resiliency and strength, within the HIV community. The Calgary HIV Social Society (CHSS) in Calgary, Alberta, Canada co-developed with peer-researchers at Mount Royal University, a progressive form of action-oriented research that allowed the HIV community to develop and provide social gatherings to reduce the impact of stigma and isolation. The research project was developed with the community of people living with HIV to reduce the impact of isolation and stigma. The focus of the research was to better understand how social gatherings could improve the quality of life for those living with HIV. The action-oriented methodology allowed for HIV peer-researchers to bring their expertise on what was needed to reduce stigma and isolation. The HIV social support community created participatory action research processes that successfully contributed to building an inclusive, community for people living with HIV. This paper will share the themes that acknowledge the significant impact that a HIV high touch relationship research community can have for those, who face the barriers of isolation and stigma by increasing community connection, reducing financial constraints that limit participation, while increasing mental health wellness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Participatory research involving community engagement is considered the gold standard in Indigenous health research. However, it is sometimes unclear whether and how Indigenous communities are engaged in research that impacts them, and whether and how engagement is reported. Indigenous health research varies in its degree of community engagement from minimal involvement to being community-directed and led. Research led and directed by Indigenous communities can support reconciliation and reclamation in Canada and globally, however clearer reporting and understandings of community-led research is needed. This scoping review assesses (a) how and to what extent researchers are reporting community engagement in Indigenous health research in Atlantic Canada, and (b) what recommendations exist in the literature regarding participatory and community-led research. Methods: Eleven databases were searched using keywords for Indigeneity, geographic regions, health, and Indigenous communities in Atlantic Canada between 2001-June 2020. Records were independently screened by two reviewers and were included if they were: peer-reviewed; written in English; health-related; and focused on Atlantic Canada. Data were extracted using a piloted data charting form, and a descriptive and thematic analysis was performed. 211 articles were retained for inclusion. Results: Few empirical articles reported community engagement in all aspects of the research process. Most described incorporating community engagement at the project's onset and/or during data collection; only a few articles explicitly identified as entirely community-directed or led. Results revealed a gap in reported capacity-building for both Indigenous communities and researchers, necessary for holistic community engagement. Also revealed was the need for funding bodies, ethics boards, and peer review processes to better facilitate participatory and community-led Indigenous health research. Conclusion: As Indigenous communities continue reclaiming sovereignty over identities and territories, participatory research must involve substantive, agreed-upon involvement of Indigenous communities, with community-directed and led research as the ultimate goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patient and public engagement (PPE) in research is growing internationally, and with it, the interest for its evaluation. In Canada, the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research has generated national momentum and opportunities for greater PPE in research and health-system transformation. As is the case with most countries, the Canadian research community lacks a common evaluation framework for PPE, thus limiting our capacity to ensure integrity between principles and practices, learn across projects, identify common areas for improvement, and assess the impacts of engagement. Objective: This project aims to build a national adaptable framework for the evaluation of PPE in research, by: Building consensus on common evaluation criteria and indicators for PPE in research; Defining recommendations to implement and adapt the framework to specific populations. Methods: Using a collaborative action-research approach, a national coalition of patient-oriented research leaders, (patient and community partners, engagement practitioners, researchers and health system leaders) will co-design the evaluation framework. We will develop core evaluation domains of the logic model by conducting a series of virtual consensus meetings using a nominal group technique with 50 patient partners and engagement practitioners, identified through 18 national research organizations. We will then conduct two Delphi rounds to prioritize process and impact indicators with 200 participants purposely recruited to include respondents from seldom-heard groups. Six expert working groups will define recommendations to implement and adapt the framework to research with specific populations, including Indigenous communities, immigrants, people with intellectual and physical disabilities, caregivers, and people with low literacy. Each step of framework development will be guided by an equity, diversity and inclusion approach in an effort to ensure that the participants engaged, the content produced, and the adaptation strategies proposed are relevant to diverse PPE. Discussion: The potential contributions of this project are threefold: 1) support a national learning environment for engagement by offering a common blueprint for collaborative evaluation to the Canadian research community; 2) inform the international research community on potential (virtual) methodologies to build national consensus on common engagement evaluation frameworks; and 3) illustrate a shared attempt to engage patients and researchers in a strategic national initiative to strengthen evaluation capacity for PPE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acknowledging researcher positionality and engaging in ongoing reflexivity are important components of qualitative research. In this manuscript, we share our experiences of examining our positionality and engaging in reflexive practice related to a research project with newcomer women in Canada. As a team of researchers from diverse backgrounds, we engaged in a picture-prompted poly-ethnographic conversation to better understand our attitudes, assumptions, and biases in relation to the topic of our research and gain a better understanding of what were asking of participants. Using thematic analysis, we uncovered four themes: 1) researchers bring multiple identities, 2) researchers bring privilege/power, 3) understanding what we call home, and 4) walking in participants' shoes. We discuss these themes in detail, highlighting their implications for reflexive research with newcomer communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is the sharing of my story: a story that comes from what I saw, what I did, and what I know made a difference in a variety of Indigenous communities in Canada and Australia. My story may not be applicable everywhere, but perhaps you will find yourself thinking about and measuring its relevance whether you are an Indigenous researcher learning from outside your own community or a non-Indigenous researcher working with Indigenous communities. This paper reflects on the ongoing journey of an academic's work with Indigenous communities and reminds us of the importance of careful focus on being culturally sensitive and respectful of the opportunities shared with us. It also recommends that academics introspectively examine the drive of their research projects that, in some cases, continue to be controversial for these communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last couple of decades, many peer-reviewed publications focused on the bioeconomy, which it is frequently argued to be a key part of the solution to global challenges (climate change, ecosystem degradation). This study investigates the scientific literature on forest bioeconomy by applying a social network analysis to the bibliometric science. The bibliometric network analysis was performed over the time-frame of 2003-2020 to provide an overview on the main aspects characterising the forest bioeconomy issue. The results show that 225 documents on forest bioeconomy were published by 567 organisations from 44 countries. Finland and Canada are the two most productive countries with 32.8% and 12.7% of forest bioeconomy documents respectively. The co-occurrence network map of the keywords shows that the forest bioeconomy is related to three main concepts: sustainable development, bioenergy production, climate change mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mi'kmaq Elder Albert Marshall coined "Two-Eyed Seeing" in 2004, an Indigenous concept that emphasizes integrating the strengths of multiple perspectives to address complex challenges in ways that benefit all. In 2011, Two-Eyed Seeing became a policy of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)–Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health, as a part of its 5-year plan, and in 2012, CIHR funding was directed toward supporting efforts that apply the concept of Two-Eyed Seeing to research. However, little is known about how Two-Eyed Seeing has been operationalized in research. To address this ambiguity, a scoping review was conducted to map the key concepts involved when researchers intend to follow Two-Eyed Seeing guiding principles to study Indigenous health topics. Three research questions guided this scoping review: (1) What are the general characteristics (e.g., location of study, health topic studied) of primary research that has attempted to apply Two-Eyed Seeing when studying Indigenous health topics? (2) How did researchers operationalize the concept of Two-Eyed Seeing when they applied it to primary studies regarding Indigenous health topics? and (3) What process-related elements were present in Two-Eyed Seeing studies that accomplished their objectives? The results of this scoping review indicate there is an increasing trend in Two-Eyed Seeing–related peer-reviewed publications since its formal introduction by Mi'kmaq Elder Albert Marshall. The selected Two-Eyed Seeing–related projects were predominately conducted in Canada and published between 2011 and 2019. Projects predominately incorporated a community-based (participatory) research approach and qualitative/Indigenous methods, and six core process–related themes/elements were identified: (i) power was shared, (ii) culturally safe spaces were fostered, (iii) institutional and community ethics were followed, (iv) research projects were transformative, (v) rigor was maintained, and (vi) the structure of Western academia and traditional policy decision-making processes provided challenges for research teams and community partners, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes an arts-based ethnographic research design as a means of engaging in ethical, meaningful, and culturally sensitive research with newcomer communities. Moving away from the manner in which culture has traditionally been defined and studied in psychology, this research design uses cultural probes and subsequent qualitative interviews to collect data about newcomers' everyday experiences in Canada. Cultural probes are sets of creative items (e.g., cameras, diaries, maps, paint supplies, postcards) that are given to participants to prompt them to document their lives in their new environment. These cultural probes are later unpacked and discussed in individual qualitative interviews. Results are disseminated and archived in ways that are meant to engage and empower communities. Specifically, the process of creating a cultural exhibit collaboratively with participants is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineering education research in Canada is, in many ways, still establishing itself as a discipline, yet much is already being asked of it. The diversity of career pathways for engineering graduates, along with the increased complexity of global engineering challenges and the ramifications of technological opportunities, is raising important questions about current engineering education foci and practices. This paper brings together issues surfaced through the process of compiling a Special Theme on engineering education research in Canada, positioning the collection of papers in terms of the challenges and opportunities faced by this maturing Canadian research community. We seek to reconcile how this research can incorporate the theoretical and methodological depth valued in the social sciences while honoring the focus on effective instructional practices that has become an important strand of inquiry in engineering education. Challenges to the growth of engineering education research, such as funding and graduate student inclusion, are also discussed. In addition, we explore the emergence of teaching stream engineering faculty and problematize the role of research and scholarship in their career trajectories. Finally, we call for more strategic thinking to guide the evolution of engineering education research in Canada. We hope that, collectively, this editorial and the other four papers in this Special Theme will help to stimulate discussion about how we define and recognize excellence in the domain of engineering education research in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fifty years ago, the Environmental Mutagen Society (now Environmental Mutagenesis and Genomics Society) was founded with a laser‐focus on germ cell mutagenesis and the protection of "our most vital assets"—the sperm and egg genomes. Yet, five decades on, despite the fact that many agents have been demonstrated to induce inherited changes in the offspring of exposed laboratory rodents, there is no consensus on whether human germ cell mutagens exist. We argue that it is time to reevaluate the available data and conclude that we already have evidence for the existence of environmental exposures that impact human germ cells. What is missing are definite data to demonstrate a significant increase in de novo mutations in the offspring of exposed parents. We believe that with over two decades of research advancing knowledge and technologies in genomics, we are at the cusp of generating data to conclusively show that environmental exposures cause heritable de novo changes in the human offspring. We call on the research community to harness our technologies, synergize our efforts, and return to our Founders' original focus. The next 50 years must involve collaborative work between clinicians, epidemiologists, genetic toxicologists, genomics experts and bioinformaticians to precisely define how environmental exposures impact germ cell genomes. It is time for the research and regulatory communities to prepare to interpret the coming outpouring of data and develop a framework for managing, communicating and mitigating the risk of exposure to human germ cell mutagens. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 61:42–54, 2020. © 2019 Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Emerging evidence that meaningful relationships with knowledge users are a key predictor of research use has led to promotion of partnership approaches to health research. However, little is known about health system experiences of collaborations with university-based researchers, particularly with research partnerships in the area of health system design and health service organization. The purpose of the study was to explore the experience and perspectives of senior health managers in health service organizations, with health organization-university research partnerships. Methods: In-depth, semi-structured interviews (n = 25) were conducted with senior health personnel across Canada to explore their perspectives on health system research; experiences with health organization-university research partnerships; challenges to partnership research; and suggested actions for improving engagement with knowledge users and promoting research utilization. Participants, recruited from organizations with regional responsibilities, were responsible for system-wide planning and support functions. Results: Research is often experienced as unhelpful or irrelevant to decision-making by many within the system. Research, quality improvement (QI) and evaluation are often viewed as separate activities and coordinated by different responsibility areas. Perspectives of senior managers on barriers to partnership differed from those identified in the literature: organizational stress and restructuring, and limitations in readiness of researchers to work in the fast-paced healthcare environment, were identified as major barriers. Although the need for strong executive leadership was emphasized, “multi-system action” is needed for effective partnerships. Conclusion: Common approaches to research and knowledge translation are often not appropriate for addressing issues of health service design and health services organization. Nor is the research community providing expertise to many important activities that the healthcare system is taking to improve health services. A radical rethinking of how we prepare health service researchers; position research within the health system; and fund research activities and infrastructure is needed if the potential benefits of research are to be achieved. Lack of response to health system needs may contribute to research and ‘evidence-informed’ practice being further marginalized from healthcare operations. Interventions to address barriers must respond to the perspectives and experience of health leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analysis of drawings made by Indigenous children in the Arctic hamlet of Fort McPherson, Canada, serves the dual purpose of contributing children's perspectives to community-driven research on H. pylori infection, and demonstrating the utility of employing visual approaches for research involving school-aged children. Insights into their knowledge, attitudes, and experiences relating to this infection yielded important insights for knowledge translation with primary-care providers. Results may be utilized within the broader research program to improve approaches to delivering care for H. pylori infection, by helping to integrate community members' perspectives into the ideologies of primary-care providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many articles over the last two decades have enumerated barriers to and facilitators for evidence use in health systems. Bowen et al's article "Response to Experience of Health Leadership in Partnering with University-Based Researchers: A Call to 'Re-imagine Research'" furthers the debate by focusing on an under-explored research area (health system design and health service organization) with an under-studied stakeholder group (health system leaders), by undertaking a broad program of research on partnerships, and, based on participant responses, by calling for re-imagining of research itself. In response to the claim that the research community is not providing expertise to this pressing issue in the health system, I provide four high level reasons: partnerships mean different things to different people, our language does not reflect the reality we want, our health systems have yet to fully embrace evidence use, and complexity is easier to talk about than act within. Bowen et al's study, and their broader program of research, is well-placed to explore these issues further, helping identify appropriate researcher-health system leader partnership models for various health system change projects. Given the positive shifts identified in this study, and the knowledge that participants demonstrate about what needs to change, the time is right for bold action, re-imagining not only research, but healthcare, such that the production and use of evidence for better health is embraced and supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to highlight the importance of the term "information literacy skills" on the educational system in developed countries. This study was conducted by comparing the adopted standards of information literacy skills between the United States of America, as represented by the state of Nebraska state, and Canada, as represented by Transcona state. The current study might contribute to the development of the Arab intellectual production, which lacks studies and standards that deal with the specific terminology involved in the development of teaching methods. Such methods are highlyessential for the educational process and the scientific community as a whole.Therefore, setting up information literacy skills, Such as intellectual property protection, must be instilled in the minds of students since childhood, especially in our Arab societies. The main results of the current study have shed the light on the similarities and differences between the adopted standers in both student information literacy programs as well as two importance of teaching elementary students. The respect for copyrightbased on simple examples, In conclusion, this study reached a set of recommendations that we hope to contribute to and to enhance understanding of the importance of information literacy skills, thus enabling students to become successful future independent researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a global portrait of the current library and information science (LIS) research community in Canada. Analyzing the scientific production of Canadian LIS faculty members, we look more specifically at disciplines and country affiliations of co-authors and research topics of faculty members. Our results depict a mostly national and LIS-oriented network of collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most hotly debated ideas in science studies is the claim that contemporary science is in the midst of a transformation. While ‘transformationalist’ arguments and concepts vary, their core principle is that the norms, values and practices that have enforced the separation of science from society are being challenged by new expectations that scientists pursue closer connections with industry, government and/or civil society, and address research questions of immediate value to non-academic partners. While many major funding agencies have embraced this idea and now pressure scientists to enhance the ‘societal relevance’ of their work, the impact of these changes on scientific practices is still unclear. This paper reports findings from a comparative meso-level analysis of 14 large Canadian research networks funded by an agency with an explicit transformationalist mandate – the Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) programme. Documents and web communications from these 14 NCEs, as well as from the central programme administration office, are analysed and compared to key transformationalist concepts, such as Mode 2 science, post-normal science, the triple helix model, academic capitalism and strategic science. We find that transformationalist ideas have a strong rhetorical presence across the 14 NCE projects and the central office, but that a great deal of inconsistency and confusion exists at the level of implementation and assessment of outcomes. Easily quantifiable outputs, such as the commercialization of research findings, are favoured over softer qualitative outcomes, such as public engagement and knowledge sharing. We conclude by arguing that the NCE programme is having an observable impact on the rhetoric of science, but any resulting transformations in practice are incremental rather than radical. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Critics paid considerable attention to the Harper Conservative government's record on science and technology. Cuts tofunding and resources in these sectors, numerous environmentally-questionable policies, and charges of information control over Canada's scientific community served as evidence for many that Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government and its supporters held an "anti-science" ideology and were engaged in a "war on science." However, the government continued to make financial and rhetorical investments into science and technology to promote economic prosperity and boost Canadian national identity based on "innovation." This article investigates the claim that the Harper Conservatives were "anti-science," and asks whether this label is an adequate appraisal of the Canadian Right's disposition toward science, or is beneficial to discussions on science and the public interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific collaboration is one of the important drivers of research progress that supports researchers in the generation of novel ideas. Collaboration networks and their impact on scientific activities thus already attracted some attention in the research community, but no work so far studied possible factors which can influence the network positions of the researchers at the individual level. The objective of this paper is to investigate various characteristics and roles of the researchers occupying important positions in the collaboration network. For this purpose, we focus on the collaboration network among Canadian researchers during the period of 1996 to 2010 and employ multiple regression models to estimate the impact on network structure variables. Results highlight the crucial role of past productivity of the researchers along with their available funding in determining and improving their position in the co-authorship network. It is shown that researchers who have great influence on their local community do not necessarily publish high quality works. We also find that highly productive researchers not only have more important connections but also play a critical role in connecting other researchers. Moreover, although mid-career scientists tend to collaborate more in knit groups and on average have higher influence on their local community, our results specifically highlight the important role of young researchers who occupy mediatory positions in the network which enable them to connect different communities and fuel information transmission through the network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Over the last two decades the scientific community has witnessed unprecedented growth of nanotechnology research in Canada. Although recent studies have shown that Canada consistently maintains a position in the first tier of productive countries in terms of its share of the world's nano-publications, a number of key questions remain unanswered. Using a unique nano-related publication dataset, this paper combines bibliometric analysis and science overlay mapping to visualize the 'invisible college' of Canadian nano research. The present analysis finds that the rapid growth of nanotechnology research in Canada is, for the most part, externally driven. In recent years, research content has shifted toward nanobiotechnology fields. The geographical distribution of Canadian domestic nanotechnology research is characterized by regional imbalance: most research hubs are located near US-Canadian borders. Canadian nanotechnology scientists have collaborated with a variety of countries, but Chinese scholars in particular play a leading role in Canada's research exchange across national borders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Canada, there are two species of otters, the river otter (Lontra canadensis) and the sea otter (Enhydra lutris). The river otter is considered to be plentiful and ranges throughout a large part of Canada. On the other hand, the sea otter is classified as of Special Concern and only small translocated colonies are found along the coastline of Vancouver Island and British Columbia. The scientific literature was reviewed with respect to both river and sea otter research performed within Canada since 1970 to evaluate the number and topics of research papers that had been published dealing with these otter species. Since 1970, 25 papers have been published, most of the research concentrating on contaminants (mercury, organochlorines) in river otters (80%). There is only 1 scientific paper (1978) dealing with the sea otter (4%). Almost half of publications studying river otters were from or in combination from the province of Ontario (48%). Miscellaneous topics made up 16% of the publications. This paper reveals that in Canada very little scientific work has been published dealing with sea otters and that a huge number of the publications deal with river otters found within the province of Ontario. Thus since 1970, there has been a serious lack of research dealing with either otter species and that most of that work has had no structure or focus. It is hoped that government agencies, the scientific community, non government organizations, and interested groups can organize strategies and granting opportunities to increase the amount of scientific studies to further understand and protect future populations of these 2 species in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines authorship distribution in a premiere Canadian-based research journal, Contemporary Accounting Research (CAR). It provides empirical evidence of a strong US elite dominance in the research agenda of a non-US research community. This is illustrated through a consistently higher proportion of authorship representation and participation of US elites (measured by doctoral origins) in CAR and its associated Conference. We also found that a small group of Canadian schools (measured by academic affiliations) contributes the most publications to CAR but their representation on the CAR editorial board and participation at the PhD Consortium was limited. We express our concern as to the constructive role of CAR as a top-tier journal in the dissemination of accounting research. We draw upon discussion on a European research tradition (represented by Accounting, Organizations and Society and The European Accounting Review), and its general approach to accounting research, which is perceived as distinct from the US elite approach (Lukka and Kasanen, 1996). Insights gained help widen the acceptable research in top tier journals such as CAR to further its aim to enhance geographical and intellectual diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the role played by undergraduate research on the Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (CASTL) for the 2006 to 2009 CASTL Leadership Program in the U.S., Canada and Great Britain. The project's definition is as an investigation conducted by an undergraduate student that makes an original intellectual to the discipline. It is noted that while the main purpose of undergraduate research is to foster student learning, the developmental process might start in the first year of college until such time that the student will be capable to do independent research under a faculty mentor's supervision.

The recent article by Nagi et al. (Health Res Policy Syst 18:37, 2020) considerably underestimates the size of the global health research community in Canada as well as its geographical distribution, its breadth and depth of experience and expertise, and its overall contribution to addressing the world's greatest global health priorities. Global health researchers, practitioners, policy-makers, strategists and funders/donors would benefit from a more accurate in-depth and comprehensive analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to explore—in a broad and preliminary way—the nature and impacts of two recent federal initiatives related to university research, namely the creation of the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Canada Research Chairs Program. After describing and highlighting key features of these initiatives, the paper examines how they are helping to reorganize social relations within and between universities, government, the private sector, and the general public. It also considers some implications of these changes for the various parties involved, as a means of informing the latter's discussions of, and responses to, these unique and significant developments in Canadian higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Great Canadian Identity Trap is a compelling puzzle that pervades Canadian intellectual life. It originated in the unease many Canadians felt about the U.S. when plans were devised back in 1775 to push the American Revolution northward. Its influence is felt most sharply today in reactions to the Canada-U.S. free trade agreement, which many Canadians regard as a belated American victory by other means. It consists of a thesis and an antithesis that are equally appealing to most Canadians. The thesis is that English-Canadians are just like Americans. The antithesis is that English-Canadians are fundamentally different from Americans. A surprisingly large part of Canadian intellectual life consists of defending the thesis, defending the antithesis or oscillating back and forth depending on the opponent's opinion. For example, the Great Canadian Identity Trap has helped shape the contours of Canadian research on stratification and power--and not necessarily with uniformly positive results, as my use of the word "trap" suggests.

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The article informs that a national consultation has been launched by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) on its future direction as it emerges from a turbulent period of cuts and reforms. It is noted that CIHR is seeking feedback from Canadians through six online surveys to create new strategic plan to guide CIHR operations from 2020 to 2025.

The article focuses on the results of a survey which aims to determine the views of the members of Canada's Stem Cell Network (SCN) concerning the popular culture representations of science. Based on the survey, 57.1% of the respondents agreed to the increasingly important role played by science in popular culture. It cites that 85.7% of those who participated in the survey believe that popular culture has an impact on public opinion about science. It adds that 92.9% of respondents have been questioned by a member of the public about their work.

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare, inflammatory skin disease that results in painful sores and is difficult to heal. In the U.K., PG occurs in 3‐10 people per million every year. Due to its rarity, there is a lack of validated tools (meaning methods, and also called 'instruments', that have been validated, to show they are effective) for assessing the effectiveness of treatments, resulting in the absence of a uniform standard of care. In this study from Canada and the U.S.A., we aimed to identify, through a systematic process, all the current tools used in measuring outcomes in PG within clinical trials in the scientific literature. We also evaluated the validation surrounding these instruments using guidelines and checklists from international initiatives such as COSMIN (COnsensus‐based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement INstruments). In total, we found seven clinical trials that utilized 20 different instruments. Of these, 17 of the instruments lacked any validation data. The remaining three validated instruments were speed of healing, physician global assessment, and resolution of inflammation. However, these three instruments lacked validation for half of the COSMIN requirements. We hope that the identification of these 20 different instruments for PG can help inform the scientific and medical community; however, currently, we cannot recommend any of these instruments. We conclude that more validation studies are required for existing instruments, and new instruments may need to be developed to help create a consensus on measuring outcomes for PG. Once there is a consensus, treatments for PG can be compared to each other using the same instruments, to identify novel therapies for this debilitating disease. Linked Article:Lu et al. Br J Dermatol 2020; 183:821–828. Linked Article:Lu et al. Br J Dermatol 2020; 183:821–828. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faced with increasing urbanization and uncertainties linked to climate change, the scientific community has integrated the concept of resilience into urban management practices. Once revolutionary, now a buzzword, resilience is a concept that is difficult to transform into an integrated tool that stakeholders accept and adopt. This paper offers a perspective on the different interpretations of resilience, its difficult implementation and the tools that seek to operationalize it. The underlying questions are how these tools are appropriated by urban managers and territorial decision-makers, and how the theoretical concept can be translated into resilient urban development. This research paper reviews the work on resilience and investigates its use and operationalization, comparing two different approaches – organizational (Canada) and holistic (France) – that aim to clarify and operationalize resilience. These theoretical approaches have been combined to create workshops for urban managers so they can move from theoretical results to practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on research ethics and regulatory climate in Canada. The legal validity of research involving persons unable to provide consent is addressed in the article. The rights and welfare of research subjects have been highlighted. Complex relations between interest groups within the research community have been identified. It has been found that these complex relations occur in a research milieu where competition to recruit research subjects is fierce. Research Ethics Boards have failed to inform vulnerable research subjects and their proxies about the risks associated with research participation.

The article offers information on the concerns of scientists on the leadership reform of the organization the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR). The topics discussed include the remarks of CIHR chairman Dr. Quim Madrenas on the appropriate time to renew the organization's leadership and the deficit of effectual leadership by the CIHR to promote and to nurture optimal research community.