Introduction to Knowledge Mobilization in Northern Research: A Four Part Series with the Weston Family Foundation
ArcticNet and the Weston Family Foundation present Introduction to Knowledge Mobilization in Northern Research: A Four Part Series. This series aims to provide attendees with an understanding of knowledge mobilization activities and concepts including theory, data sovereignty, different knowledge systems and practical outputs. With speakers from Research Impact Canada, Ikaarvik, Arctic Eider Society and Young Diplomats of Canada, these webinars are well suited for students, early career researchers, highly qualified personnel, or anyone looking to deepen their understanding of knowledge mobilization.
Webinar #1: Knowledge Mobilization 101 with Connie Tang and Sylvia Urbanik from Research Impact Canada
Thursday, September 5th 2024, 1pm EST
Research Impact Canada will introduce the concept of knowledge mobilization and co-production, presenting the Co-produced Pathway to Impact as a useful framework. Emphasizing that research greater impact when it is intentionally co-created, Research Impact Canada will use case studies to demonstrate the benefits and impacts of co-produced research.
Connie Tang is the Director of Strategy and Business Development at Research Impact Canada (RIC), a pan-Canadian bilingual network of 30+ universities and other research institutions focused on building capacity for knowledge mobilization. She comes from a strong research, education, and facilitation background and worked provincially and federally in capacity building, stakeholder engagement, relationship management, and knowledge translation activities to identify and test solutions for workforce and skills development. Connie completed her MSc at the University of Toronto in Chemistry and serves on the Board of Directors for the Toronto Region Conservation Authority. She volunteers as a career mentor with Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and sketching.
Sylvia Urbanik is a Senior Knowledge Mobilization Specialist at Research Impact Canada (RIC). In her role, she leads initiatives that connect people to the tools, resources, and best practices that help make knowledge more accessible and applicable. She supports a pan-Canadian network of knowledge mobilization professionals who help researchers maximize the societal impacts of their work. Sylvia completed her Master of Public Health at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health with specializations in Health Promotion and Public Health Policy. She also holds an Honours Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto.
Webinar #2: Going the Extra Mile for Indigenous Data Sovereignty with SIKU as a Tool for Communities and Researchers with Joel Heath and Lisi Kaviq-Mickiyuk from the Arctic Eider Society
Thursday, September 12th 2024, 1pm EST
In this webinar, Lisi Kavik-Mickiyuk and Joel Heath of the Arctic Eider Society will discuss the use of SIKU as a tool to integrate principles of Indigenous data sovereignty in research and monitoring projects in northern Indigenous communities. By centering Indigenous land users first, SIKU provides a framework that enables the inclusion of Indigenous knowledge and observations in research and monitoring while ensuring Indigenous participants and communities retain ownership and control of their information and have the ability to access results in real time. The discussion will focus on real-world use cases for this approach and show how research that respects Indigenous data sovereignty is not just possible, but practical and accessible, leading to better results for all parties.
Based at the Arctic Eider Society’s headquarters in Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, Lisi Kavik-Mickiyuk supports Inuit priorities such as the establishment of the Qikiqtait Protected Area, Inuktitut preservation and cultural knowledge sharing through on-the-ground community-driven programming. In her role as SIKU’s Inuit Nunangat SIKU Coordinator, Lisi works with regional Indigenous coordinators and environmental monitoring programs across the arctic and anchors her support and advice in the capacity built from the ground up at home in Sanikiluaq with AES and SIKU. Lisi holds extensive leadership and education experience, including a Masters in Education and years as a school principal. Fluent in Inuktitut, Lisi brings a strong cultural understanding and perspective to her work, and has been essential in the creation of SIKU’s continually growing terminology catalogue.
Joel is an accomplished Canadian academic and filmmaker, former Fulbright Chair in Arctic Studies and a 2020 Ashoka fellow. He has more than 20 years of Arctic experience working with Inuit communities combining his expertise in ecology, sea ice dynamics, and mathematical biology with Inuit knowledge. He is Executive Director and co-founder of the Arctic Eider Society (www.arcticeider.com), an Inuit-driven charity based in Sanikiluaq Nunavut. Through this position he has worked with Inuit to help develop a network of community-driven research programs, curriculum for northern schools, directed/produced the 16x award winning film People of a Feather (www.peopleofafeather.com), and more recently developed online and mobile technology for Inuit self-determination in research through SIKU: the Indigenous Knowledge Social Network, winner of the Google.org Impact Challenge in Canada.
Webinar #3: Rethinking the value and strengths of Indigenous Knowledge and Western science to inform Arctic policy and action: the essentials that we never learned in school with Justin Sigluk Milton and Eric Solomon from Ikaarvik
Thursday, September 19th 2024, 1pm EST
In this interactive webinar, Justin Milton and Eric Solomon will describe their common journey, starting from very different places, to understand what counts as actionable knowledge, who gets to decide, and what that means for acquiring, interpreting and using knowledge at a time of rapid and significant Arctic change. They will share some essential learnings (and un-learnings) about the nature of Indigenous and Western scientific knowledge systems and worldviews and how we might effectively, meaningfully and appropriately combine their strengths for better informed decisions and action.
Justin Sigluk Milton is an Inuk from Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet), Nunavut. He is the Community Engagement Facilitator of Ikaarvik, a northern Indigenous non-profit organization that empowers Indigenous youth to bridge northern and southern cultures, worldviews, and knowledge systems for meaningful collaborations in research and decision making. Justin is currently living in Ottawa, and he is passionate about Inuit and the world of science and research. His career background includes working in the federal government as an indigenous outreach worker, as well as working in indigenous, not-for-profit organizations. Justin’s current role (among others) is to identify gaps in Arctic research, while also developing and facilitating youth workshops in northern communities. Justin believes that building meaningful connections with Inuit and addressing community priorities is key to better research and Inuit engagement in the Arctic.
Eric Solomon was trained as a marine scientist and educator a very long time ago. He is currently on year 15 of a 3-week journey that has challenged everything he thought he understood about the Arctic, what counts as evidence-based knowledge, who gets to decide that, and the roles of Indigenous Knowledge and Western science in understanding and addressing the challenges facing Northern Indigenous communities. Through his work with Ikaarvik, he has dedicated the last decade-and-a-half toward facilitating opportunities for Northern Indigenous youth and their communities to take the lead in re-defining the role of Indigenous Peoples, Knowledge, and worldviews in Arctic research and decision making.
Webinar #4: Effective Briefing Strategies: How to Translate Research into Policy with Christina Caouette from Young Diplomats of Canada
Thursday, September 26th 2024, 1pm EST
Academic research plays an important role in shaping the policies that impact Canadians from coast to coast to coast. However, bridging academic findings to policy recommendations requires information to be presented in a clear and concise manner, with options for decision-makers to consider. This webinar will guide researchers on the development of effective briefing notes to support evidence-informed decision-making.
Christina Caouette is a public policy and foreign affairs analyst with the Government of Canada. Currently, she works as a Senior Policy Analyst at Natural Resources Canada, where she forwards Canada’s energy security and net zero commitments as part of the Natural Gas and Hydrogen Division. Her federal government experience working for international affairs teams at Global Affairs Canada and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada have enabled her to contribute to Canada’s bilateral relations with countries in Europe, Asia, and South America. Christina is the proud recipient of the 2021 Government of Canada Volunteer Award in the Emerging Leader Category in the Prairies Region for her volunteer work in youth advocacy. Through her role as CEO with the Young Diplomats of Canada, she has represented Canadian youth at multiple international forums, most recently engaging on sustainable development platforms in India and Morocco. Christina has gained on-the-ground experience in diplomacy as a public affairs trainee with the Delegation of the European Union to Canada and the Embassy of Ireland in Ottawa. Christina holds an M.A. in European, Russian and Eurasian Studies from Carleton University and a B.A. (Hons) in Political Science from the University of Alberta.