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Come by the registration desk located in the Convention Centre Main Floor to pick up your name badge, ask questions and meet other attendees. We look forward to seeing you!
11 May, 2025 08:45 am to 12:00 pm
Barkers Point
Erudite Vernacular Utilized Irrespective of Necessity: Readability and Believability in Research Grant Applications
The title for this workshop is half-plagiarized from a 2006 article published in Applied Cognitive Psychology, “Consequences of Erudite Vernacular Utilized Irrespective of Necessity: Problems with Using Long Words Needlessly”; the article won its author, Princeton researcher Daniel Oppenheimer, that year’s (satirical) Ig Noble prize. But what counts as “needless” in the word-restricted world of Tri-Agency research grant applications? An analysis of National Science Foundation data suggests that grant applications that include jargon are associated with receiving more award money: Grant abstracts that are longer than the average abstract, contain fewer common words, and are written with more verbal certainty receive more money from the NSF (approximately $372 per one-word increase). According to the data, there is little financial incentive to write according to the NSF's guideline for plain and simple language (Markowitz 2019). How much Markowitz's findings can be extrapolated to non-American or non-scientific grant applications has yet to be interrogated. Given the decades-long, perhaps irresolvable, debate about jargon, this three-part workshop will put a spotlight on evidence-based strategies for improving the readability of scholarly texts, using research grant applications as a case study. Workshop participants will learn: (1) what the literature tells us about readability and believability (with a focus on the connections between readability and EDI) and what gaps persist; (2) how to enhance readability by (a) making technically precise edits to sentence and paragraph structure and (b) manipulating page layout, colours, and graphics; and (3) how to apply readability-enhancing strategies in their own role and institutional context. Although the examples used throughout this workshop will focus on research grant applications, the strategies for readability discussed are broadly applicable in a range of writing contexts, including journal articles, monographs, promotion and tenure dossiers, knowledge translation materials, white papers, reports, award nominations, and even your next job application. Please bring a laptop computer if you have one. This workshop will be presented by Letitia Henville (she/her). Dr. Henville is a professional editor and the award-winning author of the monthly University Affairs advice column ‘Ask Dr. Editor’. More about Dr. Henville’s work can be found at shortishard.com.
Letitia Henville
Writing Short is Hard
Letitia Henville
Letitia Henville (she/her) is a book nerd, bad swimmer, and the author of the monthly academic writing advice column "Ask Dr. Editor.” She specializes in editing for faculty members in the health sciences, education, social sciences, and humanities, with a special focus on grant applications and tenure and promotion dossiers. Learn more about Letitia at shortishard.ca.
11 May, 2025 08:45 am to 12:00 pm
Nashwaaksis
Exploring the Landscapes of Practice Framework for Improved System Interconnectedness to Meet Open Science-Related Service Demands
This World Cafe workshop examines the experiences of both data librarians and human ethics staff navigating the demands of Open Science and data management in the context of ethics review. It is part of the research project, Research Ethics Boards, Librarians, and Data Management Plans: Issues and Pathways of Support (https://libguides.lib.umanitoba.ca/REBDMPQualStudy). Attendees will learn about themes related to partnership and interconnectedness from Phase 1 of the study and be introduced to the Landscapes of Practice framework (Ackermann, Pyrko & Hill; 2024) that will form the basis of the workshop discussions. Attendees will participate in small group discussions moderated by volunteers, circulating between groups to address different questions supplied by the presenter. Small group discussions will be audio recorded for future analysis. Moderators will be asked to summarize each discussion topic and present overall themes to the group. Attendees will vote on the themes that most resonate with their institutional context. The workshop findings will be integrated with findings from other workshops and summarized in a publication. By registering for this workshop, attendees agree to be audio-recorded and consent to participate in this study see the Phase 2 consent for details (https://forms.office.com/r/irdqC980Lq).
Andrea Szwajcer
University of Manitoba
Andrea Szwajcer
Andrea Szwajcer, MLIS is the Research Services Librarian at the University of Manitoba, where she supports open scholarship and research assessment education and projects. With over 20 years of experience, she has worked with researchers of all disciplines with an in-depth knowledge of health sciences reflecting her many years as a medical librarian. She has served as a member and chair on various regional open science-related committees and as a chair of a research ethics board for 3 years at her institution. She obtained her master’s degree from Western University and has received numerous awards and certificates for her work.
11 May, 2025 08:45 am to 12:00 pm
PSA ABCD
Research Finance Workshop
The Research Finance workshop is designed for individuals involved in the financial administration of research awards. Topics will include, but are not limited to, Form 300 year-end reporting, Research Finance roles and team structures, expense eligibility, deficit/over-expenditure management, Indigenous partners reimbursements, and Tri-Agency inter-institutional fund transfers. Whether you have less than a year of experience in Research Finance or several years, this workshop will be both engaging and informative. It will feature case studies and roundtable discussions, allowing participants to interact with peers, discuss case facts, identify potential solutions, and share experiences. You'll have the opportunity to get your questions answered and learn how other institutions handle various scenarios. The workshop aims to foster networking and discussion on a range of research finance topics, enabling us to learn from each other, share institutional scenarios, and identify best practices developed by different institutions.
Michael Walesiak
University of Alberta
Michael Walesiak
Michael Walesiak, CPA, CA has 20 years of senior management experience at the University of Alberta (UofA) in the field of Research Administration. As Director, Research Administrative Services, he is responsible for the delivery of end-to-end research services for the over $500 million annual research enterprise at the UofA. This includes application review, award processing, contract negotiation and financial reporting.
Melissa Joyce
Melissa Joyce
Melissa Joyce has been the Director of Research Accounting at the University of Victoria for 9 years and has worked in other roles at the University for over 17 years. She has attended several CARA conferences and looks forward to hosting sessions again this year. She has her CPA designation and has been both a course facilitator and mentor for CPA students. Her main focus is providing excellent client service and creating efficiencies within her department at UVic. She is excited to share ideas with other institutions to help make research administration easier!
Bill Jennings
Bill Jennings
Bill has worked at the University of Waterloo for 17 years, including 14 with the Office of Research. He has held nearly all positions within Research Finance and is currently the manager overseeing the Tri-Agency and provincial government portfolio.
11 May, 2025 08:45 am to 12:00 pm
Devon
Strategic Planning in Research Administration: A Skill Building Workshop
This will be an interactive and skill building workshop on linking research administration to both Tri-Council and University strategy and building practical skills around strategic planning for research administrators and leaders. Skill areas are: Professional Development, Professional Excellent, Strategic Leadership Development, Strategic Planning
Leslie Cove
Director, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Research
Leslie Cove
Leslie Cove is currently the Director, Inclusive Research at the University of Waterloo. She brings a decade of strategic planning, policy, and leadership experience to her work including writing legislation, and working across the sports, culture, healthcare, and university sectors. She is an award-winning university professor and is committed to teaching and advancing strategic inclusive leadership.
11 May, 2025 08:45 am to 12:00 pm
Marysville
The Masters Tools: EDI Metrics and Data Governance
The demand for equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) metrics as part of research program proposals has evolved and increased. Grant reviewers seek more concrete ways institutions will implement EDI data collection and governance strategies to support accountability and impact measurement. In this session, facilitators will share best practices in EDI data collection, what governance of EDI data should be considered, and examples of how this can be implemented. Participants will be able to work on mock project proposals and develop strategies contextual to them and their institution.
Nicole Kaniki
Senomi Solutions
Nicole Kaniki
Dr. Nicole Kaniki is a research methodologist with equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) expertise skilled in strategic implementation of organizational EDI that is meaningful, intentional and sustainable. She is committed to EDI that engages community and allows the work to be informed by underrepresented groups through trust building in all aspects of organizational processes.
Nicole has extensive experience in leadership roles focusing on people first consulting, designing evaluations and metrics for organizations, and facilitation education and training opportunities and resources for clients.
11 May, 2025 10:00 am to 04:00 pm
Fredericton Airport Arrivals Area
Arrival Meet and Greet
We look forward to meeting you in Fredericton! Complimentary bus transfers are available to the Crown Plaza and Hilton Garden Inn. Reserve your seat here.
11 May, 2025 12:00 pm to 01:00 pm
Main Foyer FCC
Lite Lunch for Workshop Attendees
A lite lunch is available to morning workshop attendees and will be distributed via ticket. Here is the menu:
Make your own Power Bowl
Choice of Starch: Lemon Herb Quinoa, Brown Rice, Vermicelli Rice Noodles
Choice of Proteins: Baked Chicken, Roasted Tofu, Bean Medley
A College Best Practices Workshop that will explore 5 topics with experiences and examples shared. This Workshop will be ran by various Colleges and colleagues providing scenarios for roundtable discussions and open forum for how Colleges handle the following topics: 1) Onboarding of Research Staff and Students, 2) Inter-Departmental Collaboration, 3)Inter-Departmental Collaboration 4) Financial/Budget Management and Reporting: a College perspective and 5) Proposal Management and Resources
Jesse Hayes
Research Finance Office
Jesse Hayes
As the Research Finance Officer, Jesse assists with budget management, internal and external financial reporting and ensuring Funder compliance.
In her current role she also supports the networks (Greenhouse Technology Network and the Southern Ontario Network for Advanced Manufacturing Innovation), ensuring continuity and continued excellence.
Jesse has over 10 years of experience working in the consulting industry managing small-scale projects, providing quality management administration, and writing technical reports within the construction aggregate industry. A Niagara resident, Jesse holds an Honours BSc from Brock University, as well as a Business Administration diploma from McMaster University.
Eva Aboagye
Director, Research Programs - George Brown College
Eva Aboagye
Within the Office of Research and Innovation, Eva currently provides leadership for the research programs and to the senior program management team. She also provides guidance on research methods and budgets for researchers applying to or holding external research or social innovation grants. She was Senior Program Manager, providing leader to the program management team from 2022 to 2024. From 2015 to 2022, she was responsible for providing guidance in the development of proposals and management of projects funded externally under the Community and College Social Innovation Fund as well as for the internally funded Ignite projects. She has over twenty years of management experience in the postsecondary sector, seventeen of which focused on strategic planning, research and teaching in the Ontario College system. Eva has published a number of academic articles on equity, diversity and inclusion, including from 2011 to 2014, co- founding and co-editing the Journal of Global Citizenship and Equity Education . In 2021, she co-edited a book "Global Citizenship Education: Challenges and Successes". Previously, she held several positions at Centennial College including Senior Researcher at the Institute for Global Citizenship and Equity, Director of Policies Pathways and Grants, and Manager of Strategic Institutional Planning. Eva has a PhD and an M Ed in Higher Education from the University of Toronto and a BA and Graduate Diploma in population studies from the University of Ghana.
Seetha Kumaran
Langara College
Seetha Kumaran
With over 18 years of dedicated experience in research administration at post-secondary and research institutions, Seetha Kumaran has established a career in project, operation and budget management. She has successfully project-managed numerous million-dollar research grants with stakeholders across the country. Seetha’s experience has encompassed managing the full project lifecycle, from inception to completion. She contributes strategic and operational oversight, develop project plans, identifies risk mitigation strategies, and sets and monitor timelines while ensuring that compliance for each project is met.
At the Applied Research Centre at Langara College, Seetha fulfils many critical roles, including global grant budgeting and forecasting, employment contracting, and student liaison. She brings sensitivity to workplace culture, problem solving and a commitment to high levels of service. Seetha prioritizes the successful onboarding of new staff and students. With a passion for creating supportive and inclusive environments, she tries to make sure that every team member feels welcomed and prepared.
Davon Callander
Yukon University
Davon Callander
Davon has been leading the Yukon University Research Services Office since its establishment in January 2022. She has been growing a culture of research at YukonU by initiating the development of the research services office and supporting the transition from Yukon College to Yukon University. Uniquely positioned as Canada’s only university north of 60, YukonU takes pride in investigating distinctly northern questions while drawing on western science and Indigenous knowledges to create and share innovative northern solutions. Prior to joining YukonU, Davon worked as a road ecologist for the Yukon Government, served as the Executive Director of a Yukon environmental NGO, and held several postdoctoral research positions in Canada and the United States. She holds a PhD in Ecology from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, as well as an MSc in Neuroscience from the University of Calgary. In her personal time, Davon is an enthusiastic cyclist, commuting year-round by e-bike in Whitehorse.
Rosalina Declaro
George Brown College
Rosalina Declaro
An accountant by profession, Rosalina Declaro has over twenty years of experience in office administration, finance and accounting. Coming from the private business sector, she joined George Brown College in 2012. She leads the finance, operations and reporting team of the Office of Research and Innovation, as well as manages the budgets for the department and all research projects. Over her career, Ms. Declaro has built on her experience of smoothly managing complex operations in a variety of industries, ensuring that the many cross-sections of research at George Brown College converge seamlessly.
Megan Parker
Durham College
Megan Parker
Megan Parker is a Research Financial Analyst in the Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Durham College.
Having worked at Durham College for 20+ years, she was involved when applied research was first undertaken at the college.
She has worked in different capacities in the research office including REB administrator. Her current responsibilities revolve around research finance including budgeting, forecasting, expenditure tracking and reporting.
Christina DeRoche
Director, Research Centre, Canadore College
Christina DeRoche
Christina DeRoche is the Director of the Research Centre at Canadore College. In this role she provides administrative oversight and support for all projects happening within the college, project management, partner and stakeholder engagement, and student supervision. Christina's primary interest areas are in the field of women and children's mental health, family health, and mental health policies but she also leads the data subcommittee for the Heads of Applied Research group in Ontario, and is a member of the Training Advisory Committee for Compute Ontario.
Carolyn Mullin
Niagara College
Carolyn Mullin
Carolyn is the Director, Strategic Partnerships, with the Research and Innovation division at Niagara College. Carolyn is responsible for overseeing funding proposal development, business development operations, and the creation and dissemination of research-based communications, in all relevant forms. An award-winning writer and community supporter, she has been with the division for nearly 13 years. Before that, she worked in the communications industry as a writer, editor and photographer. She holds a Masters and Bachelor of Arts (Hon) in English Literature, and a diploma in Journalism.
11 May, 2025 01:00 pm to 04:15 pm
Barkers Point
New Administrators Workshop / Atelier des Nouvelles Administratrices et des Nouveaux Administrateurs de Recherche
This introductory workshop welcomes research administrators less than two (2) years in position. Its aim is to give a broad overview of the profession and the many interactions and intersections which administrators have to deal with to succeed in their mandate. / Cet atelier d'introduction s'adresse aux administratrices et aux administrateurs de recherche en poste depuis moins de deux (2) ans. Il vise à donner un aperçu général de la profession et des nombreuses interactions et intersections auxquelles les administratrices et les administrateurs doivent faire face pour réussir dans leur mandat.
Dominique Michaud
President, CARA-ACCAR
Dominique Michaud
Eric Lamiot
Eric Lamiot
Éric Lamiot trained in food biochemistry, with experience in this field, both academic and industrial. For 15 years, he has worked in research administration. For 3 years, he has been an advisor in partnerships and development at the National Institute of Scientific Research in Quebec-city, with a mandate as an innovation broker.
11 May, 2025 01:00 pm to 04:15 pm
Marysville
Presenting with Precision: Communication Excellence in Research Administration
In this professional development workshop, we will explore strategies for optimizing speaking and slide design in order to maximize the impact of presentations. We will focus on the fundamentals of messaging, audience connection, and understanding how listeners and audience members interpret and learn from presentations. Takeaways include principles for effective integration of visuals and multimedia, dealing with nerves, crafting engaging narratives, creative strategies for fostering engagement and participatory, active learning, and tips for translating the fundamentals of in-person communications to online and virtual presentation contexts.
James Shelley
Western University
James Shelley
James Shelley is a Knowledge Mobilization Specialist at Western University. His role involves piloting strategic initiatives and designing experimental ways to share new research. He especially focuses on novel approaches to analytics, automation, and artificial intelligence in knowledge mobilization, science communication, and research administration.
11 May, 2025 01:00 pm to 04:15 pm
Devon
Transforming Health Research for Indigenous Self-Determination: Reflections from the First Five Years of the CIHR-Funded NEIHR Research Facilitation Networks
In Canada, the health research funding and administration landscape continues to limit the self-determination of Indigenous Peoples in multiple ways. Obstacles arise from a number of policies and processes including institutional eligibility, priority setting, and institutional structures that deprioritize Indigenous knowledges. However, Indigenous-led research, training, and knowledge mobilization networks represent a promising approach to transforming the funding landscape to better support the self-determination of Indigenous Peoples in health research. The Network Environments for Indigenous Health Research (NEIHR) program has nine Indigenous-led networks across Canada that support research leadership and self-determination among Indigenous communities, with a tenth in development (BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic Canada, NWT, Nunavut, and the Yukon in development). Funded by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR), this $100.8M investment over 16 years (2020-2035) represents the largest amount of funding the Canadian federal government has committed to Indigenous health research. Each of the 13 CIHR Institutes has contributed funding for the NEIHRs, a first at CIHR. This workshop aims to foster an open and collaborative environment where participants can share insights and develop actionable strategies to support Indigenous self-determination in health research. For the first 70 minutes, we will introduce these autonomous networks and their various approaches to community-based research and knowledge mobilization, as well as the National Coordinating Centre that supports them. We will briefly explore the impact that these approaches have had over the last five years, as measured by the evaluation built into each network. We will also introduce how the breakout discussions will work. There will be time for questions and discussion in this section. After a 20 minute break, workshop participants will go into breakout discussions, using scenarios drawn from our networks that illustrate some of the obstacles we have faced in our work to uphold Indigenous self-determination in research. Discussions will highlight some of the challenges experienced by our Indigenous networks that are grounded in community and led by Indigenous academics in partnership with community, but are mainly hosted within colonial structures like universities, and funded by national funding bodies of the Government of Canada. Managers from provincial/territorial networks will lead discussions with participants on these challenges, how they can be addressed, what cultural, societal and ethical issues need to be considered in addressing them, and how research administrators can use their power and positions to mitigate these challenges. There will be 5 breakout groups, with participants spending 15 minutes in discussion in each group, and rotating through the groups for a total of 75 minutes. Participants will add ideas for each scenario with sticky notes they fill out during each scenario. Facilitators will ensure some notes are captured from each breakout discussion. The discussion scenarios will be developed by each NEIHR participating in the workshop, and could include issues such as: data sovereignty and issues of intellectual property; providing funding and support for researchers, particularly students and new investigators, to develop research partnerships with communities; and properly including and remunerating knowledge keepers and other community people for their contributions, without burdening them with administrative processes. This reflective activity is inspired by the Reflection Activities prepared by organizations and teams committed to Indigenizing Research Administration in the Yukon for a workshop at CARA West 2024 in Whitehorse, Yukon last November. NEIHR Managers will be developing scenarios for this workshop based on their experiences in the last five years. For the final 15 minutes, we will bring all participants back together, for final discussion and reflections on the presentation and breakout discussions. Afterwards, we will compile notes from the discussions, and send them out to each participant who provides their email address to us. This workshop fits within CARA's Core Value of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (providing CARA members with education and training opportunities to support them in building stronger, more equitable and antiracist research administration environments), and Priorities on Engagement with Members and Community, and Professional Development. Participants will leave with some ideas and strategies to address decolonizing Indigenous research environments, to consider during the rest of the conference, and after returning home. It will also give participants connections with NEIHR networks in their regions who they can engage with in their work in research facilitation and administration.
Fleur Macqueen Smith
Saskatchewan NEIHR (CIHR-funded Indigenous health research network), NEIHR National Coordinating Centre
Fleur Macqueen Smith
Fleur has over 25 years of professional experience in research writing, editing, grant management and knowledge translation, with a focus on translating technical materials in health and science disciplines into plain language, and building and sustaining relationships between academic researchers, and government, health, and community partners. She has worked with the Indigenous researchers who lead the Saskatchewan Network Environments for Indigenous Health Research (SK-NEIHR) since 2018. Her previous roles include leading health promotion and government relations for Heart & Stroke in Saskatchewan (2016-17), leading communications for the Saskatchewan Advocate for Children and Youth (2013-15), and leading knowledge translation in the Healthy Children research program at the Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit (2004-13). In 2011, she was awarded a Knowledge Translation Graduate Award by the National Collaborating Centres for Public Health for her master’s research in knowledge translation and communities of practice, and its application. Her interests include Indigenous health and wellbeing, child and youth health and wellbeing, and healthy public policy. She oversees the daily operation of the Saskatchewan NEIHR, and supports the NEIHR National Coordinating Centre, the secretariat for the nine CIHR-funded NEIHR networks.
Tara Erb
Coordinator, BC NEIHR
Tara Erb
Tara Erb is of mixed Moose Cree First Nation from Moose Factory and French European ancestry and grew up in Toronto, Ontario. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology at the University of Victoria (UVic) and a Master of Arts in Sociology (UVic), with a research focus on facilitating Indigenous cultural safety and anti-racism training. Tara is currently completing her Ph.D. in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University under the supervision of Dr. Krista Stelkia with a research focus on Indigenous Cultural Safety in Research Environments/Structures, specifically ethics and ethical processes. Her research interests include Indigenous health and wellness, Indigenous cultural safety, anti-Indigenous racism and social theory.
Currently, Tara is the Network Coordinator of the BC NEIHR residing as a guest on the Songhees, Esquimalt and WSÁNEC peoples territory.
Leila Qashu
Executive Director, Quebec NEIHR
Leila Qashu
Leila Qashu is a qualitative researcher, educator, arts-based practitioner and human rights activist dedicated to supporting ground-up, community-based projects initiated by and for Indigenous communities. She prioritizes listening and focusing on community-based and collaborative initiatives. She has been working on participatory and collaborative projects with Indigenous women and youth in Ethiopia for over twenty years. More recently, she has worked on projects in Canada with Indigenous youth and on decolonizing academic institutions.
For her interdisciplinary PhD in ethnomusicology from Memorial University of Newfoundland, Leila worked with Arsi Oromo women in Ethiopia who use a sung dispute resolution ritual for justice and well-being in their communities. Her postdoctoral project focused on a collaborative arts-based initiative led by young Oromo women, many of whom were survivors of violence and injustices.
Leila is instrumental in helping to build respectful, meaningful, and productive relationships with communities through direct outreach, ensuring that research is built by, with and for communities and their needs.
Jes Annan
Research Coordinator Associate, Alberta NEIHR
Jes Annan
Jessica (Jes) Annan is a Research Coordinator/Associate and Knowledge Platform Technician with the Indigenous Primary Health Care & Policy Research (IPHCPR) Network in Alberta. With a strong social science background and a critical focus on the social determinants of health viewed through an intersectional lens, she supports a collaborative team that consolidates community-based research to inform policy and program improvements in Indigenous healthcare. Her work involves translating collective research insights into actionable recommendations that underpin sustainable, culturally responsive healthcare initiatives across the province.
Mathieya Alatini
Mathieya Alatini
Math’ieya (Ma-THEE-Yah) Alatini Pronounced
Math’ieya Alatini, is a dynamic individual known for her energy, action, and integrity. She is deeply-rooted in her heritage as a Southern Tutchone matriarch and member of Kluane First Nation. Her experience with both traditional Indigenous and modern lifestyles provides a strong foundation for all her endeavors. Math’ieya has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Victoria, which has supported her multifaceted experience that spans sectors from Tourism, Mining, Finance and Non-Profit organizations. Her tenure with the Federal Department of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) in British Columbia solidified her proficiency in infrastructure, green energy projects and Treaty Relations cementing her reputation as a skilled relationship builder.
As the former Chief of Kluane First Nation, she worked with two Councils to develop and implement a vision of energy self-sufficiency and economic resilience through strategic partnerships and collaborative efforts. Currently she is the Chief Strategist of her Company GSD Strategies Inc, which has honed her ability to navigate complex, multi-partnered initiatives and deliver tangible results, a testament to her reputation as a leader who can "get things done in a good way."
Today her adept leadership and no-nonsense approach to producing results are now channeled towards uniting communities and stakeholders to build a stronger, healthier Yukon through her position as CEO for One Yukon Coalition. One Yukon's mission is advanced by initiatives like the Wastewater Monitoring Program and Community Based Testing, that are designed to foster emergency readiness and health awareness across Yukon communities. These game-changing strategies will empower communities and ensure a sustainable future for the Yukon territory.
Connect with Math’ieya
11 May, 2025 03:00 pm to 04:00 pm
Nashwaaksis
CARA First-Timers Agenda Review
Join us for this informative session designed specifically for first-time attendees! We'll walk you through the conference agenda, highlight key sessions, and provide tips on making the most of your CARA experience. This is also your chance to ask questions, get guidance on what to attend, and connect with fellow first-timers. Whether you're looking for networking opportunities, educational sessions, or simply some direction, we’re here to help set you up for success!
11 May, 2025 04:30 pm to 06:00 pm
Crowne Plaza Ballroom sponsored by Worktribe
First Timers and Meet the Board Coffee Time
If this is your first time attending the CARA National conference or you would like to meet the Board, join them for a coffee as prepared by celebrity Latte Artist Barista Brian.
Thank you very much to Worktribe whose generous sponsorship makes this event possible
11 May, 2025 06:00 pm to 07:00 pm
Crowne Plaza Ballroom
Welcome Reception
Welcome to the CARA National Conference!
Kick off the conference with great food and great company! Enjoy a delicious mussel station, a poutine station, and a selection of appetizers, along with a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Each guest will receive one drink ticket, with a cash bar available for additional drinks. Don’t forget to wear your name badge—we can’t wait to connect with you!
11 May, 2025 03:45 pm to 04:45 pm
Nashwaaksis
Maximizing Your Experience: Agenda & Tips for New Attendees
Join Conference Chair Rachel Brown to review the Agenda and help you make the most of your time at the CARA Conference
Rachel Brown
Rachel Brown
12 May, 2025 07:00 am to 06:30 pm
Main Foyer FCC
Badge Pick Up
12 May, 2025 07:30 am to 08:15 am
PSA ABCD
Breakfast Buffet
Breakfast Buffet
Assorted toasting breads with butter & preserves (toaster available at a separate station)
Freshly baked apple turnovers
Seasonal fresh fruit
Fluffy scrambled eggs with green onion (cheese available on the side)
Applewood-smoked bacon
Turkey sausage
Kale, pepper & potato hash
Assorted juices
Coffee & tea with cream, milk, and alternative options
If you have dietary restrictions, please pick up your meal from our special meal area.
12 May, 2025 08:30 am to 09:15 am
PSA ABCD
Welcome Address and Keynote
12 May, 2025 09:30 am to 10:15 am
PSA ABCD
Tri-Agency Update
Representatives from the three federal research granting agencies - CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC, will provide updates on recent developments that impact the research community as a whole. This may include more information on recent funding announcements, changes or launches of new policies, updates on tri-agency projects, and other topics of interest to the Canadian research community.
Andrew Wakefield
SSHRC
Andrew Wakefield
Robin Craig
Associate Vice-President, Research Grants and Scholarships Directorate NSERC
Robin Craig
Dr. Robin Craig joined NSERC in August 2022 as Associate Vice-President, Research Grants and Scholarships. With more than 10 years of experience in the administration of research and innovation programs, Dr. Craig brings to NSERC a significant knowledge of the research ecosystem and the federal funding agencies. Robin is passionate about multidisciplinary research collaborations, and throughout her career, has prioritized inclusive training and mentorship to further the career goals of students and highly qualified personnel.
Prior to joining NSERC, Robin was the inaugural Director of Recherche & Innovation Boréal at Collège Boréal, where she led the strategic development of the college’s applied research and innovation portfolio. In this role, she established the college’s research services office and developed an extensive network of research partnerships with industry and community organizations to enhance knowledge transfer, commercialization, and create experiential learning opportunities. She has served on several advisory committees including NSERC’s College and Community Innovation Program Evolution Advisory Committee, and the Governing Council of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). In addition, she has served on the Executive of the Heads of Applied Research of Ontario, le Comité consultatif du Consortium national de formation en santé (CNFS)-Volet Laurentienne, and Bioenterprise Canada’s Northern Ontario Advisory Committee.
Before joining Collège Boréal, Robin held academic and administrative positions at Laurentian University starting in 2007. As a member of the Office of Research Services, she contributed to the university’s research intensity and visibility by supporting faculty and students in the coordination of research funding proposals and knowledge mobilization activities. In this role, she also advised senior leadership regarding strategic research initiatives and facilitated the work of the institution’s Research Ethics Board.
Subsequently, she served as Senior Manager, Programs and Knowledge Translation at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s (CIHR) Institute of Indigenous People’s Health.
Robin has a PhD and Master’s in French from Western University and an Honours Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto.
Matthew Lucas
SSHRC
Matthew Lucas
Karine Duhamel
SSHRC
Karine Duhamel
Dr. Karine Duhamel (she/her) is an Anishinaabe historian and a member of Opwaaganasiniing (Red Rock Indian Band) in northwestern Ontario, part of the Robinson Superior Treaty family. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education, as well as a master’s degree and PhD in history. She served as Director of Research for the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and was responsible for drafting the final report in collaboration with Commissioners and family members, as well as the management of the Forensic Document Review Project and the direction of the Legacy Archive. In 2021, she was awarded the Bruce and Lis Welch Community Dialogue Award by the Simon J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University for her trauma-informed work with family members through the Inquiry. In 2021, she chaired the data working group for the MMIWG2S+ National Action Plan to create the National Action Plan Data Strategy, a strategy oriented toward supporting Indigenous-led solutions to the data gap on violence against Indigenous women, girls, and gender diverse people. In 2022, she joined the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada as Director of Indigenous Strategy, working to implement the Tri‐Agency strategic plan to better support Indigenous research and research training in Canada. In addition to her role as a public servant, she is an official Speaker for the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba and a Research Affiliate of the Centre for Human Rights Research at the University of Manitoba.
Michael Lam
Chief Data Officer NSERC
Michael Lam
Michael is the Chief Data Officer at the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). In this position, he leads NSERC’s strategic utilization of data, analytics, and AI, to drive innovation, inform decision-making and enhance operational efficiency. Michael has a deep understanding of the research funding landscape and is passionate about supporting the R&D community through data and diverse perspectives. His approach emphasizes the importance of diversity and inclusion, advocating for the integration of varied viewpoints and methodologies to enrich research outcomes and foster a more inclusive scientific community.
With over 20 years as a public servant, he also has had roles in strategic planning, program development, project management and laboratory management in various departments Department of National Defence and at the National Research Council Canada, where he oversaw research facilities at the National Institute for Nanotechnology. Michael is an alumnus of the University of Waterloo (B.Sc.), Queens University (B.Ed.) Carleton University (Ph.D., Chemistry). He was born in Hong Kong and currently lives in Ottawa, Ontario.
Emmanuel Hogg
SSHRC
Emmanuel Hogg
Emmanuel Hogg is a Program Officer in the Research Training Portfolio. He currently leads SSHRC’s Impact Awards. During his time at SSHRC, Emmanuel has worked on many funding opportunities within the Research Training Portfolio, such as the Doctoral, Postdoctoral and Master’s awards as well as award supplements. He also serves as SSHRC’s partner representative on Canada Council for Arts’ Molson Prize. Emmanuel holds a PhD in History from Carleton University where he continues to teach as a sessional instructor.Emmanuel Hogg est agent de programme au sein du Portefeuille de la formation en recherche. Il dirige actuellement les prix Impact du CRSH. Au cours de son mandat au CRSH, Emmanuel a travaillé sur de nombreuses possibilités de financement au sein du Portefeuille de la formation en recherche, telles que les bourses de doctorat, de postdoctorat et de maîtrise, ainsi que les suppléments aux bourses. Il est également le délégué du CRSH pour le Prix Molson du Conseil des Arts du Canada. Emmanuel est titulaire d'un doctorat en histoire de l'Université Carleton, où il continue d'enseigner en tant que chargé de cours.
12 May, 2025 10:30 am to 10:30 am
PSA ABCD
Advancing a More Transparent, Equitable, and Trusted Research Ecosystem Through Open Access to Research
In July 2023, the Presidents of the three federal granting agencies announced that a revised Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications would be released by the end of 2025, with the goal of making peer-reviewed journal publications arising from agency-supported research freely available at time of publication. This is part of broader global efforts to make the results of publicly funded research openly available -- for responsible research assessment, for greater equity in the global research enterprise, and for greater research impact in academic and non-academic sectors. This session will provide an overview of the revised draft policy, share reflections on the value of open access for the broader research community, and discuss how to effectively support open access practices within institutions and granting agencies.
Matthew Lucas
SSHRC
Matthew Lucas
12 May, 2025 10:30 am to 11:15 am
Barkers Point
Getting the Most Out of Internal Research Funding
Internal grant programs have been shown to enhance research capacity among faculty members and increase external research funding success (Balaji et al 2007, Kivist, J., & Mathies, C. 2023). Canadian universities and colleges use internal grant programs to help drive external funding success but also to incentivize a range of scholarly activities or approaches including community based / partner informed research, student research, open access publishing, teaching innovation, experimentation in knowledge dissemination and more. This session will draw on the experiences of the internal grant programs of three institutions: Vancouver Island University, Kwantlen Polytechnic University and University Canada West. Speakers will share key parameters and goals of their suite of grants. We will explore design considerations, mechanics and how to measure success. This interactive session will provide written case studies of faculty grant programs at each institution and seek experiences from audience members on their approaches. The session will cover practical questions such as evaluation models, post project reporting, and choosing the best grant value. It will also explore broader questions including aligning with institutional research strategy and if is necessary to avoid favouring those who are already productive.
Stewart Fast
University Canada West
Stewart Fast
Stewart Fast is Director of the Office of Research and Scholarship at University Canada West. He has over 15 years professional experience in research and science environments in higher education, private sector and government settings. Past positions include Manager at NSERC and Research Director in a multidisciplinary institute. He holds a PhD in Geography from UOttawa and is an adjunct professor at Carleton University.
Lea Cohodas
Research Services Coordinator, Scholarship, Research, and Creative Activity Office, Vancouver Island University
Lea Cohodas
Keith Leung
Research Facilitator, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Keith Leung
Keith is a Research Facilitator at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU). He has extensive experience conducting humanities and social science research. He has managed multiple SSHRC- and NSERC-funded research projects and collaborated extensively with researchers in Canada and abroad. At KPU, he works closely with researchers to help establish their research agendas, build scholarly portfolios, and support research clusters. His work also involves developing and managing internal programs that offer funding for small-scale research, publications, and teaching releases.
Keith Leung
Research Facilitator, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Keith Leung
Keith is a Research Facilitator at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU). He has extensive experience conducting humanities and social science research. He has managed multiple SSHRC- and NSERC-funded research projects and collaborated extensively with researchers in Canada and abroad. At KPU, he works closely with researchers to help establish their research agendas, build scholarly portfolios, and support research clusters. His work also involves developing and managing internal programs that offer funding for small-scale research, publications, and teaching releases.
12 May, 2025 10:30 am to 11:15 am
Marysville
Towards a National Infrastructure of Support for Francophone Research in Canada: The SARF Program in Three Universities After One Year, Part 1
Planned to offer bilingual, round-table discussions, this panel will present the SARF program to CARA members and conference participants. Part of the Government of Canada's new Action Plan for Official Languages 2023-2028, SARF is a Canada-wide, French-language research assistance service administered by Acfas, whose goal is to provide support to scholars and graduate students from Canada's francophone minority settings (outside Quebec) in the preparation of Tri-Agency funding applications in French. This panel will offer feedbacks on a year of experience of collaboration with research office representatives from three partnered universities : the University of Saskatchewan, York University, and l'Universite de Moncton. The panel will also be the occasion to discuss scientific research in both official languages.
Thierry Drapeau
ACFAS
Thierry Drapeau
Thierry Drapeau is responsible for the general management and conduct of operations of the SARF. Before joining the ranks of Acfas, he was assistant director of studies in the Quebec college network, where he managed and supervised the activities of the teaching service. Before this position, he was a university researcher for more than 10 years in the field of social sciences. His research was supported by the CRSH, the FRQSC and the BESO. A doctoral graduate of York University in Toronto, he worked as a francophone researcher in a minority context for several years.
Nicole Barrieau
Université de Moncton
Nicole Barrieau
Nicole Barrieau is a Senior Research Advisor at the Faculté des études supérieures et de la recherche at the Université de Moncton. She has nearly 15 years of experience in research administration, directly supporting over 300 faculty members across the university's three campuses, in all disciplines. She also contributes to strategic initiatives within the institution aimed at increasing external research funding and improving research administration processes and procedures. Nicole has been a member of CARA since 2011 where she has servs as a volunteer translator. She has worked for over 25 years at a Francophone university in a linguistic minority setting.
Après un doctorat en médecine vétérinaire (DMV) obtenu en 1992 à l’Université de Montréal (campus St-Hyacinthe), Swann Paradis a exercé la médecine vétérinaire (animaux de compagnie) au Québec pendant plus de 15 ans, parallèlement à ses études littéraires de 1999-2008 (BA, MA, Ph.D., Université Laval). Ses champs d'intérêt incluent l'histoire naturelle au XVIIIe siècle (littérature, philosophie et sciences), de même que le roman noir au tournant de Lumières & du Romantisme, le Surréalisme français & l’Automatisme québécois, la littérature franco-ontarienne et la création (poésie). Il est professeur agrégé au Collège universitaire Glendon (Université York, Toronto), Vice-Principal (Recherche et Études supérieures) et Vice-Principal intérimaire (Affaires académiques).
Dawn Wallin
Associate Vice-President Research (Engagement) University of Saskatchewan
Dawn Wallin
Dr. Dawn Wallin is a Professor in the College of Education. As an alumna of our institution Dawn completed each of her Bachelor of Education (English and Mathematics), Bachelor of Arts (English), Master of Education (Educational Administration), and Doctor of Philosophy (Educational Administration) degrees at the University of Saskatchewan.Dr. Wallin possesses an impressive and extensive career in the elementary, secondary, and tertiary education sectors. Having begun her career as a teacher in the Kindersley School Division, her career has quickly grown to include several formal and informal leadership positions. For instance, Dr. Wallin has worked to design effective educational programming opportunities for students in pre-K-12 and post-secondary contexts and has also consulted or partnered with organizations that represent a variety of interests, including ministries of education, educational organizations, regional colleges and university faculties. She has also held executive positions for the Canadian Association for Educational Administration, the Canadian Association for Women in Education, and the Canadian Society for the Study of Education. Her research interests focus on rural education, educational administration and leadership, equity issues in education, and teacher education.Dr. Wallin began her career in academia in 2002. Since this time, she has held several faculty and leadership positions at the University of Texas, University of Manitoba, and University of Saskatchewan. Since joining the University of Saskatchewan as a Professor in August 2015, Dawn has held leadership positions including Associate Dean Undergraduate Programs, Research, and Partnerships, and most recently the university’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) leader.
12 May, 2025 10:30 am to 11:15 am
Vendor Showcase Part 1
12 May, 2025 11:30 am to 12:15 pm
Barkers Point
Mitacs Awards
This Conference Session will cover the challenges of administering MITACS awards and potential approaches and solutions. Topics include administrative impact of joint projects, payment alignment, timing of invoices, potential risks of project termination when industry partner funding is delayed, and HST charges. Research finance experts from the Memorial University and York will facilitate a discussion on the challenges encountered and outline any strategies in place to address challenges
Angela Zeno
Treasurer CARA
Angela Zeno
Angela managed the Research Accounting department at York University for over 20 years, leading the financial administration of research grants and contracts. Angela continues to collaborate with colleagues across the country to develop and promote best practices in research finance and is widely recognized for her ability to connect and support finance professionals across institutions.
Angela Zeno has been an active member of CARA for many years as Treasurer, known for co-creating engaging conference workshops and co-sharing her expertise through webinars.
She also founded a national research finance network, which brings together members from coast to coast to share knowledge, tackle challenges, and strengthen financial stewardship in the research finance sector.
Karen Samis
Queen's University
Karen Samis
Karen has been in Research Administration for 8 years - all of that at Queen's. She loves the way her background in research, and her love of problem solving and collaboration come together to help in the day to day of managing a Research Services team.
Melissa Squires
Memorial University
Melissa Squires
Melissa Squires has been a member of CARA for over 17 years. She presents and facilitates finance sessions at the CARA regional and national conference. She feels that CARA it is a great way to network and share best practices with colleagues from all across Canada.
Melissa is currently the Manager of Research Accounting at Memorial University and has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Memorial University and a CPA, CGA designation.
12 May, 2025 11:30 am to 12:15 pm
PSA ABCD
SSHRC Update
The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) is the federal research funding agency that promotes and supports research and training in the humanities and social sciences. The purpose of this session is to provide an update on new funding opportunities, changes to existing programs, policies and/or processes as well as any updates on any recent developments of interest to the social sciences and humanities research community.
Andrew Wakefield
SSHRC
Andrew Wakefield
Tim Wilson
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
Tim Wilson
Dr. Tim Wilson is the Associate Vice-President of Research Programs at the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), where he is responsible for overseeing the Agency’s grants and scholarships programs. Prior to coming to SSHRC, Tim held a number of executive positions at the Treasury Board Secretariat and the Public Service Commission. In addition to his career in the Public Service, Tim also teaches English Literature part-time at the University of Ottawa, specializing in Renaissance Literature and Literary Theory. ****************************************************************** Tim Wilson est le vice-président associé, des Programmes de recherches, Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines (CRSH), responsable de la gestion des programmes de subventions et des bourses à l’agence. Avant de se joindre au CRSH, Tim a occupé divers postes de direction au sein du Secrétariat du Conseil du Trésor ainsi qu’à la Commission de la fonction publique. En plus de sa carrière dans la fonction publique, Tim enseigne également la littérature anglaise à temps partiel à l’université d’Ottawa. Il se spécialise dans la littérature de la Renaissance et en théorie littéraire.
Emmanuel Hogg
SSHRC
Emmanuel Hogg
Emmanuel Hogg is a Program Officer in the Research Training Portfolio. He currently leads SSHRC’s Impact Awards. During his time at SSHRC, Emmanuel has worked on many funding opportunities within the Research Training Portfolio, such as the Doctoral, Postdoctoral and Master’s awards as well as award supplements. He also serves as SSHRC’s partner representative on Canada Council for Arts’ Molson Prize. Emmanuel holds a PhD in History from Carleton University where he continues to teach as a sessional instructor.Emmanuel Hogg est agent de programme au sein du Portefeuille de la formation en recherche. Il dirige actuellement les prix Impact du CRSH. Au cours de son mandat au CRSH, Emmanuel a travaillé sur de nombreuses possibilités de financement au sein du Portefeuille de la formation en recherche, telles que les bourses de doctorat, de postdoctorat et de maîtrise, ainsi que les suppléments aux bourses. Il est également le délégué du CRSH pour le Prix Molson du Conseil des Arts du Canada. Emmanuel est titulaire d'un doctorat en histoire de l'Université Carleton, où il continue d'enseigner en tant que chargé de cours.
12 May, 2025 11:30 am to 12:15 pm
Devon
The Research Management Certificate
This session will provide an overview of the fully online Research Management Certificate offered at Mohawk College in partnership with CARA
Sarah Lampson
CARA-ACCAR
Sarah Lampson
Sarah Lampson is the Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Research Administrators. She was appointed in 2013 after more than a decade as a research administrator in various progressive roles at a leading comprehensive university, a funding agency, one of the largest academic hospitals in Canada and at the largest health research organization in North America.
Sarah has authored or presented over 100 articles, conference talks and webinars, including co-authoring 2 books: The A-Z Guide to Research Contract Review and Steer Your Career: A Research Administrator's Manual for Mapping Success which are in use at more than 500 institutions globally. Sarah received national and international recognition for her contributions to research administration and served as a faculty member in the Research Administration Certificate at Mohawk College for 7 years.
Alison Prescott
CARA-ACCAR
Alison Prescott
Alison became the Program Coordinator for the Canadian Association of Research Administrators after more than a decade working and leading in the Association non-profit field. She holds a BA from Wilfred Laurier University, and obtained her Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation from the Canadian Society of Association Executives in 2024. Alison has served military families in advocacy roles here in Canada, as well as internationally in two exchange positions. She received a Department of the Army Public Service Commendation Medal for “exceptionally meritorious dedication to public service” after serving in her role as a village mayor on Fort Leavenworth, KS in 2022. Her best work has been as mom of many boys and spouse of 18 years to her husband Ted.
12 May, 2025 11:30 am to 12:15 pm
Marysville
Towards a National Infrastructure of Support for Francophone Research in Canada: The SARF Program in Three Universities After One Year, Part 2
Planned to offer bilingual, round-table discussions, this panel will present the SARF program to CARA members and conference participants. Part of the Government of Canada's new Action Plan for Official Languages 2023-2028, SARF is a Canada-wide, French-language research assistance service administered by Acfas, whose goal is to provide support to scholars and graduate students from Canada's francophone minority settings (outside Quebec) in the preparation of Tri-Agency funding applications in French. This panel will offer feedbacks on a year of experience of collaboration with research office representatives from three partnered universities : the University of Saskatchewan, York University, and l'Universite de Moncton. The panel will also be the occasion to discuss scientific research in both official languages.
Thierry Drapeau
ACFAS
Thierry Drapeau
Thierry Drapeau is responsible for the general management and conduct of operations of the SARF. Before joining the ranks of Acfas, he was assistant director of studies in the Quebec college network, where he managed and supervised the activities of the teaching service. Before this position, he was a university researcher for more than 10 years in the field of social sciences. His research was supported by the CRSH, the FRQSC and the BESO. A doctoral graduate of York University in Toronto, he worked as a francophone researcher in a minority context for several years.
Nicole Barrieau
Université de Moncton
Nicole Barrieau
Nicole Barrieau is a Senior Research Advisor at the Faculté des études supérieures et de la recherche at the Université de Moncton. She has nearly 15 years of experience in research administration, directly supporting over 300 faculty members across the university's three campuses, in all disciplines. She also contributes to strategic initiatives within the institution aimed at increasing external research funding and improving research administration processes and procedures. Nicole has been a member of CARA since 2011 where she has servs as a volunteer translator. She has worked for over 25 years at a Francophone university in a linguistic minority setting.
Après un doctorat en médecine vétérinaire (DMV) obtenu en 1992 à l’Université de Montréal (campus St-Hyacinthe), Swann Paradis a exercé la médecine vétérinaire (animaux de compagnie) au Québec pendant plus de 15 ans, parallèlement à ses études littéraires de 1999-2008 (BA, MA, Ph.D., Université Laval). Ses champs d'intérêt incluent l'histoire naturelle au XVIIIe siècle (littérature, philosophie et sciences), de même que le roman noir au tournant de Lumières & du Romantisme, le Surréalisme français & l’Automatisme québécois, la littérature franco-ontarienne et la création (poésie). Il est professeur agrégé au Collège universitaire Glendon (Université York, Toronto), Vice-Principal (Recherche et Études supérieures) et Vice-Principal intérimaire (Affaires académiques).
Dawn Wallin
Associate Vice-President Research (Engagement) University of Saskatchewan
Dawn Wallin
Dr. Dawn Wallin is a Professor in the College of Education. As an alumna of our institution Dawn completed each of her Bachelor of Education (English and Mathematics), Bachelor of Arts (English), Master of Education (Educational Administration), and Doctor of Philosophy (Educational Administration) degrees at the University of Saskatchewan.Dr. Wallin possesses an impressive and extensive career in the elementary, secondary, and tertiary education sectors. Having begun her career as a teacher in the Kindersley School Division, her career has quickly grown to include several formal and informal leadership positions. For instance, Dr. Wallin has worked to design effective educational programming opportunities for students in pre-K-12 and post-secondary contexts and has also consulted or partnered with organizations that represent a variety of interests, including ministries of education, educational organizations, regional colleges and university faculties. She has also held executive positions for the Canadian Association for Educational Administration, the Canadian Association for Women in Education, and the Canadian Society for the Study of Education. Her research interests focus on rural education, educational administration and leadership, equity issues in education, and teacher education.Dr. Wallin began her career in academia in 2002. Since this time, she has held several faculty and leadership positions at the University of Texas, University of Manitoba, and University of Saskatchewan. Since joining the University of Saskatchewan as a Professor in August 2015, Dawn has held leadership positions including Associate Dean Undergraduate Programs, Research, and Partnerships, and most recently the university’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) leader.
12 May, 2025 11:30 am to 12:15 pm
Vendor Showcase Part 2
12 May, 2025 12:15 pm to 01:30 pm
PSA ABCD
Buffet Lunch and AGM
If you have dietary restrictions, please pick up your meal from our special meal area.
Lunch Buffet
Garlic cheese toast
Caprese platter with fresh tomatoes, basil & mozzarella
Classic caesar salad
Hearty meat lasagna
Veggie pasta
Lemon berry tarts & assorted squares
Coffee & tea
12 May, 2025 01:30 pm to 02:15 pm
Devon
Coaching Approach in Research Development & Facilitation
Proposition: In Canada, a variety of specialized roles exist to support research development/ management, grant facilitation, and research processes across different stages. The roles that support these activities have various titles such as, Research Managers, Research/Grant Facilitators, Coordinators, Knowledge Mobilization Specialists. Research Administrators play a unique facilitation role which requires a combination of technical, organizational and interpersonal competencies. They make significant contributions towards capacity building and research advancement. Throughout my professional career in research development for over 16 years, I have learned that adopting a coaching approach to research development can significantly enhance productivity and foster empowerment. Facilitation approach tends to be more direct than coaching. Facilitators provide advice and/or direction towards the solution. Coaching can be non-direct and empower individuals reach their through thoughtful questions. Core coaching skills include active listening, asking questions, being present, staying curious, remaining open to possibilities, and empowering people to think differently. To some extent, the research admins draw upon these skills to successfully lead development and execution (e.g. goal setting and accountability, skill development and mentorship, solution-orientation). This session will explore the value of bringing in a coaching approach to research facilitation. The participants will collectively explore the following: 1. What is a coaching approach? How can we acquire coaching skills? 2. What are the similarities and differences between facilitation and coaching? 3. To what extent can we adopt coaching into our profession? (i.e. directive versus non-directive approach as applicable to a situation). a. What do they see as opportunities and challenges? Currently, I am finishing up a Leadership Coaching Certification which helped refine my coaching skills and I'll share a few examples. Coaching skills are sought-after leadership skills in today's marketplace. Hence, honing coaching skills will support Research Admin professionals in their own career growth and achieving professional excellence. Session delivery: This session will begin with a brief presentation outlining similarities and differences between coaching and facilitation; and nurture ideas regarding when/how we can adopt a coaching approach in our work (15 min). This will be followed by facilitated discussions around the questions mentioned above (25 min) and a wrap-up to conclude (5 min). The goal is to conduct this session in an engaging way with significant opportunities for participant to sharing ideas, discuss possibilities and make recommendations. Output: We are looking forward to our collective learning, keep notes and explore future learning needs/opportunities on the topic. CARA strategic priority relevance: 1. Engagement with members & community: this session will help build connections among research administrations, foster learning and sharing passion for professional excellence. 2. Professional development: learn, apply and grow in their respective careers. CARA may want to create PD opportunities (webinar) on this topic in future.
Kakali Majumdar
Research Facilitator Bow Valley College
Kakali Majumdar
I am a Research Facilitator at Bow Valley College with over 16 years’ experience in leading research/grant development and management in multiple sectors, including Health, Engineering and Social Sciences. Throughout my career, I have coached and advised hundreds of faculties in ideation of research projects and achieving funding. My most recent success includes the achievement of two significant institutional grants, funded by NSERC and CFI in the amount of $1.5M. My leadership in research development and management have expanded research capacity, accomplished strategic priorities, and established diverse researcher-community partnerships in post-secondary institutions (e.g., Bow Valley College and University of Calgary) and national funding organizations (e.g., Heart and Stroke Foundation and Shastri-Indo Canadian Institute). Additionally, I have contributed to operational excellence of research portfolios up to ~25M. Currently, I am a member of Bow Valley College’s EDI Strategic Committee; and working on establishing an institutional EDI framework that will create a strong sense of belonging across the campus. ABOUT I am a strategic and innovative Program Manager with experience delivering complex multi-stakeholder projects from ideation to completion. I’ve established comprehensive project plans and led cross-functional teams to achieve strategic goals. I am strong in both administrative and strategic areas of business and recognized as a stakeholder relationship builder. Because of my significant experience in working at both national research funding agencies and post-secondary institutions, I have a unique blend of perspectives of external stakeholders and knowledge of post-secondary system. For over 10 years, I have extensively worked with post-secondary faculties in multiple sectors (Health, Engineering and Social Sciences) and succeeded in research management, knowledge mobilization and impact evaluation. A large portion of my career was also dedicated to advising and supporting leadership in priority planning and impact. I love travelling, diversity, and meeting new people. I’m a life-long learner and believe that life is full of possibilities.
12 May, 2025 01:30 pm to 02:15 pm
Nashwaaksis
EDI in Internal Research Awards
How can you ensure that your internal research funding is equitable, inclusive, and reduces barriers as much as possible? Our institution has undergone a review of our institutional research funds to reduce barriers for researchers and administrators alike. This session will present the assessment, review, actions, and what we're hoping to do next.
Gwen Hill
Royal Roads University
Gwen Hill
Gwen Elaine Thompson Hill works at Royal Roads University as the Manager of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Research. She is a queer, cisgender, neurodivergent woman with ancestral roots in Scotland, France, and England; and is an uninvited settler on the traditional Lands of the Lekwungen-speaking Peoples; the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations. Gwen holds a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, which has informed her personal and professional commitments to the creation of more safe, inclusive, and accessible spaces in the Canadian post-secondary environment.
12 May, 2025 01:30 pm to 02:15 pm
Barkers Point
Internal Charges and Research
Does your institution assess internal charges against research projects? In this session, we will discuss some of the best practices for internal charges including what type of expenses are considered "internal", eligibility of the expense, supporting documentation requirements, pricing considerations and what type of policies an institution should have to govern these transactions.
Michael Walesiak
University of Alberta
Michael Walesiak
Michael Walesiak, CPA, CA has 20 years of senior management experience at the University of Alberta (UofA) in the field of Research Administration. As Director, Research Administrative Services, he is responsible for the delivery of end-to-end research services for the over $500 million annual research enterprise at the UofA. This includes application review, award processing, contract negotiation and financial reporting.
12 May, 2025 01:30 pm to 02:15 pm
PSA ABCD
Update from the CFI
The CFI will share upcoming activities and discuss ongoing programs and activities. We will encourage a discussion with the participants. As more details are available, we will update this abstract to ensure we are providing the community with as up-to-date information as possible.
Veronique Vaillancourt
Senior Programs Officer | Chargée de programmes, Canada Foundation for Innovation | Fondation canadienne pour l'innovation
Veronique Vaillancourt
Véronique Vaillancourt is a Senior Programs Officer at the Canada Foundation for Innovation. Having joined the CFI after working for over 20 years in a research laboratory at the University of Ottawa, she enjoys contributing to increasing Canada’s capacity for innovative research by supporting institutions and is well versed in the ins-and-outs of our national research community. In her free time, Véronique loves to stay active; you can certainly catch her on a softball field during the summer!
12 May, 2025 02:30 pm to 03:15 pm
Devon
A conversation with Directors
A group of Research Directors will lead a round table discussion for those who have recently been appointed or hired as Research Directors, or who aspire to become Research Directors.
Michael Walesiak
University of Alberta
Michael Walesiak
Michael Walesiak, CPA, CA has 20 years of senior management experience at the University of Alberta (UofA) in the field of Research Administration. As Director, Research Administrative Services, he is responsible for the delivery of end-to-end research services for the over $500 million annual research enterprise at the UofA. This includes application review, award processing, contract negotiation and financial reporting.
Karen Samis
Queen's University
Karen Samis
Karen has been in Research Administration for 8 years - all of that at Queen's. She loves the way her background in research, and her love of problem solving and collaboration come together to help in the day to day of managing a Research Services team.
Anita Sharma
Director, Research Services, Thompson Rivers University
Anita Sharma
Anita Sharma, Ph.D., is the Director of Research Services at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, BC. With over a decade of experience in research development and management, she spearheads strategic initiatives in research services, program development, and researcher engagement. Her portfolio encompasses managing Tri-Agency Institutional programs, directing grant facilitation services, and administering internal funding awards while fostering a culture of research excellence. Anita has contributed to the regional and national research landscape through her roles on key external advisory bodies such as the Alliance of Canadian Comprehensive Research Universities Tri-Agency Funding Advisory Committee, the Tri-Agency Grant Management Solution (TGMS) External Advisory Board, the TGMS External Change Agent Network, the BC Knowledge Development Fund Working Group, and the BCNET eRAS Procurement Working Group. She remains deeply engaged in research administration communities as an active member of the CARA, the Society of Research Administrators International (SRAI), and the National Organization of Research Development Professionals. Through her service on the SRAI Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee, Anita champions inclusivity and knowledge-sharing.
Anita has received numerous accolades for her contributions to research administration, including the SRAI Future of the Field Honor, Recognitions of Excellence from the TRU Board of Governors, and the CARA awards, such as the Excellence in Research Management, the Spirit of Kindness, and the Unsung Hero Award.
As a scholar with a Ph.D. in Biochemistry, she has published 28 articles in refereed scientific journals. She shares her expertise in research administration through multiple platforms, including publishing in refereed journals, blogging, presenting at conferences, and co-editing for the SRAI Catalyst newsletter.
Deborah Zornes
Director, Research and Innovation, Royal Roads University
Deborah Zornes
As Director, Research and Innovation at Royal Roads University, Dr. Deborah Zornes oversees all pre and post award tasks related to faculty research. She oversees policy development, strategic direction, the Climate Action team, and led the development of the Strategic Research Plan. Zornes has more than 25 years experience in research administration and has taught for more than 15 years. Her research focuses on the role of the university in society, research administration, research impact and research evaluation.
12 May, 2025 02:30 pm to 03:15 pm
Nashwaaksis
Building Research Capacity in Inuit Nunangat, Denendeh and Yukon Through Collaboration
Share best practices for northern/arctic applied/research collaborations in Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon.
Davon Callander
Yukon University
Davon Callander
Davon has been leading the Yukon University Research Services Office since its establishment in January 2022. She has been growing a culture of research at YukonU by initiating the development of the research services office and supporting the transition from Yukon College to Yukon University. Uniquely positioned as Canada’s only university north of 60, YukonU takes pride in investigating distinctly northern questions while drawing on western science and Indigenous knowledges to create and share innovative northern solutions. Prior to joining YukonU, Davon worked as a road ecologist for the Yukon Government, served as the Executive Director of a Yukon environmental NGO, and held several postdoctoral research positions in Canada and the United States. She holds a PhD in Ecology from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, as well as an MSc in Neuroscience from the University of Calgary. In her personal time, Davon is an enthusiastic cyclist, commuting year-round by e-bike in Whitehorse.
Jamal Shirley
Director of Innovation and Research, Nunavut Arctic College (NAC)
Jamal Shirley
Jamal Shirley is the Director of Innovation and Research for Nunavut Arctic College (NAC), based at the Nunavut Research Institute (NRI) in Iqaluit. Jamal provides oversight and support for a broad range of applied research, training, and knowledge mobilization activities led by and in partnership with NAC. As the appointed Science Advisor under Nunavut’s Scientists Act, Jamal is also responsible for administering research licensing and review for approximately 160 research projects conducted annually in the natural, health, and social sciences disciplines across Nunavut. Jamal served on Canada’s National committee for International Polar Year (2007-2008), is a current member of the Nunavut Government’s Sustainable Development Advisory Group, and also sits on the research management committee for Canada’s Marine Environmental Observation, Prediction and Response Network (MEOPAR). Jamal is a member of Nunavut Arctic College’s Standing Partnership Committee with Memorial University of Newfoundland. Jamal grew up in Rankin Inlet Nunavut and holds a Masters of Resource and Environmental studies (MES) degree from Dalhousie University (2002).
Chris Paci
Vice President Research, Aurora Research Institute (ARI)
Chris Paci
Chris Paci, PhD is Vice President Research for Aurora College’s research division, Aurora Research Institute (ARI). The Institute has three centers based in Inuvik, Fort Smith and Yellowknife. ARI is Tri-Council recognized, we have had a TAC in Inuvik and currently hold a Mobilize grant, etc. Chris has previously worked for the Ontario college sector, including as a Dean, Associate Dean, Chair, Senior Advisor, and faculty member. Chris has also worked in the university sector both teaching and developing curriculum at the University of Northern BC. He holds an interdisciplinary doctorate from the University of Manitoba (2000).
12 May, 2025 02:30 pm to 03:15 pm
Barkers Point
Horizon Europe Pillar II Funding Opportunities
Horizon Europe is the world's largest research and innovation collaboration program, with a budget of 95.5 billion (CDN$140 billion) over 2021-2027. More than 53 billion (CDN$77 billion) has been allocated to Pillar II. Canada recently joined Horizon Europe as an associate country under Pillar II. Associate membership allows researchers at Canadian institutions to participate in applications to Pillar II calls for proposals and receive funding from Horizon Europe if the applications are successful. This session will present an overview of Horizon Europe Pillar II funding opportunities for Canadian Researchers and how to support Canadian applicants.
Tamara Sone
Government of Canada
Tamara Sone
Tamara Sone is the Horizon Europe National Contact Point Coordinator for Canada. She works for the department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) and is the analyst responsible for the implementation of Canada’s association to the Horizon Europe programme. She has been working in the Canadian government as a policy analyst since 2009 and has worked on a wide range of roles at Public Safety, Public Service and Procurement Canada as well as ISED. She has an undergraduate degree from Queen’s University in Politics. She also has two master’s degrees: an MA in Pacific Studies from the University of Victoria and an MPA from Queen’s University.
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Tamara Sone est la coordinatrice du point de contact national Horizon Europe pour le Canada. Elle travaille pour le ministère de l'Innovation, des Sciences et du Développement économique du Canada (ISDE) et est l'analyste responsable de la mise en œuvre de l'association du Canada au programme Horizon Europe. Elle travaille au sein du gouvernement canadien en tant qu'analyste des politiques depuis 2009 et a occupé un large éventail de fonctions à Sécurité publique, Services publics et Approvisionnement Canada ainsi qu'à l'ISDE. Elle est titulaire d'un diplôme de premier cycle de l'université Queen's en sciences politiques. Elle est également titulaire de deux maîtrises : une maîtrise en études du Pacifique de l'Université de Victoria et une maîtrise en administration publique de l'Université Queen's.
12 May, 2025 02:30 pm to 03:15 pm
Marysville
Supporting Research and Meeting DMP Requirements by Funders Part 1
Session 1: Introduction to DMP and Tools. This session introduces what a data management plan (DMP) is, the Tri-Agency research data management policy and related funding requirements, the role of the Alliance's DMP Expert Group, and the DMP Assistant platform. Presented by James Doiron (University of Alberta) and Jonathan Dorey (INRS).
James Doiron
Research Data Management Strategies Director, University of Alberta Library; Academic Director, UofA Research Data Centre
James Doiron
James Doiron is the Research Data Management Strategies Director, University of Alberta Library, and the Academic Director of the University of Alberta Research Data Centre. With an educational and applied research background in the Social and Health Sciences, he has extensive research and data management experience across a wide range of disciplines, areas of focus and data types. Locally, James sits on a number of advisory and working groups, including the University of Alberta’s Institutional RDM Strategy Working Group (Chair), Indigenous Research Strategy Task Force, and Health Research Ethics Board as a reviewer. Nationally, James is a member of the Canadian Research Data Centre Network (CRDCN) Board of Directors and is co-chair of the Digital Research Alliance of Canada’s Data Management Planning (DMP) Expert Group.
Jonathan Dorey
Research Officer - Research Data Management at INRS | ENAP | TÉLUQ
Jonathan Dorey
Jonathan is Research Data Management Advisor and National Security Advisor (interim) at Institut national de la recherche scientifique. He also serves as Co-chair of the Digital Research Alliance of Canada Data Management Planning Expert Group.
12 May, 2025 02:30 pm to 03:15 pm
PSA ABCD
NSERC
Jas Michalski
NSERC
Jas Michalski
12 May, 2025 03:30 pm to 04:15 pm
Nashwaaksis
Decolonizing Research Administration - Lessons from CARA West
Following the CARAW conference in Whitehorse Yukon, we would like to revisit what was learned and experienced at that event and discuss what is next in terms of decolonizing research administration, supporting research that is Indigenous led, Indigenous partnered or with Indigenous participants
Davon Callander
Yukon University
Davon Callander
Davon has been leading the Yukon University Research Services Office since its establishment in January 2022. She has been growing a culture of research at YukonU by initiating the development of the research services office and supporting the transition from Yukon College to Yukon University. Uniquely positioned as Canada’s only university north of 60, YukonU takes pride in investigating distinctly northern questions while drawing on western science and Indigenous knowledges to create and share innovative northern solutions. Prior to joining YukonU, Davon worked as a road ecologist for the Yukon Government, served as the Executive Director of a Yukon environmental NGO, and held several postdoctoral research positions in Canada and the United States. She holds a PhD in Ecology from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, as well as an MSc in Neuroscience from the University of Calgary. In her personal time, Davon is an enthusiastic cyclist, commuting year-round by e-bike in Whitehorse.
12 May, 2025 03:30 pm to 04:15 pm
Barkers Point
Guidance on the Use of Generative AI in the Production and Review of Research Proposals
Interactive session for Q & A and community engagement and discussion on generative AI
Michael Lam
Chief Data Officer NSERC
Michael Lam
Michael is the Chief Data Officer at the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). In this position, he leads NSERC’s strategic utilization of data, analytics, and AI, to drive innovation, inform decision-making and enhance operational efficiency. Michael has a deep understanding of the research funding landscape and is passionate about supporting the R&D community through data and diverse perspectives. His approach emphasizes the importance of diversity and inclusion, advocating for the integration of varied viewpoints and methodologies to enrich research outcomes and foster a more inclusive scientific community.
With over 20 years as a public servant, he also has had roles in strategic planning, program development, project management and laboratory management in various departments Department of National Defence and at the National Research Council Canada, where he oversaw research facilities at the National Institute for Nanotechnology. Michael is an alumnus of the University of Waterloo (B.Sc.), Queens University (B.Ed.) Carleton University (Ph.D., Chemistry). He was born in Hong Kong and currently lives in Ottawa, Ontario.
12 May, 2025 03:30 pm to 04:15 pm
Marysville
Supporting Research and Meeting DMP Requirements by Funders Part 2
Session 2: Simplified DMP template and assessment rubric. This session presents the Alliance Simplified Template (funding application stage) and an accompanying assessment rubric, which together help researchers to meet DMP specific funder requirements. Presented by James Doiron (University of Alberta) and Jonathan Dorey (INRS).
James Doiron
Research Data Management Strategies Director, University of Alberta Library; Academic Director, UofA Research Data Centre
James Doiron
James Doiron is the Research Data Management Strategies Director, University of Alberta Library, and the Academic Director of the University of Alberta Research Data Centre. With an educational and applied research background in the Social and Health Sciences, he has extensive research and data management experience across a wide range of disciplines, areas of focus and data types. Locally, James sits on a number of advisory and working groups, including the University of Alberta’s Institutional RDM Strategy Working Group (Chair), Indigenous Research Strategy Task Force, and Health Research Ethics Board as a reviewer. Nationally, James is a member of the Canadian Research Data Centre Network (CRDCN) Board of Directors and is co-chair of the Digital Research Alliance of Canada’s Data Management Planning (DMP) Expert Group.
Jonathan Dorey
Research Officer - Research Data Management at INRS | ENAP | TÉLUQ
Jonathan Dorey
Jonathan is Research Data Management Advisor and National Security Advisor (interim) at Institut national de la recherche scientifique. He also serves as Co-chair of the Digital Research Alliance of Canada Data Management Planning Expert Group.
12 May, 2025 03:30 pm to 04:15 pm
Devon
Changing Culture/Shifting Mindset
Is there a culture of water cooler conversations that stop when others arriver at your office, do some people hang out, but others are excluded, are key people not trusted or worse key people manipulating operational staff? Toxic cultures will crush your team, cause terrific staff to leave and make more work for everyone. Cultural change in research administration fosters collaboration, seeks to break down silos, improve processes and support researchers from a kinder and happier work place. This session will explore why cultural change matters in the research administrative environment by defining organizational culture, identifying challenges in research admin and the role of research administrators in change. A shared example of such a change will be explored and the lessons learned. This will be followed by the interactive activity and discussion.
Jamie McInnis
SAIT
Jamie McInnis
Teresa Bent
Academic Engagement Facilitator- Applied Research and Innovation Services- SAIT
Teresa Bent
Teresa Bent, a past SAIT grad and business owner, has an extensive 34 year background in the field of education. Along with her classroom experience, she was an educational leader and coach in Literacy education, English language learning and Inclusive education. After receiving her Masters in 21st Century Educational Leadership from the University of Calgary she went on to teach at Werklund School of Education. Her other leadership experiences include 25 years both locally and nationally with a non-profit organization. Currently, she is excited to be one of two Academic Engagement Facilitators with ARIS at SAIT helping to build relationships among the research centers and academic schools and working to create a framework for student engagement in applied research.
12 May, 2025 06:00 pm to 07:00 pm
President's Reception (By Invitation)
12 May, 2025 07:00 pm to 09:30 pm
PSA ABCD
Gala Dinner and Awards
Gala Dinner Menu
Starter
Corn Bisque – A rich and creamy corn bisque topped with chive & cilantro crema and roasted corn (GF, DF, VG)
Entrée
Seared Atlantic Salmon (GF) – Served with a potato & leek rosti, summer squash purée, braised heirloom carrots, and a citrus cream sauce.
For attendees with Dietary Concerns (pre-orders only)
Roasted Cauliflower Steak (GF, Vegan) – Paired with romesco sauce, crispy leeks, and chimichurri.
Dessert
Lemon Mousse Cake – Light and zesty with blueberry compote and white chocolate shavings.
For attendees with Dietary Concerns (pre-orders only)
Vegan Dark Chocolate Mousse – Decadent dark chocolate mousse topped with macerated and fresh berries.
13 May, 2025 07:00 am to 04:30 pm
Main Foyer FCC
Badge Pick Up
Come by the registration desk located in the Convention Centre Main Floor to pick up your name badge, ask questions and meet other attendees. We look forward to seeing you!
13 May, 2025 07:00 am to 07:30 am
Main Foyer FCC
Morning Coffee Connection
Connect with other early risers and start a conversation about topics of your choosing.
13 May, 2025 07:30 am to 08:15 am
PSA AB
Breakfast Buffet
Special Dietary Meals If you have dietary restrictions, please pick up your meal from our designated special meal area.
Menu Includes:
Fresh sliced fruit
Pancakes
Scrambled eggs
Turkey sausage
Baked beans
Tater puffs
Juice, coffee & tea
13 May, 2025 08:30 am to 09:15 am
PSA CD
Can AI Preemptively Predict What Human Peer-Reviewers Will Flag as Weaknesses in a Grant Application?
Weak inter-rater reliability is a persistent challenge in research funding adjudication, where noisy and inconsistent reviewer judgments create a well-documented problem for applicants. Wide variability in human scoring and evaluation makes it difficult for researchers to preemptively identify the weaknesses both real and perceived that might reduce an application's competitiveness. We hypothesize that leveraging AI to model reviewer critiques can potentially mitigate some of the effects of weak inter-rater reliability by providing researchers with actionable insights to enhance their applications. In this presentation, we report on the development and validation of Automated Grant Feedback (AGF), a prototype tool that uses a large dataset to model and triangulate areas that adjudicators might flag as critical weaknesses. As a multi-model tool, AGF internally leverages numerous AI platforms to broaden the probabilistic distribution of feedback. The result is an on-demand simulation of the randomness dynamics of peer review, specific to each unique application. The numerous data protection policies and privacy considerations will be examined. Based on our experience, we consider the potential of AI to provide rapid, scalable, and in-depth feedback on grant applications, offering researchers a new layer of novel feedback for refining their proposals prior to submission.
James Shelley
Western University
James Shelley
James Shelley is a Knowledge Mobilization Specialist at Western University. His role involves piloting strategic initiatives and designing experimental ways to share new research. He especially focuses on novel approaches to analytics, automation, and artificial intelligence in knowledge mobilization, science communication, and research administration.
13 May, 2025 08:30 am to 09:15 am
Nashwaaksis
Creating a High Impact Framework for Student Engagement
How do we create research opportunities that truly engage students and set them up for success? Research isn’t just about discovery. It’s about developing critical skills like problem-solving, collaboration, and innovation that today’s employers are actively seeking. In Canada, 27,000 students took part in applied research projects in 2021-2022, contributing fresh ideas and energy to cutting-edge research. How can we build on this momentum?
This session will introduce the new Student Engagement Framework, from SAIT’s Applied Research and Innovation Services (ARIS) Hub, designed to help institutions foster impactful student research experiences. You’ll leave with practical strategies, guiding questions, and fresh ideas to enhance student engagement in research at your institution. Join us for a conversation on shaping the future of student-driven innovation!
Tiana Fech
Academic Engagement Facilitator - Applied Research and Innovation Services (ARIS) Hub at SAIT
Tiana Fech
Tiana Fech is a mom of three teenage boys, an educator and a lifelong learner with 20 years of diverse experience in the field of education including curriculum development, classroom teaching, inclusive education, and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership. She spent 4 years as a Sessional Instructor in the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary and in 2021 received an Excellence in Practicum Supervision Award. Currently, Tiana is one of two Academic Engagement Facilitators with the ARIS Hub at SAIT helping to build relationships among the research centers and academic schools and working to create a framework for student engagement in applied research. She is also the owner of Tiana Fech Consulting, a learning development consulting business, the author of Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course, and the host of The People Teaching People Podcast which is the place to talk about all things teaching and learning in a world where there is always more to discover.
Teresa Bent
Academic Engagement Facilitator- Applied Research and Innovation Services- SAIT
Teresa Bent
Teresa Bent, a past SAIT grad and business owner, has an extensive 34 year background in the field of education. Along with her classroom experience, she was an educational leader and coach in Literacy education, English language learning and Inclusive education. After receiving her Masters in 21st Century Educational Leadership from the University of Calgary she went on to teach at Werklund School of Education. Her other leadership experiences include 25 years both locally and nationally with a non-profit organization. Currently, she is excited to be one of two Academic Engagement Facilitators with ARIS at SAIT helping to build relationships among the research centers and academic schools and working to create a framework for student engagement in applied research.
13 May, 2025 08:30 am to 09:15 am
PSA AB
Mitacs: Evolving Practices to Meet Partner Needs
Mitacs programs support industry-academic collaborations with post-secondary institutions across Canada. While the volume of granting applications our academic partners have supported has increased significantly in recent years, our processes have not evolved at the same pace. Intended as an interactive session, we will review some of the pressing challenges faced by our administrators and end users and provide information on Mitacs's service design adaptation, covering aspects including program streamlining, application drafting through adjudication, invoicing and awards release, among others. To include an overview of the next steps in Mitacs's service evolution.
Christine MacDonald
MITACS
Christine MacDonald
Christine Macdonald, P.Eng, MBA, PMP – Mitacs Senior Director of the Business Development team, working at the interface between industry and academia. In this role Christine oversees the strategic delivery activities of 75 Mitacs business development advisors across the country. Christine is also a seasoned Professional Engineer registered in the Province of Ontario, having spent several years designing steel solutions at Arcelor Mittal Dofasco, and within the innovation landscape at KPMG.
Arija Batura
Director, Service Delivery Mitacs
Arija Batura
13 May, 2025 08:30 am to 09:15 am
Marysville
Navigating the Complexities of Awarding High-Performance Computing Resources in Canada
The Digital Research Alliance of Canada (DRAC) plays a crucial role in supporting Canadian researchers by providing access to advanced digital infrastructure, including high-performance computing (HPC), data storage, and cloud services. The Resource Allocation Competition (RAC) is the program through which 80% of these resources are awarded annually to researchers in Canada. This presentation will offer an overview of the timelines, principles, and process, including eligibility criteria, application procedures, and the peer-review selection process, and will also highlight the challenges of allocating HPC resources fairly across all research disciplines. At the end of this presentation, grant administrators will have a better sense of the RAC timelines, eligibility requirements, opportunities, and limitations, which will allow them to better understand how to support faculty members willing to access HPC resources and services.
Eduardo Fuenmayor
Program Manager, Digital Research Alliance of Canada
Eduardo Fuenmayor
Eduardo Fuenmayor has over 10 years of experience planning, managing and implementing the allocation of Advance Research Computing resources nationally, first for Compute Canada and now for the Digital Research Alliance of Canada. In his capacity as Program Manager in the Operations Department, he is also leads a team of software developers responsible for maintaining the CCDB portal, a production portal used for tracking users’ accounts and allocate ARC resource allocations. A system thinker at heart, Eduardo applies daily his strong project management, business analysis skills and communication skills to work with a wide range of technical and non-technical stakeholders to fairly allocate ARC resources for researchers in Canada.
13 May, 2025 08:30 am to 09:15 am
Devon
Developing Metrics to Assess Research and Knowledge Mobilization Impact
We know that demonstrating the impact of research and knowledge mobilization activities at the system, institutional and individual levels remains complex. This presentation will explore the development of research metrics to assess the effectiveness, influence, and output of a hospital-based research institute's knowledge mobilization efforts to support a research strategic plan. We will share our experience in developing leading and lagging performance indicators that are strategic (beyond the mechanics) and realistically measurable to assess and communicate research and knowledge mobilization impact, focusing on: 1) evaluating the impact of research, 2) informing policy and strategies 3) establishing accountability, 4) drive performance, and 5) maximizing impact for partners, stakeholders, and the broader community. We will discuss how developing comprehensive metrics not only helps report on the range of research impacts but also ensures efficient resource allocation. We will demonstrate how, by embracing a wider array of indicators beyond traditional metrics like citations or journal impact factors, institutions can better demonstrate the full value of research. Aligning with principles in the Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), this approach fosters best practices in evaluating both researchers and their outputs, with the ultimate goal to catalyze positive health system outcomes. Through this session, we aim to spark a dialogue among attendees on approaches to improving research and knowledge mobilization methods, while exploring new avenues to measure and demonstrate its impact. The session will be of interest to research administrators, scientists and other stakeholders, such as funding agencies and community partners.
Shruti Patel
Director, Interprofessional Research and Knowledge Mobilization
Shruti Patel
Shruti Patel is the Director of Interprofessional Research and Knowledge Mobilization at the University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research at The Royal. In this role, she leads the development of interprofessional research and the implementation of evidence-based practices through strategic knowledge mobilization, driving meaningful impact. Shruti strives to accelerate the translation of research findings into actionable solutions, producing high-quality outputs that address complex challenges. She also oversees program evaluation efforts, assessing the effectiveness of clinical and research operations. As a leader in responsible research assessment, Shruti ensures research is open, accessible, and impactful. She also spearheads open science initiatives that foster collaboration, transparency, and inclusivity within the research community. Through her leadership, Shruti cultivates a culture of innovation and engagement, ensuring research efforts contribute to improved health service delivery and better patient outcomes.
Tammy Beaudoin
Tammy Beaudoin
13 May, 2025 09:30 am to 10:15 am
Nashwaaksis
Ask, Don't Tell: A Researcher-Focused, Collaborative Approach to RDM
Funding opportunities increasingly require data management plans or the inclusion of other research data management (RDM) elements. In response to this rising requirement, researchers are increasingly looking to their institutions for support in this new-to-them area. Unfortunately, research support personnel including administrators and librarians may or may not have training or expertise in supporting RDM. As a result, RDM outreach and support is typically approached prescriptively, where a research administrator or RDM librarian learns what is required by a funding body, and then informs their researchers what the requirements are and how to meet them. I propose that beginning by engaging researchers in a discussion of their existing practices, and adopting a mindset of improvement rather than "all or nothing," will be more effective at generating buy-in and supporting long-term research culture change. Session participants will evaluate the RDM strategy and supports provided by their institutions to gain a sense of how researcher-focussed, collaborative, and relational their RDM environment is. They will come to understand how RDM is not just an organizational issue, but an equity issue: researchers need to be supported in ways that complement the context within which they conduct their research, rather than being mandated into adopting behaviours that are derived from a Westernized view of research and research outputs.
Elizabeth Kreiter
Trinity Western University
Elizabeth Kreiter
Elizabeth is a librarian at Trinity Western University with responsibilities for information literacy, reference, and research data management. She coordinated Trinity's Human Research Ethics Board for several years, allowing her to bring together the perspectives of a librarian, researcher, and research administrator in her approach to her various responsibilities. Elizabeth's recent SSHRC-funded project focussed on the interplay between researchers and research supporters when developing a culture of research data management within a research community. She is currently redesigning Trinity's ethics application to reduce the administrative burden on researchers and research administrators in light of increasing requirements around data management plans.
13 May, 2025 09:30 am to 10:15 am
Barkers Point
Building Research Capacity: Strategies for Internal Funding Programming and Performance Assessment
Developing internal funding programs requires strategic planning aligned with institutional research priorities and goals. By strategically allocating internal resources, these programs play a vital role in strengthening institutional research capacity and enhancing research successes. Periodically monitoring and evaluating the success of these initiatives through a clear framework with well-defined metrics ensures accountability and demonstrates return on investment. Regular assessment of program outcomes also informs strategic adjustments to maintain relevance and effectiveness. In this presentation, I will share the experiences of an emerging institution in building its internal funding programs to meet evolving institutional goals and priorities in augmenting research capacity.
Anita Sharma
Director, Research Services, Thompson Rivers University
Anita Sharma
Anita Sharma, Ph.D., is the Director of Research Services at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, BC. With over a decade of experience in research development and management, she spearheads strategic initiatives in research services, program development, and researcher engagement. Her portfolio encompasses managing Tri-Agency Institutional programs, directing grant facilitation services, and administering internal funding awards while fostering a culture of research excellence. Anita has contributed to the regional and national research landscape through her roles on key external advisory bodies such as the Alliance of Canadian Comprehensive Research Universities Tri-Agency Funding Advisory Committee, the Tri-Agency Grant Management Solution (TGMS) External Advisory Board, the TGMS External Change Agent Network, the BC Knowledge Development Fund Working Group, and the BCNET eRAS Procurement Working Group. She remains deeply engaged in research administration communities as an active member of the CARA, the Society of Research Administrators International (SRAI), and the National Organization of Research Development Professionals. Through her service on the SRAI Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee, Anita champions inclusivity and knowledge-sharing.
Anita has received numerous accolades for her contributions to research administration, including the SRAI Future of the Field Honor, Recognitions of Excellence from the TRU Board of Governors, and the CARA awards, such as the Excellence in Research Management, the Spirit of Kindness, and the Unsung Hero Award.
As a scholar with a Ph.D. in Biochemistry, she has published 28 articles in refereed scientific journals. She shares her expertise in research administration through multiple platforms, including publishing in refereed journals, blogging, presenting at conferences, and co-editing for the SRAI Catalyst newsletter.
13 May, 2025 09:30 am to 10:15 am
Devon
Fewer Things Better
With all of the demands on research administrators, it is easy to feel like you are being pulled in too many directions all at once. This session will talk about our office's experience with doing fewer things, better: What we dropped, where we refocused, and what the impact has been on our work.
Gwen Hill
Royal Roads University
Gwen Hill
Gwen Elaine Thompson Hill works at Royal Roads University as the Manager of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Research. She is a queer, cisgender, neurodivergent woman with ancestral roots in Scotland, France, and England; and is an uninvited settler on the traditional Lands of the Lekwungen-speaking Peoples; the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations. Gwen holds a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, which has informed her personal and professional commitments to the creation of more safe, inclusive, and accessible spaces in the Canadian post-secondary environment.
Deborah Zornes
Director, Research and Innovation, Royal Roads University
Deborah Zornes
As Director, Research and Innovation at Royal Roads University, Dr. Deborah Zornes oversees all pre and post award tasks related to faculty research. She oversees policy development, strategic direction, the Climate Action team, and led the development of the Strategic Research Plan. Zornes has more than 25 years experience in research administration and has taught for more than 15 years. Her research focuses on the role of the university in society, research administration, research impact and research evaluation.
Jenny Sigalet
Royal Roads University
Jenny Sigalet
Jenny is a Research Development Coordinator with the Office of Research & Innovation at Royal Roads University. She has a B.Sc. (Agr.) in Animal Science and a MA in Environment & Management. Her research interests include radical homemaking, small scale agriculture, and monitoring & evaluation. She has three beautiful children, is an avid gardener and an equestrian. Jenny is in perpetual pursuit of that sweet spot on the swinging pendulum that is work-life balance in research admin.
13 May, 2025 09:30 am to 10:15 am
PSA AB
Update from NSERC/SSHRC Finance
Representatives from the NSERC/SSHRC Finance team will an update on: the tri-agency financial monitoring process; annual reconciliation exercise (Forms 300 and 301) and GRF/GGSF; TAGFA updates; best practices for requesting grant amendments; other topics, as brought forward in Q & A or in advance of the session
Angela Zeno
Treasurer CARA
Angela Zeno
Angela managed the Research Accounting department at York University for over 20 years, leading the financial administration of research grants and contracts. Angela continues to collaborate with colleagues across the country to develop and promote best practices in research finance and is widely recognized for her ability to connect and support finance professionals across institutions.
Angela Zeno has been an active member of CARA for many years as Treasurer, known for co-creating engaging conference workshops and co-sharing her expertise through webinars.
She also founded a national research finance network, which brings together members from coast to coast to share knowledge, tackle challenges, and strengthen financial stewardship in the research finance sector.
Stephanie Robertson
SSHRC
Stephanie Robertson
Stephanie started her career at SSHRC in 2008, where she has worked for various teams, including: SSHRC Partnerships as program assistant, SSHRC Programs Planning & Operations Division as program/project officer, and most notably the SSHRC Research Training Portfolio where she was the lead program officer for the SSHRC Doctoral Awards program for over 2 years. In January 2020, Stephanie joined NSERC-SSHRC Awards Administration where she presently continues her role as Team Leader for both the Grants Administration and Scholarships Administration teams. These teams are responsible for the post-award administration and processing of award/grant amendments at NSERC, SSHRC, and most grants funded through the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat.
13 May, 2025 09:30 am to 10:15 am
PSA CD
Impactful Narratives: Publishing Your Research Administration Knowledge
Karen E. Mosier (author of Soft Skills and Professional Tips for the Office), Virginie Portes (author of L'art d'ecrire une bonne demande de subvention), and Sarah Lampson (co-author with Katie Porter of Steer Your Career: A Research Administrator's Manual for Mapping Success and The A-Z Guide to Research Contract Review) will share their expertise and experience in publishing in magazines, journals and books for the profession. The authors will present opportunities for publication and discuss the numerous professional and personal benefits of sharing your knowledge through publishing. Additionally, they will offer valuable tips and strategies to help you get started.
Sarah Lampson
CARA-ACCAR
Sarah Lampson
Sarah Lampson is the Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Research Administrators. She was appointed in 2013 after more than a decade as a research administrator in various progressive roles at a leading comprehensive university, a funding agency, one of the largest academic hospitals in Canada and at the largest health research organization in North America.
Sarah has authored or presented over 100 articles, conference talks and webinars, including co-authoring 2 books: The A-Z Guide to Research Contract Review and Steer Your Career: A Research Administrator's Manual for Mapping Success which are in use at more than 500 institutions globally. Sarah received national and international recognition for her contributions to research administration and served as a faculty member in the Research Administration Certificate at Mohawk College for 7 years.
Karen Mosier
Research Coordinator/Navigator University of Saskatchewan
Karen Mosier
Karen E. Mosier is a Research Coordinator/Navigator for the Department of Surgery in the College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. Karen has her BA in Psychology and MSc in Pharmacy. Karen has over seventeen years’ experience in research administration. Karen is also the author of the self-help book entitled Soft Skills and Professional Tips for the Office. Karen has been a CARA member since 2010. She completed her Certificate in Research Administration through ARMA in 2017. Karen is also a co-chair of CARA’s Professional Development committee and serves on the CARA Executive. She is also an instructor at Mohawk College for the Certification in Research Administration program and has taught the Funding Proposal Development course for the last 3 years. Karen was the recipient of the Dan Chase Distinguished Service Award – Priority Initiatives in 2018, the Community Builder Award in 2019, the Spirit of Kindness Award in 2020, and the Research Management Excellence Award in 2021. Karen appreciates all the professional development opportunities available through CARA and cherishes all the wonderful relationships she has made through her volunteer activities with CARA.
Virginie Portes
IVADO
Virginie Portes
Biographie courte
Au fil de ses 20 ans de carrière au CRSH, à l’UQAM et l’Université de Montréal, Virginie Portes a contribué à rédiger près d’un millier de demandes de subvention d’envergures variées, de divers horizons et destinées à plusieurs organismes subventionnaires du Québec et du Canada. Elle a soutenu de nombreuses équipes de recherche, notamment pour la préparation des concours Apogée, CERC et FCI. Actuellement, elle est Directrice du Soutien à la recherche d’IVADO, un consortium de recherche en intelligence artificielle. Virginie est l’auteure de L’art d’écrire une bonne demande de subvention, publié aux Presses de l’Université de Montréal en 2024, qui connaît un vif succès auprès de la communauté de recherche francophone.
Short Bio
Over her 20-year career at SSHRC, UQAM and Université de Montréal, Virginie Portes has helped write close to a thousand grant applications of various sizes and from a variety of backgrounds, for a number of granting agencies in Quebec and Canada. She has supported many research teams, notably in preparation for the CFREF, CERC and FCI competitions. She is currently Director of Research Support at IVADO, an artificial intelligence research consortium. Virginie is the author of L'art d'écrire une bonne demande de subvention, published by Presses de l'Université de Montréal in 2024, which has been a great success with the francophone research community.
13 May, 2025 09:30 am to 10:15 am
Marysville
Enhancing Research Proposals Through Alliance-CFI Consultations, and Letters of In-Kind Support
This session will explore how the Digital Research Alliance of Canada (the Alliance) supports researchers and research administrators across Canadian universities through tailored grant consultations and strategic guidance on Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) grant proposals that require Advanced Research Computing (ARC) or High-Performance Computing (HPC) infrastructure. Specifically, we will address: 1. Alliance Grant Consultations and CFI Collaboration: Participants will gain insights into the Alliance's role in aligning proposals with CFI policies that are focused on integrated hardware systems and contributed infrastructure into the Alliance's national hosting sites (data centers) across Canada, ensuring compliance and maximizing funding potential. 2. Letters of In-Kind Support for HPC Infrastructure: A key component of the presentation will highlight the Alliance's Letters of In-Kind Support to researchers, a critical resource for research proposals requiring High-Performance Computing (HPC) infrastructure. These letters, which quantify the value of HPC resources, strengthen proposals by demonstrating the feasibility of the computational needs and institutional collaboration with the Alliance. Designed for research administrators, grant facilitators, and institutional leadership, this session will provide actionable insights into securing support for researchers who will need to contact the Alliance for consultation about their CFI grant proposals that request the use of HPC infrastructure. This session aligns with CARA's strategic priorities of professional development, excellence, and fostering communities of practice by providing actionable knowledge and tools for research administrators. It addresses pressing hot topics such as interdisciplinarity, research administration's unique roles in assisting researchers in CFI grant consultations, and adaptability in an evolving funding landscape. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of the following: The Alliance's consultative process for refining grant proposals and adhering to CFI policy criteria for requesting HPC infrastructure. How can we effectively incorporate letters of in-kind support from the Alliance to strengthen research proposals? Engagement: Interactive opportunities will include a Q & A session with participants. This session aims to empower research administrators with tools and strategies to enhance funding success with CFI grant proposals that require HPC infrastructure and foster impactful research collaborations. This session directly addresses the growing need for interconnected, streamlined research administration to meet Canada's ambitious research goals.
Jean Roberth Souza
Digital Research Alliance of Canada
Jean Roberth Souza
JR Souza brings to the Alliance more than 20 years of experience in grant management, communications, project management, stakeholder engagement, higher education and international development. Before joining the Alliance, he held the position of CFI Grant Lead Administrator at the Compute Canada Federation. Previously, JR has worked in public organizations, the private sector, international agencies and foreign embassies.
JR holds a bachelor’s degree in communications/PR, an MBA in corporate communications, an international certificate in conflict resolution, and a wide range of training in information/media, project management, translation and cross-cultural understanding. JR is bilingual in English and French, and proficient in Portuguese, Spanish and German.
JR is also a very active volunteer member in the newcomers’ community in Ottawa. He devotes his free time as a mentor assisting newcomer IT professionals to find great job opportunities in the local job market.
13 May, 2025 10:30 am to 11:15 am
Devon
Harnessing the Power of Introversion: How Introverts Can Thrive in Research Administration
Introversion is a personality trait, not a mental health condition. An introvert is someone who possesses traits associated with the personality type known as introversion. This means they are more at ease focusing on their internal thoughts and ideas rather than external events. Introverts prefer spending time with one or two people instead of being in large groups or crowds. There is often a disconnect between introverted employees and their workplaces. This gap exists because many companies and managers do not fully understand the needs of introverts, often relying on simplistic stereotypes that assume introverts are satisfied as long as they don't have to speak much. However, introversion is more complex introverts excel in environments where they can focus on tasks in quiet settings. Companies that do not provide and encourage such environments will not fully leverage the potential of their introverted employees and may risk losing them. So, how can we change this trend and create a more introvert-friendly workplace? This informative session will: Offer participants the opportunity to take an introversion/extroversion test to identify their position on the introvert/extrovert spectrum Explore the best jobs for introverts and discuss how these findings relate to various roles within research administration Examine five best practices to make your workplace more introvert-friendly Discuss dos and don'ts for creating an introvert-friendly workplace Share tips for introverts at work and in meetings Provide guidance on how to embrace your introvert personality
Karen Mosier
Research Coordinator/Navigator University of Saskatchewan
Karen Mosier
Karen E. Mosier is a Research Coordinator/Navigator for the Department of Surgery in the College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. Karen has her BA in Psychology and MSc in Pharmacy. Karen has over seventeen years’ experience in research administration. Karen is also the author of the self-help book entitled Soft Skills and Professional Tips for the Office. Karen has been a CARA member since 2010. She completed her Certificate in Research Administration through ARMA in 2017. Karen is also a co-chair of CARA’s Professional Development committee and serves on the CARA Executive. She is also an instructor at Mohawk College for the Certification in Research Administration program and has taught the Funding Proposal Development course for the last 3 years. Karen was the recipient of the Dan Chase Distinguished Service Award – Priority Initiatives in 2018, the Community Builder Award in 2019, the Spirit of Kindness Award in 2020, and the Research Management Excellence Award in 2021. Karen appreciates all the professional development opportunities available through CARA and cherishes all the wonderful relationships she has made through her volunteer activities with CARA.
13 May, 2025 10:30 am to 11:15 am
Nashwaaksis
An Institution's Journey in Streamlining Research Administration Using Worktribe, Part 1
Worktribe is a specialist in helping universities and research institutions manage their research portfolios. Our research products cover the entire research lifecycle, providing a seamless transition from the development of a project idea, through application, award, and publication generation, right through to showing its impact in the world. Our mission is to create a single source of truth for an institution's research information. Our systems encourage collaboration, and increase transparency across the piece, leading to measurable quality and efficiency gains. As the most popular provider of end-to-end research management software in the UK (having 68 clients as at January 2025), many universities and institutions use multiple Worktribe products to manage more than one aspect of their research information. In this interactive session, experienced Russell Group colleagues will take the audience through their Worktribe journey, from implementation, the benefits of an integrated system, and Academic's view of how Worktribe aids collaboration and transparency. We will also provide a short demonstration of the platform.
Jon Hackney
Head of Business Development, Worktribe
Jon Hackney
Jon is Head of Business Development at Worktribe, a provider of collaborative research management software for the Higher Education sector. He’s been with Worktribe for nearly 10 years, being part of their growth to nearly 70 HE clients in the UK.
Prior to joining Worktribe, Jon spent 14 years as Head of the Research Information Office at University College London (UCL) as a research manager, administrator, and data analyst, with particular expertise in research management systems.
He’s now enjoying being part of the provision of a solution that would have streamlined his activities all those years ago...
Since launching her consultancy in 2022, Karen has worked across the UK helping universities successfully transform their research management support models and systems. Her ability to blend strategic vision with operational expertise has positioned her as a trusted voice in the sector.
13 May, 2025 10:30 am to 11:15 am
PSA AB
CFI Financial Post-Award
This session will focus on financial post-award topics. CFI staff will discuss the way CFI pays and monitors IOF, what templates and resources are available to calculate eligible costs under the IOF and invite participants to share their experiences with reporting salary costs and facility charges. It will also include an overview of the financial trend analysis that CFI performs on an annual basis, where they analyse trends for each institution with active projects.
Dominique Brisebois
Director of Finance at Canada Foundation for Innovation/Fondation canadienne pour l'innovation
Dominique Brisebois
Bouchra Assouli
Canada Foundation for Innovation
Bouchra Assouli
Bouchra Assouli
Acting -Senior Financial Monitoring Officer
Bouchra is Acting- Senior financial monitoring officer at the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI). She oversees the financial monitoring team. She participates in the oversight activities on the use of CFI funds by recipient institutions, including contribution audits, appraisals and monitoring visits. She produces regular and ad hoc financial analysis for management to help with a better alignment of payments to institutions.
Bouchra joined the CFI in 2022 before the CFI, she worked in Audit at Samson and PwC. Bouchra holds a master’s degree in Audit and Management control.
Angela Zeno
Treasurer CARA
Angela Zeno
Angela managed the Research Accounting department at York University for over 20 years, leading the financial administration of research grants and contracts. Angela continues to collaborate with colleagues across the country to develop and promote best practices in research finance and is widely recognized for her ability to connect and support finance professionals across institutions.
Angela Zeno has been an active member of CARA for many years as Treasurer, known for co-creating engaging conference workshops and co-sharing her expertise through webinars.
She also founded a national research finance network, which brings together members from coast to coast to share knowledge, tackle challenges, and strengthen financial stewardship in the research finance sector.
13 May, 2025 10:30 am to 11:15 am
Barkers Point
Digital Research Support Services - Challenges and Opportunities (Part 1)
This presentation will focus on two stories of the development and implementation of digital research support services. The directors of these initiatives at Universite Laval and Universite de Montreal will first present their journeys, experiences, reflections and challenges in setting up these services over time (governance, digital infrastructure, research software development, research data management, dashboard, management tools in research administration). Throughout this bilingual session, participants will be invited to take an active part in the discussion, using interactive tools such as the mentimeter.
Brian Moore
University of Montreal
Brian Moore
Brian Moore is director, strategic initiatives and institutional program at the Research Service Office at UdeM. He is also responsible for the Centre d’Expertise pour le Numérique en Recherche (CENR) who provides digital services to the university research ecosystem. His team also includes the UdeM employees supporting Calcul Québec. Brian holds a PhD in mathematics and computer science and has been working in R&D in the government, research labs and industry before joining UdeM in 2017. From 2017 to 2022 at IVADO (UdeM’s CFREF), he was responsible for the management of the AI research funding program and of the outreach / continuing education program.
Patrick Marois
Director of the Office of Digital Services in Research University of Laval
Patrick Marois
13 May, 2025 10:30 am to 11:15 am
Marysville
Setting New Directions to Support Indigenous Research and Research Training in Canada: 2025 Dialogue on Impact
In 2020, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council published Setting New Directions to Support Indigenous Research and Research Training in Canada, a strategic plan co-developed with Indigenous partners whose implementation extends to March 31, 2026. On the eve of the sunsetting of this ambitious strategy, which aims to support an interdisciplinary research and research training model that contributes to reconciliation through four key strategic directions, this session will focus on updates in 2024-2025, including the publication and pilot implementation of the Tri-Agency Policy on Indigenous Citizenship and Membership Affirmation, the implementation of $30M through Budget 2024 to support First Nations, Metis and Inuit research, and an innovative approach to evaluation of the Strategy's impact that can guide the agencies' next steps in supporting Indigenous scholars and Indigenous communities within post-secondary institutions and other research spaces.
Karine Duhamel
SSHRC
Karine Duhamel
Dr. Karine Duhamel (she/her) is an Anishinaabe historian and a member of Opwaaganasiniing (Red Rock Indian Band) in northwestern Ontario, part of the Robinson Superior Treaty family. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education, as well as a master’s degree and PhD in history. She served as Director of Research for the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and was responsible for drafting the final report in collaboration with Commissioners and family members, as well as the management of the Forensic Document Review Project and the direction of the Legacy Archive. In 2021, she was awarded the Bruce and Lis Welch Community Dialogue Award by the Simon J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University for her trauma-informed work with family members through the Inquiry. In 2021, she chaired the data working group for the MMIWG2S+ National Action Plan to create the National Action Plan Data Strategy, a strategy oriented toward supporting Indigenous-led solutions to the data gap on violence against Indigenous women, girls, and gender diverse people. In 2022, she joined the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada as Director of Indigenous Strategy, working to implement the Tri‐Agency strategic plan to better support Indigenous research and research training in Canada. In addition to her role as a public servant, she is an official Speaker for the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba and a Research Affiliate of the Centre for Human Rights Research at the University of Manitoba.
13 May, 2025 10:30 am to 11:15 am
PSA CD
Supporting Reconciliaction and EDI: It's in the Details
In this session, we will present programs from our institutions that have supported aspects of equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization in research, discuss how those programs have shown up in proposal development, and examine the potential long-term impacts.
Anna Krangle-Long
Grant Facilitator and Research Engagement Coordinator
Anna Krangle-Long
Anna Krangle-Long is the Grant Facilitator and Research Engagement Coordinator at YukonU’s Research Services Office, where she works to develop a variety of research engagement and training activities for researchers, including workshops on outreach, research data management and software training, as well as themed lunches bringing together researchers on topics of interest. She also runs student training events, such as YukonU’s two-day student researcher training, which acts as an introductory series to topics like communications plans, research data management, working in partnership and ethics. Anna has her MLIS, and has been part of research teams doing systematic reviews. Before her position at YukonU, she worked as a librarian at Yukon Government’s Energy, Mines and Resources, and at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia.
Gwen Hill
Royal Roads University
Gwen Hill
Gwen Elaine Thompson Hill works at Royal Roads University as the Manager of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Research. She is a queer, cisgender, neurodivergent woman with ancestral roots in Scotland, France, and England; and is an uninvited settler on the traditional Lands of the Lekwungen-speaking Peoples; the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations. Gwen holds a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, which has informed her personal and professional commitments to the creation of more safe, inclusive, and accessible spaces in the Canadian post-secondary environment.
13 May, 2025 11:30 am to 12:15 pm
Nashwaaksis
An institution's Journey in Streamlining Research Administration Using Worktribe - Part 2
Worktribe is a specialist in helping universities and research institutions manage their research portfolios. Our research products cover the entire research lifecycle, providing a seamless transition from the development of a project idea, through application, award, and publication generation, right through to showing its impact in the world. Our mission is to create a single source of truth for an institution's research information. Our systems encourage collaboration, and increase transparency across the piece, leading to measurable quality and efficiency gains. As the most popular provider of end-to-end research management software in the UK (having 68 clients as at January 2025), many universities and institutions use multiple Worktribe products to manage more than one aspect of their research information. In this interactive session, experienced Russell Group colleagues will take the audience through their Worktribe journey, from implementation, the benefits of an integrated system, and Academic's view of how Worktribe aids collaboration and transparency. We will also provide a short demonstration of the platform.
Jon Hackney
Head of Business Development, Worktribe
Jon Hackney
Jon is Head of Business Development at Worktribe, a provider of collaborative research management software for the Higher Education sector. He’s been with Worktribe for nearly 10 years, being part of their growth to nearly 70 HE clients in the UK.
Prior to joining Worktribe, Jon spent 14 years as Head of the Research Information Office at University College London (UCL) as a research manager, administrator, and data analyst, with particular expertise in research management systems.
He’s now enjoying being part of the provision of a solution that would have streamlined his activities all those years ago...
Since launching her consultancy in 2022, Karen has worked across the UK helping universities successfully transform their research management support models and systems. Her ability to blend strategic vision with operational expertise has positioned her as a trusted voice in the sector.
13 May, 2025 11:30 am to 12:15 pm
Marysville
Better Data, Lower Burden, Higher Impact: The Value of Persistent Identifiers across the Research Ecosystem
Persistent identifiers (PIDs) are long-lasting, globally unique, digital labels for a person, place or thing. Examples include digital object identifiers (DOIs) for journal articles, books, and datasets, ORCID iDs for people, and Research Organization Registries (RORs) for organizations. PIDs are being integrated into the research ecosystems around the world because they enable the accurate and consistent identification of researchers, institutions, projects, awards, publications, data sets, and other research inputs and outputs and the linking of research inputs and outputs to longer term impact. The incorporation of PIDs into institutional and granting agency systems also reduces administrative burden by enabling researchers to upload and download information directly to and from those systems. This session will describe the development of a national PID strategy for Canada and the use and value of PIDs within research institutions, the federal granting agencies, and by researchers.
John Aspler
CRKN
John Aspler
Dedicated to service and knowledge access, John has experience working in research and public library contexts. He earned a PhD in neuroscience from McGill University in 2021.
Matthew Lucas
SSHRC
Matthew Lucas
13 May, 2025 11:30 am to 12:15 pm
Barkers Point
Digital Research Support Services - Challenges and Opportunities (Part 2)
Following the presentation (part 1), discussion groups will be organized according to the relevant themes identified by participants in relation to digital research support services. Based on pre-established questions for each thematic group, facilitators from Universite Laval and Universite de Montreal will ensure the logistics and smooth running of discussions between participants. A review of the highlights of the group discussions will take place in the final part of the session. Proposed preliminary agenda: Introduction (5 min), Group sessions (30 min), Group feedback (10 min)
Patrick Marois
Director of the Office of Digital Services in Research University of Laval
Patrick Marois
Brian Moore
University of Montreal
Brian Moore
Brian Moore is director, strategic initiatives and institutional program at the Research Service Office at UdeM. He is also responsible for the Centre d’Expertise pour le Numérique en Recherche (CENR) who provides digital services to the university research ecosystem. His team also includes the UdeM employees supporting Calcul Québec. Brian holds a PhD in mathematics and computer science and has been working in R&D in the government, research labs and industry before joining UdeM in 2017. From 2017 to 2022 at IVADO (UdeM’s CFREF), he was responsible for the management of the AI research funding program and of the outreach / continuing education program.
13 May, 2025 11:30 am to 12:15 pm
Devon
How to Manage It All: Finding Strategies to Balance the Flow of Multiple Overlapping Award Nomination Deadlines
With the increasing push to raise the profile of Canadian researchers on the national and international stage, institutions have put significant emphasis on nominating their stellar researchers for national and international awards. Often this results in research administrators juggling multiple deadlines for prominent awards. For example, the Royal Society of Canada and NSERC have deadlines coinciding both with each other as well as during busy periods comprising grant deadlines and end-of-term exams and assignments. Moreover, lessons from the pandemic have caused people to become protective of their time and efforts, making it more difficult to confirm referees and reviewers. In this roundtable discussion, we hope to share experiences from seasoned administrators regarding some of the challenges faced in the awards sphere and what strategies have helped to manage it all in the submission of multiple nominations through the creation of appropriate timelines and work flows, coordinating with nominators and referees, while still maintaining a high level of quality in each nomination dossier.
Mona Rahman
Research Awards Officer, Vice-Principal Research Portfolio, Queens University
Mona Rahman
Mona Rahman is the Research Awards Office in the Vice-Principal Research Portfolio at Queen's University where her role is to coordinate external award nominations for faculty. She entered the world of research administration in 2017. Dr. Rahman holds a BSc(Honours) and PhD in Biochemistry, both from Queen's University, though she did have a brief foray as a post-doctoral fellow at the Robarts Institute in Vascular Biology before returning to Queen's in a multidisciplinary research project involving Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Chemistry.
13 May, 2025 11:30 am to 12:15 pm
PSA AB
The Tri-Agency Institutional Programs Secretariat (TIPS) Update
The Tri-agency Programs Secretariat (TIPS), housed at SSHRC, administers a portfolio of seven funding opportunities, all of which are institutional except one: 1. Canada Research Chairs Program 2. Canada Excellence Research Chairs 3. Canada First Research Excellent Fund 4. Canada 150 Research Chairs 5. Canada Biomedical Research Fund 6. Research Support Fund 7. New Frontiers in Research Fund (not institutional but researcher-led) The TIPS Update presentation will feature the most recent updates on programs and policy.
Valerie Laflamme
Associate Vice-President/Vice-présidente associée at SSHRC-CRSH
Valerie Laflamme
Valérie Laflamme is the associate vice-president of the Tri-agency Institutional Programs (TIPS) housed at the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) in Ottawa. She spearheads a suite of seven tri-agency programs for at total value of 1.1 billion dollars annually: Canada Research Chairs Programs, Canada First Research Excellence Fund, New Frontiers in Research Fund, Canada Excellence Research Chairs, Research Support Fund, Canada 150 Research Chairs, and Canada Biomedical Research Fund. She has been at SSHRC since 2012, first as a manager and then as a director for the scholarships and fellowships programs and the Impact Awards. She joined the public service through the Recruitment of Policy Leaders Program. Before moving back to Canada from France, she was a maître de conférences in sociology and demography at the Université de Lille, a researcher with the Institut national d’études démographiques, and a municipal councilor for the city of Tourcoing. Valérie has a PhD in demography and social sciences from the École des hautes études en sciences sociales (France) and has received fellowships from SSHRC and the Fonds de recherche du Québec. Her own research has focused on housing, urban policies, and the social and demographic history of urban families.
Valérie Laflamme est vice-présidente associée du Secrétariat des programmes interorganismes à l’intention des établissements (SPIIE) du Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines (CRSH) à Ottawa. Elle dirige un portefeuille de sept programmes trois conseils pour une valeur totale annuelle de 1.1 millards de dollars : Programme des chaires de recherche du Canada, Fonds excellence en recherche Apogée Canada, Fonds nouvelles frontières en recherche, Chaires d’excellence en recherche du Canada, Fonds de soutien à la recherche, Chaires de recherche Canada 150 et Fonds de recherche biomédicale du Canada. Elle est au CRSH depuis 2012 et y a d’abord travaillé en tant que gestionnaire et directrice des programmes de bourses et des Prix Impacts. Elle a intégré la fonction publique par le Programme de recrutement des leaders en politiques. Au moment de quitter la France pour revenir au Canada, elle était maître de conférences en sociologie et démographie à l’Université de Lille, chercheure à l’Institut national d’études démographiques et conseillère municipale de la ville de Tourcoing. Valérie a obtenu son doctorat en démographie et sciences sociales de l’École des hautes études en sciences sociales (France) avec l’appui du CRSH et du Fonds de recherche du Québec. Ses recherches portaient sur le logement, les politiques urbaines et l’histoire sociale et démographique des familles en milieu urbain.
Geneviève Truchon
Senior Advisor, Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada)
Geneviève Truchon
Geneviève Truchon is a senior advisor at the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat (TIPS) housed at the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) . She supports executive management on strategic and horizontal tri-agency files. She is called upon to mobilize people and collaborate with multiple internal and external stakeholders on files such as program design, delivery, and governance. She is also involved in numerous outreach activities with the social sciences and humanities community. She joined SSHRC in 2008 and worked in program delivery for a decade. During that time, she managed peer-review committees for the Insight Grants, Insight Development Grants, and the Impact Awards. She became a senior advisor in 2018 for the scholarships and fellowship programs. She joined TIPS in 2020 to support the design and delivery of two new programs before becoming a senior advisor to the associate vice-president in 2021. Geneviève has an undergraduate education in Communications, Political Sciences, English, Spanish, and holds a Masters in Conflict Studies from Saint Paul University in Ottawa.
Geneviève Truchon est conseillère principale au Secrétariat des programmes interorganismes à l’intention des établissements (SPIIE) du Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines (CRSH). Elle appuie la haute direction sur des dossiers trois-conseils stratégiques et horizontaux. Elle est appelée à mobiliser des parties-prenantes et à collaborer avec de multiples intervenants internes et externes sur des dossiers tels que la conception, la mise en œuvre et la gouvernance de programmes. Elle participe également à de nombreuses activités de mobilisation auprès de la communauté des sciences humaines. Elle s'est jointe au CRSH en 2008 et a travaillé à la prestation de programmes pendant une décennie. Pendant cette période, elle a géré des comités d'évaluation par les pairs pour les subventions Savoir, les subventions de développement Savoir et les prix Impact. En 2018, elle est devenue conseillère principale pour les programmes de bourses. Elle a rejoint le SPIIE en 2020 pour contribuer à la conception et la mise en œuvre de deux nouveaux programmes avant de devenir conseillère principale auprès de la vice-présidente associée en 2021. Geneviève a complété des études de premier cycle en communications, sciences politiques, anglais, espagnol et détient une maîtrise en études des conflits de l'Université Saint-Paul à Ottawa.
Emmanuel Hogg
SSHRC
Emmanuel Hogg
Emmanuel Hogg is a Program Officer in the Research Training Portfolio. He currently leads SSHRC’s Impact Awards. During his time at SSHRC, Emmanuel has worked on many funding opportunities within the Research Training Portfolio, such as the Doctoral, Postdoctoral and Master’s awards as well as award supplements. He also serves as SSHRC’s partner representative on Canada Council for Arts’ Molson Prize. Emmanuel holds a PhD in History from Carleton University where he continues to teach as a sessional instructor.Emmanuel Hogg est agent de programme au sein du Portefeuille de la formation en recherche. Il dirige actuellement les prix Impact du CRSH. Au cours de son mandat au CRSH, Emmanuel a travaillé sur de nombreuses possibilités de financement au sein du Portefeuille de la formation en recherche, telles que les bourses de doctorat, de postdoctorat et de maîtrise, ainsi que les suppléments aux bourses. Il est également le délégué du CRSH pour le Prix Molson du Conseil des Arts du Canada. Emmanuel est titulaire d'un doctorat en histoire de l'Université Carleton, où il continue d'enseigner en tant que chargé de cours.
13 May, 2025 11:30 am to 12:15 pm
PSA CD
Unique Research Roles in Networks, Centres and Institutions
The role of a Research Management Administrator (RMA) in research centres, networks and institutes not affiliated with higher education VPR offices are unique, multi-dimensional and an excellent training ground for a life long career in research administration. This session will provide an overview of RMA roles, skills, and development opportunities for those aspiring for career progression within higher education in RMA.
Sophie Felleiter
Research Development Coordinator Queens University
Sophie Felleiter
Jyoti Kotecha
Carbon to Metal Coating Institute - Queen's University
Jyoti Kotecha
Jyoti Kotecha is the Managing Director Carbon to Metal Coating Institute (C2MCI) at Queen’s University. Jyoti started her research career as an analytical chemist with the Laboratory of the Government Chemist in UK and since arriving in Canada she has help progressive leadership positions in research management at Queen’s University. She has over 25 years of expertise in developing national and international academic research centres and institutes, developing strategic and operational research plans, building industry, government and not-for profit partnerships to support research, has led phase three clinical trials, and has led mixed method evaluations related to programs in health science and STEMs. As the Managing Director, she develops writes research grants, builds research partnerships, and implements the Institutes strategic and operation plan. A champion of equity, diversity, and inclusion she is currently leading an EDI evaluation to asses initiatives that promote EDI at C2MCI.
13 May, 2025 12:15 pm to 01:30 pm
PSA AB
Buffet Lunch
If you have dietary restrictions, please pick up your meal from our designated special meal area.
Menu Includes:
Herb & garlic hummus and tzatziki with pita
Caesar salad
Greek salad
Chicken souvlaki
Spinach pie
Oregano-roasted vegetables
Lemon & garlic rice pilaf
Loukoumades (Greek honey puffs)
Rizogales (Greek rice pudding)
Coffee & tea
13 May, 2025 01:30 pm to 02:15 pm
PSA CD
Growing a Research Office - A Look Forwards and Backwards
The presentation will focus on what the presenters have learned over many years in research administration, specifically, growing a research office at a small university, and the role of research administration in the research culture of the organization. The presenters will share key changes they have experienced as well as challenges and opportunities they have dealt with. The presenters will also share their thoughts on leadership and the future of research administration.
Gwen Hill
Royal Roads University
Gwen Hill
Gwen Elaine Thompson Hill works at Royal Roads University as the Manager of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Research. She is a queer, cisgender, neurodivergent woman with ancestral roots in Scotland, France, and England; and is an uninvited settler on the traditional Lands of the Lekwungen-speaking Peoples; the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations. Gwen holds a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, which has informed her personal and professional commitments to the creation of more safe, inclusive, and accessible spaces in the Canadian post-secondary environment.
Deborah Zornes
Director, Research and Innovation, Royal Roads University
Deborah Zornes
As Director, Research and Innovation at Royal Roads University, Dr. Deborah Zornes oversees all pre and post award tasks related to faculty research. She oversees policy development, strategic direction, the Climate Action team, and led the development of the Strategic Research Plan. Zornes has more than 25 years experience in research administration and has taught for more than 15 years. Her research focuses on the role of the university in society, research administration, research impact and research evaluation.
Jenny Sigalet
Royal Roads University
Jenny Sigalet
Jenny is a Research Development Coordinator with the Office of Research & Innovation at Royal Roads University. She has a B.Sc. (Agr.) in Animal Science and a MA in Environment & Management. Her research interests include radical homemaking, small scale agriculture, and monitoring & evaluation. She has three beautiful children, is an avid gardener and an equestrian. Jenny is in perpetual pursuit of that sweet spot on the swinging pendulum that is work-life balance in research admin.
13 May, 2025 01:30 pm to 02:15 pm
PSA AB
Part 1 - Research Security: Update on Risk Indicators and Best Practices / Partie 1 - Sécurité en recherche : mise à jour sur les indicateurs de risques et les meilleures pratiques
This presentation will address critical research security issues in a context where the threat targeting the research ecosystem in Canada is constantly evolving. It will explore the specific risks and provide examples illustrating how the different research support services can be impacted by research security issues (research funding, procurement, travel, etc.). Research administrators will also learn tips and best practices to help researchers better protect their research. A question and answer session will be offered at the end of the presentation to answer your questions. / Cette presentation abordera les enjeux cruciaux de la securite de la recherche dans un contexte ola menace ciblant l ecosystme de la recherche au Canada est en constante evolution. Elle explorera les risques specifiques et fournira des exemples illustrant comment les differents services de soutien la recherche peuvent tre impactes par les enjeux de securite de la recherche (financement de la recherche, approvisionnement, voyage, etc.). Les administrateurs et administratrices de la recherche decouvriront egalement des conseils et des meilleurs pratiques pour aider les chercheurs et les chercheuses mieux proteger leur recherche. Une seance de questions-reponses sera offerte la fin de la presentation pour repondre vos interrogations.
Laurie-Eve Rioux
Public Safety Canada - Sécurité publique Canada
Laurie-Eve Rioux
13 May, 2025 01:30 pm to 02:15 pm
Devon
Research Administration Certificate
This session will provide an overview of the fully online Research Administration Certificate offered at Mohawk College in partnership with CARA
Sarah Lampson
CARA-ACCAR
Sarah Lampson
Sarah Lampson is the Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Research Administrators. She was appointed in 2013 after more than a decade as a research administrator in various progressive roles at a leading comprehensive university, a funding agency, one of the largest academic hospitals in Canada and at the largest health research organization in North America.
Sarah has authored or presented over 100 articles, conference talks and webinars, including co-authoring 2 books: The A-Z Guide to Research Contract Review and Steer Your Career: A Research Administrator's Manual for Mapping Success which are in use at more than 500 institutions globally. Sarah received national and international recognition for her contributions to research administration and served as a faculty member in the Research Administration Certificate at Mohawk College for 7 years.
Alison Prescott
CARA-ACCAR
Alison Prescott
Alison became the Program Coordinator for the Canadian Association of Research Administrators after more than a decade working and leading in the Association non-profit field. She holds a BA from Wilfred Laurier University, and obtained her Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation from the Canadian Society of Association Executives in 2024. Alison has served military families in advocacy roles here in Canada, as well as internationally in two exchange positions. She received a Department of the Army Public Service Commendation Medal for “exceptionally meritorious dedication to public service” after serving in her role as a village mayor on Fort Leavenworth, KS in 2022. Her best work has been as mom of many boys and spouse of 18 years to her husband Ted.
13 May, 2025 01:30 pm to 02:15 pm
Nashwaaksis
Improving Faculty Support for Better Outcomes
Navigating the intricate maze of application requirements and the often isolating nature of grant writing can be daunting for faculty members. The challenge of developing interdisciplinary partnerships and fostering collaboration across various fields can seem like a significant hurdle even before the grant writing process begins. As research administrators, we are uniquely positioned to provide the essential support faculty need to enhance their grant and research outcomes. This session will explore innovative strategies and initiatives designed to bolster faculty success, featuring two case studies from the University of Guelph's College of Engineering and Physical Sciences. Case Study 1: Faculty Grant Writing Retreat - Discover how a dedicated retreat can transform the grant writing experience, providing faculty with the time, space, and resources to focus on their proposals. Case Study 2: Institutional Partnership Initiative and Faculty Speed Networking - Learn about fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and the power of speed networking to open new avenues for research. Join us to explore how these innovative support mechanisms can significantly improve faculty research outcomes and find out how you can implement similar initiatives at your institution. The session will include an insightful presentation followed by interactive small group discussions and sharing.
Bethany Davidson-Eng
College Research Manager, College of Engineering and Physical Science University of Guelph
Bethany Davidson-Eng
Bethany Davidson-Eng is the College Research Manager for the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Guelph, a role she has held since November 2022. In this capacity, she spearheads research initiatives, provides strategic direction, sets research priorities, and supports faculty in developing competitive funding and award applications. In addition to her primary role, Bethany serves as the Technical Editor for the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society and works as a contract grant writer.Before stepping into her current role, Bethany Davidson-Eng served as the Research Communications Officer for the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Guelph from February 2022 to November 2022. She also held the position of Proposal Development Officer in the Faculty of Mathematics at the University of Waterloo from August 2021 to February 2022.Bethany's diverse professional background includes her tenure as the Swine Health Ontario Manager from July 2019 to July 2021, and her experience as a sessional lecturer, where she taught "Agricultural Development: A Global Perspective" at the University of Guelph.She earned her PhD in Environmental Science from the University of Guelph in 2018. Her doctoral research aimed to deepen our understanding of the relationships between farmers' local knowledge of soil, their land management practices, and the resulting soil quality in Brazil's Natuba Basin.
13 May, 2025 01:30 pm to 02:15 pm
Barkers Point
How to Turn Any Collection of ORCiD IDs into an Automated Weekly or Monthly Research Newsletter
The Problem: Research often progresses within the specialized environments of departments, institutes, centers, networks, and labs. However, due to its specificity, incremental nature, and perceived niche relevance, these advancements rarely "trickle up" to inform the broader communications strategies of faculties and central communication offices. Why does this happen? Central communications teams face competing demands for attention and messaging within academic institutions balancing research alongside priorities such as marketing, student experience, and institutional branding. As a result, significant research advancements in narrow fields often go unnoticed, perceived as relevant only within specific domains, associations, or disciplines rather than aligned with the institution's primary brand priorities. The Challenge: Departments and research units, where much of this progress originates, often lack dedicated communication support due to cost and scale constraints. This raises a crucial question: how can we close the gap between scientific progress in research units and the communication support they receive? How can we better promote and profile research at this level? Our Approach: To address this gap, we developed a platform powered by ORCiD to create department- or unit-specific digital newsletters tailored to discreet clusters of researchers. This solution enables research units to produce both internal- and external-facing newsletters that showcase their contributions, even without dedicated communications teams. By integrating ORCiD, AI, and automation, the platform streamlines publication tracking, highlights collaborative opportunities, and boosts efficiency. The Impact: This innovative approach offers a scalable and practical solution for: 1) Enhancing communication and raising the profile of research units, 2) Incentivizing ORCiD adoption among researchers, 3) Improving knowledge mobilization and engagement, and 4) Simplifying internal processes for tracking and promoting research activity.
James Shelley
Western University
James Shelley
James Shelley is a Knowledge Mobilization Specialist at Western University. His role involves piloting strategic initiatives and designing experimental ways to share new research. He especially focuses on novel approaches to analytics, automation, and artificial intelligence in knowledge mobilization, science communication, and research administration.
13 May, 2025 01:30 pm to 02:15 pm
Marysville
SSHRC Impact Awards
Emmanuel Hogg
SSHRC
Emmanuel Hogg
Emmanuel Hogg is a Program Officer in the Research Training Portfolio. He currently leads SSHRC’s Impact Awards. During his time at SSHRC, Emmanuel has worked on many funding opportunities within the Research Training Portfolio, such as the Doctoral, Postdoctoral and Master’s awards as well as award supplements. He also serves as SSHRC’s partner representative on Canada Council for Arts’ Molson Prize. Emmanuel holds a PhD in History from Carleton University where he continues to teach as a sessional instructor.Emmanuel Hogg est agent de programme au sein du Portefeuille de la formation en recherche. Il dirige actuellement les prix Impact du CRSH. Au cours de son mandat au CRSH, Emmanuel a travaillé sur de nombreuses possibilités de financement au sein du Portefeuille de la formation en recherche, telles que les bourses de doctorat, de postdoctorat et de maîtrise, ainsi que les suppléments aux bourses. Il est également le délégué du CRSH pour le Prix Molson du Conseil des Arts du Canada. Emmanuel est titulaire d'un doctorat en histoire de l'Université Carleton, où il continue d'enseigner en tant que chargé de cours.
13 May, 2025 02:30 pm to 03:15 pm
Devon
From Learning to Leading: Building Research Capacity in Academic Family Medicine
This session will present an operational framework to enhance the research capacity of faculty, staff, and learners in a department of family medicine. The knowledge and skills required for successful research are vast and varied, heavily relying on administrative support. Drawing on the literature on research capacity building in health sciences, I will describe our efforts at McMaster's Department of Family Medicine to foster a culture of continuous learning, collaboration, and excellence. This culture is essential for sustaining and adapting our research capacity, especially amidst the challenges and opportunities posed by the pandemic and the emerging priorities of decolonization, anti-racism, and artificial intelligence.
Laura Cleghorn
McMaster University
Laura Cleghorn
Laura Cleghorn has conducted research about the organization and delivery of health care in Ontario for over 15 years in the areas of home care, primary care, and cancer care, often focused on improving access to care for marginalized populations. Since 2016, Laura has been with the Department of Family Medicine in a role that supports the faculty and staff of the Research Enterprise to engage in high-quality research. Laura is also interested in cultivating a workplace culture that encourages personal and professional growth.
13 May, 2025 02:30 pm to 03:15 pm
PSA AB
Part 2 - What Research Security Parameters Should You Consider When Purchasing Laboratory Equipment? / Partie 2 - Quels paramètres entourant la sécurité de la recherche devriez-vous prendre en compte lors de l'achat d'équipement de laboratoire ?
This interactive workshop will provide an opportunity for research administrators to discuss the challenges and effective strategies for strengthening research security when purchasing laboratory equipment. Using different situations, participants will be asked to work in small groups to identify risks and propose effective mitigation measures. / Cet atelier interactif sera une occasion pour les administrateurs et les administratrices de recherche d'echanger sur les defis et les strategies efficaces pour renforcer la securite de la recherche lors de l'achat d'equipements de laboratoire. l'aide de differentes situations, les participants seront invites travailler en petits groupes pour identifier les risques et proposer des mesures d'attenuation efficaces.
Laurie-Eve Rioux
Public Safety Canada - Sécurité publique Canada
Laurie-Eve Rioux
13 May, 2025 02:30 pm to 03:15 pm
PSA CD
Research Finance - Indigenous Communities and Partners
This session will focus on Indigenous partner agreements and requesting Form 300 statement information and the process for indigenous prepaid travel/per diems
Melissa Joyce
Melissa Joyce
Melissa Joyce has been the Director of Research Accounting at the University of Victoria for 9 years and has worked in other roles at the University for over 17 years. She has attended several CARA conferences and looks forward to hosting sessions again this year. She has her CPA designation and has been both a course facilitator and mentor for CPA students. Her main focus is providing excellent client service and creating efficiencies within her department at UVic. She is excited to share ideas with other institutions to help make research administration easier!
Aaron Brewer
University of Victoria
Aaron Brewer
Aaron is the Manager of Research Accounting at UVic. In his role, he oversees all financial reporting and audits for research grants at UVic.
Regina Tiba
University of Victoria
Regina Tiba
Regina Tiba is the Associate Director of Research Accounting, where she oversees the day-to-day operations and ensures the smooth functioning of financial processes related to research funding.
She joined UVic & Research Accounting in 2014, processing expenses claims. In her current role, she leads and or participates in the development and implementation of best practice processes, programs, policies, and systems that support the fulfillment of granting requirements across the University.
13 May, 2025 02:30 pm to 03:15 pm
Barkers Point
The New Contracts Role: Research Detective
Contracts for research projects, including clinical trials, have become increasingly complex. As emphasis on global collaborations increases, and remote work aspects become the new normal, how do you ensure you are still negotiating a contract that meets the needs of all parties? Often this involves digging into the project in new ways and coming up with creative solutions to address the equally creative thought process behind the protocol. This session will focus on new considerations around standard contract language, and discussing resources available for some of the out-of-the-box thinking required to negotiate today's research contract.
Lauren Gogo
Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation
Lauren Gogo
Lauren Gogo is an accomplished research management professional and the Manager of Research Contracts at Hamilton Health Sciences, one of Canada’s leading research hospitals. A strong leader in the academic and health sectors, Lauren has extensive knowledge of clinical research agreements and various health policies related to clinical trials and other research, both in Canada and internationally.
With over 14 years of experience working in non-profit, university, and hospital settings, Lauren has reviewed contracts, drafted and reviewed granting applications, negotiated commercialization terms and intellectual property agreements, and provided expert advice on clinical trial regulations and privacy considerations in accordance with PHIPA. Her wealth of experience ensures that research agreements and processes are managed efficiently and in compliance with relevant policies.
In her current role, Lauren oversees a dedicated team of contracts and grants professionals, managing the review, negotiation, and execution of research-related agreements. She also actively contributes to the development of research policies and plays a key role in strategic projects aimed at enhancing research capabilities. Lauren’s collaborative approach extends to participating in working groups to further strengthen research contracts and foster key partnerships.
In addition to her managerial duties, Lauren has delivered numerous internal and external presentations on topics including the clinical trials process, clinical trial registration, privacy in research, and contracts & ethics, sharing her expertise with a wider audience to advance knowledge in these critical areas. With her strong leadership and commitment to healthcare research, Lauren continues to make a significant impact on the research landscape at Hamilton Health Sciences.
13 May, 2025 02:30 pm to 03:15 pm
Nashwaaksis
Working with New Faculty to Kick-Start Their Research Programs
This interactive workshop will provide opportunities for grant facilitators and other research administration staff to develop ideas and strategies for helping early career faculty members "get going" on their research programs. The focus will be on helping researchers identify small, bite-sized, doable and feasible activities that will incrementally move them along the path to success, without feeling overwhelmed or pressured to apply too early for major external grants. Participants can expect to take away multiple ideas they can implement.
David Bruce
Director of Research Grants St. Francis Xavier University
David Bruce
David Bruce is Director of Research Grants, St. Francis Xavier University, a position he has held since November 2018. His responsibilities include grant facilitation across all external funding sources and opportunities. He also manages the university’s CFI and CRC portfolios, its internal student research awards program, and its CGS-Masters and SSHRC Doctoral quotas. Prior to joining StFX, David served as Mount Allison University’s Director of Research Services for 10 years, where his responsibilities also included being the Research Ethics Officer and the Animal Care Coordinator. David also led Mount Allison’s Rural and Small Town Program for more than 10 years, where he honed his skills as a grant writer seeking funding to sustain that rural community economic research and outreach program.
13 May, 2025 03:30 pm to 04:15 pm
Barkers Point
Horizon Europe: Strategic Approaches to Partnership Building
This session is focused on exploring strategic approaches to partnership building and consortia development for successful applications to Horizon Europe funding framework program. Horizon Europe is the world's largest research and innovation collaboration program, with a total budget of C$140 billion (2021-2027). The program is structured into three pillars, and Canada has recently become an associated country eligible to apply for Pillar II: Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness. Canadians can now participate in or create international consortia to apply for Pillar II project calls and receive grants directly from the European Commission. Within Pillar II, six thematic clusters, cross-cluster Missions and Joint Undertakings provide the context in which project calls are open. Projects are designed top-down and are described in detail on the Work Programme, an official document published periodically. Since applications need to be submitted by international, interdisciplinary and intersectoral consortia, one of the main challenges of Horizon Europe lies in the ability to conform these consortia. This session will: Provide an overview of Horizon Europe's Pillar II funding opportunities with a focus on consortia requirements, Share strategies for developing international partnerships for research and innovation, Explore best practices for consortia building, and Discuss solutions to common problems that may arise during the process. A question & answer period will follow.
Cintia Cristia
Research Development and Partnerships Officer, University of Toronto
Cintia Cristia
Dr. Cintia Cristia has international experience in research, administration, and education. She holds a PhD from the Université de Paris-Sorbonne. As Assistant Professor at Toronto Metropolitan University and tenured professor at Universidad Nacional del Litoral in Argentina she led interdisciplinary research projects, and was the Principal Investigator for a partnership funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) with the National Arts Centre that examined orchestral music audience remote engagement during COVID-19 social restrictions using new media. She has served twice as a SSHRC Merit Review Committee Member and is regularly invited as a peer-reviewer in specialized journals.
Her personal research has explored the relationship between music, visual arts, and literature, to reveal underlying cultural values and preconceptions, and she is the author of a groundbreaking book on Argentinian painter, sculptor, and visual musician Alejandro Xul Solar, and the editor of a critical volume on interart aesthetics. Her research-creation projects include multimodal exhibitions, and innovative public musicology events. Her work has been published internationally and has received awards in musicology and art critique.
Dr. Cristia applies her wealth of knowledge of the international research environment to support research development and partnership building aimed at expanding the participation of the University of Toronto in the Horizon Europe funding program.
Brice Rousseau
University of Toronto
Brice Rousseau
Brice Rousseau is a Research Partnership & Business Development Officer in the Office of the Vice-Principal Research and Innovation at University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC). His role is to support current and prospective strategic research initiatives at UTSC connect with partners within and beyond the University of Toronto ecosystem. He’s working with a variety of stakeholders, including UTSC faculty looking to develop research collaborations, as well as anchor institutions in the Greater Toronto Area, but he is especially focused on developing corporate and industry partnerships that align with UTSC’s ongoing strategic directions.
Prior to joining UTSC, Brice has worked for 15 years on European funding programs and projects as a research project manager at the Centre de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in France and as a research funding advisor at University of Munich in Germany. He moved to Canada and joined the University of Toronto in 2018 as the Director of Strategic Relations for the Southern Ontario Centre for Atmospheric Aerosol Research (SOCAAR).
Brice studied at the Institute for Political Sciences in Strasbourg (France) and holds a Masters’ Degree in European public policies from the University of Strasbourg.
Jackson Howard
EURAXESS North America
Jackson Howard
Jackson Howard is the Regional Coordinator for EURAXESS North America, responsible for Canada and the United States. His main roles are to inform the community of researchers of all domains and nationalities based in North America about the European Union’s framework program for research and innovation, Horizon Europe, as well as national and regional funding opportunities. Another important task is the management of the European Scientific Diasporas in North America initiative together with the EU Delegation and EU Member States & Associated Countries.
Maria Pawlowska
Maria Pawlowska
Dr Maria Pawlowska is an expert in research management with a focus on EU-Canada collaboration. Following her PhD from the University of Cambridge, she transitioned to research administration and policy and has over thirteen years of experience in EU funding mechanisms. Maria has been involved in the full spectrum of EU projects – planning, selection, applying and running. She has supported numerous EU projects and proposals, ranging from large consortia to successful ERC Advanced grant applications. Maria has also helped establish new centers of excellence (working with institutions such as Oxford University and CNRS) and co-authored the “Practical Guide to the International Alignment of Research Data Management”.
13 May, 2025 03:30 pm to 04:15 pm
PSA AB
Review of SSHRC Merit Review Policies and Procedures
SSHRC is undertaking an internal review of its merit review policies and procedures with a view to streamlining the process and removing barriers. This work is being undertaken in parallel with the development of the Tri-agency grants management solution (TGMS) and the results will be used to help design the application requirements when SSHRC funding opportunities are onboarded onto TGMS.
Andrew Wakefield
SSHRC
Andrew Wakefield
Emmanuel Hogg
SSHRC
Emmanuel Hogg
Emmanuel Hogg is a Program Officer in the Research Training Portfolio. He currently leads SSHRC’s Impact Awards. During his time at SSHRC, Emmanuel has worked on many funding opportunities within the Research Training Portfolio, such as the Doctoral, Postdoctoral and Master’s awards as well as award supplements. He also serves as SSHRC’s partner representative on Canada Council for Arts’ Molson Prize. Emmanuel holds a PhD in History from Carleton University where he continues to teach as a sessional instructor.Emmanuel Hogg est agent de programme au sein du Portefeuille de la formation en recherche. Il dirige actuellement les prix Impact du CRSH. Au cours de son mandat au CRSH, Emmanuel a travaillé sur de nombreuses possibilités de financement au sein du Portefeuille de la formation en recherche, telles que les bourses de doctorat, de postdoctorat et de maîtrise, ainsi que les suppléments aux bourses. Il est également le délégué du CRSH pour le Prix Molson du Conseil des Arts du Canada. Emmanuel est titulaire d'un doctorat en histoire de l'Université Carleton, où il continue d'enseigner en tant que chargé de cours.
13 May, 2025 03:30 pm to 04:15 pm
Marysville
Sustainable Research Supports: Examples of Building Toolkits and Supports to Support Inclusive Research
In a time of increasing administrative efficiencies, building sustainable research and grants supports is one solution. This session will walk through two examples one for Discovery Grants and one for CERCs and share what we know so far about faculty response.
Leslie Cove
Director, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Research
Leslie Cove
Leslie Cove is currently the Director, Inclusive Research at the University of Waterloo. She brings a decade of strategic planning, policy, and leadership experience to her work including writing legislation, and working across the sports, culture, healthcare, and university sectors. She is an award-winning university professor and is committed to teaching and advancing strategic inclusive leadership.
13 May, 2025 03:30 pm to 04:15 pm
Devon
Turning Conflict into Collaboration: Effective Techniques
In this interactive plenary session, participants will explore comprehensive strategies for managing and resolving conflicts effectively. We will incorporate multimedia elements, such as videos to illustrate key concepts, and provide conflict resolution phrases that attendees can use to navigate conflict situations confidently. Additionally, we will offer tailored tips for introverts to help them manage conflicts in a way that aligns with their personality. By the end of this session, participants will have gained valuable insights and practical tools to handle conflicts constructively, enhancing their interpersonal skills and fostering a more collaborative environment.
Mike Folinas
University of Toronto
Mike Folinas
Mike Folinas is the Director, Research Administration at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto. He is an alumnus of the University of Toronto and has over twenty years of progressive experience in financial and research administration across many Faculties and units at the University of Toronto. Before joining the Faculty of Pharmacy, Mike managed the CFI portfolio, the Natural Sciences and Engineering portfolio, and the internal programs portfolio.
Mike has had the opportunity to develop various successful business plans and strategies. He has direct experience dealing with a number of sponsors, including CFI, NSERC, CIHR, SSHRC, National Institute of Health, Canadian Space Agency, Environment Canada, Public Health Agency of Canada, and many other federal/provincial/foundations. Mike has extensive knowledge of the Tri-Agency programs and many other sponsors programs and has experience with the full cycle of research funding administration (pre- and post-award).
As the Director, Research Administration, he leads a team that supports the submission of applications, negotiates agreements, manages adjudication panels, operational funds, and collaborative initiatives, and provides day-to-day support for researchers.
Karen Mosier
Research Coordinator/Navigator University of Saskatchewan
Karen Mosier
Karen E. Mosier is a Research Coordinator/Navigator for the Department of Surgery in the College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. Karen has her BA in Psychology and MSc in Pharmacy. Karen has over seventeen years’ experience in research administration. Karen is also the author of the self-help book entitled Soft Skills and Professional Tips for the Office. Karen has been a CARA member since 2010. She completed her Certificate in Research Administration through ARMA in 2017. Karen is also a co-chair of CARA’s Professional Development committee and serves on the CARA Executive. She is also an instructor at Mohawk College for the Certification in Research Administration program and has taught the Funding Proposal Development course for the last 3 years. Karen was the recipient of the Dan Chase Distinguished Service Award – Priority Initiatives in 2018, the Community Builder Award in 2019, the Spirit of Kindness Award in 2020, and the Research Management Excellence Award in 2021. Karen appreciates all the professional development opportunities available through CARA and cherishes all the wonderful relationships she has made through her volunteer activities with CARA.
13 May, 2025 03:30 pm to 04:15 pm
PSA CD
US Single Audit
Research Finance-Single Audit, for U.S. govt funding
Michael Walesiak
University of Alberta
Michael Walesiak
Michael Walesiak, CPA, CA has 20 years of senior management experience at the University of Alberta (UofA) in the field of Research Administration. As Director, Research Administrative Services, he is responsible for the delivery of end-to-end research services for the over $500 million annual research enterprise at the UofA. This includes application review, award processing, contract negotiation and financial reporting.
13 May, 2025 03:30 pm to 04:15 pm
Nashwaaksis
RISE: Cultivating Grant Development Skills for Early Career Faculty
The Research funding Immersive Support & Education (RISE) program is designed to guide independent researchers who have limited grant writing experience through the process of developing a competitive grant application. The program includes a series of lectures, group discussions, mentorship, internal peer review, self-directed learning activities and hands-on practice intended to build participants' grant development skills and knowledge. We will be sharing how the program was developed and our initial outcomes from the first iteration of the program.
Jenna Millar
University of Calgary
Jenna Millar
13 May, 2025 04:30 pm to 05:30 pm
Meet FCC Badge Pick Up Area
Afternoon Walk and Talk
Join others for a walk along the picturesque Saint John River - if you plan on joining the Picaroons Social - you can branch off at the bridge.
13 May, 2025 05:30 pm to 07:00 pm
912 Union Street, Fredericton, NB
Picaroons Brewing Company, 540 North Social
This is an informal get-together at the Picaroons Brewing Company and 540 North - join the Afternoon Walk and Talk to walk to Picaroon's or venture there on your own. This event is open to all and at own cost.
14 May, 2025 07:00 am to 12:00 pm
Main Foyer FCC
Conference Assistance
14 May, 2025 07:30 am to 08:15 am
PSA AB
Breakfast Buffet
If you have dietary restrictions, please pick up your meal from our special meal area
On the Go Breakfast
Whole Fruit
Individual Yogurts
Breakfast Wraps
Classic Breakfast Sandwiches
Juices
Coffee/Tea
14 May, 2025 08:00 am to 11:00 am
Main Foyer FCC sponsored by Worktribe
Complimentary Professional Portrait Salon
Reserve your spot for a professional portrait including make up touch ups. Sponsored by WorkTribe
14 May, 2025 08:30 am to 09:15 am
Barker's Point
Onboarding Processes for Staff and Students in Research Offices
The session will look at resources our two colleges have created to support the onboarding of employees and students in our respective research offices. The session will look at how the Office of Research and Innovation (ORI) at George Brown College developed an ORI Toolkit to quickly and effectively integrate new members to the college's research teams. The toolkit also serves as a general guidebook for all ORI employees. The ORI Toolkit includes important processes and guidance and has four main sections. It starts with an overview of the department, followed by the major standard operating procedures and processes related to Business Development; Project Management including administering grant funding, project plans and budgets; and a section on Operations that covers human resource management, financial management , tracking metrics, as well as project close and communication processes. The goal in creating the Toolkit was to enhance the onboarding process for new team members, to create a quick and effective way of introducing new employees to Research and Innovation processes to enable effective integration of new members to the team, to minimize common mistakes and to have a handy informational reference for team members. The Session will also look at a resource Langara College has developed for students in the Research Centre. Equipping student employees with a solid research foundation prior to starting their day-to-day work is imperative at the Applied Research Centre at Langara College. We have designed an Onboarding course using the Pebblepad platform. The course includes learning modules that must be completed prior to one-on-one supervisor training; and reflection questions that have to be answered at various times in the semester. The learning modules consist of mandatory sections for all to complete and specialized sections to be completed as needed, depending on the work subject areas. Having the training modules in one easy to access course allows for standardized training. The reflection questions provide student employees the opportunity to reflect, record and remember their key learnings. Student employees are asked to note any challenges faced, so that the administrative team and their supervisors can address these issues straight away. Upon graduating, student employees are able to sign up for an alumni Pebblepad account so that they have continued access to their responses and learning modules.
Eva Aboagye
Director, Research Programs - George Brown College
Eva Aboagye
Within the Office of Research and Innovation, Eva currently provides leadership for the research programs and to the senior program management team. She also provides guidance on research methods and budgets for researchers applying to or holding external research or social innovation grants. She was Senior Program Manager, providing leader to the program management team from 2022 to 2024. From 2015 to 2022, she was responsible for providing guidance in the development of proposals and management of projects funded externally under the Community and College Social Innovation Fund as well as for the internally funded Ignite projects. She has over twenty years of management experience in the postsecondary sector, seventeen of which focused on strategic planning, research and teaching in the Ontario College system. Eva has published a number of academic articles on equity, diversity and inclusion, including from 2011 to 2014, co- founding and co-editing the Journal of Global Citizenship and Equity Education . In 2021, she co-edited a book "Global Citizenship Education: Challenges and Successes". Previously, she held several positions at Centennial College including Senior Researcher at the Institute for Global Citizenship and Equity, Director of Policies Pathways and Grants, and Manager of Strategic Institutional Planning. Eva has a PhD and an M Ed in Higher Education from the University of Toronto and a BA and Graduate Diploma in population studies from the University of Ghana.
Seetha Kumaran
Langara College
Seetha Kumaran
With over 18 years of dedicated experience in research administration at post-secondary and research institutions, Seetha Kumaran has established a career in project, operation and budget management. She has successfully project-managed numerous million-dollar research grants with stakeholders across the country. Seetha’s experience has encompassed managing the full project lifecycle, from inception to completion. She contributes strategic and operational oversight, develop project plans, identifies risk mitigation strategies, and sets and monitor timelines while ensuring that compliance for each project is met.
At the Applied Research Centre at Langara College, Seetha fulfils many critical roles, including global grant budgeting and forecasting, employment contracting, and student liaison. She brings sensitivity to workplace culture, problem solving and a commitment to high levels of service. Seetha prioritizes the successful onboarding of new staff and students. With a passion for creating supportive and inclusive environments, she tries to make sure that every team member feels welcomed and prepared.
Rosalina Declaro
George Brown College
Rosalina Declaro
An accountant by profession, Rosalina Declaro has over twenty years of experience in office administration, finance and accounting. Coming from the private business sector, she joined George Brown College in 2012. She leads the finance, operations and reporting team of the Office of Research and Innovation, as well as manages the budgets for the department and all research projects. Over her career, Ms. Declaro has built on her experience of smoothly managing complex operations in a variety of industries, ensuring that the many cross-sections of research at George Brown College converge seamlessly.
14 May, 2025 08:30 am to 09:15 am
Nashwaaksis
Ask Dr. Editor Anything
What questions do academics ask an advice columnist when they know they can be anonymous? What are an editor's top tips for fitting too-long text within a restricted page or character count? What impact might GenAI have on researchers' approach to the soon-to-be-launched CIHR narrative CV? What do directors of offices of research services need to know when hiring an external consultant to support grant applicants? And, what opportunities are available for in-house folks considering shifting to freelance? This Q & A session will provide a short introduction to my work as a professional editor, writing instructor, and freelancer who focuses on the black boxes' of academic writing research grant applications and promotion and tenure dossiers‚ followed by 40 minutes of open time for answers to your most-asked questions.
Letitia Henville
Writing Short is Hard
Letitia Henville
Letitia Henville (she/her) is a book nerd, bad swimmer, and the author of the monthly academic writing advice column "Ask Dr. Editor.” She specializes in editing for faculty members in the health sciences, education, social sciences, and humanities, with a special focus on grant applications and tenure and promotion dossiers. Learn more about Letitia at shortishard.ca.
14 May, 2025 08:30 am to 09:15 am
Devon
CARA Mentorship Program Discussion
This session is a discussion on the CARA mentorship program and all are welcome, including mentors, mentees, and anyone interested in learning about the program. All attendees will be invited to share their experience, suggestions, ideas, if they wish, with the goal of increasing member engagement in the program.
Dominique Michaud
President, CARA-ACCAR
Dominique Michaud
14 May, 2025 08:30 am to 09:15 am
PSA AB
Filling the GAP: Piloting the UW Grant Assistant Prep (GAP) Program
How can a small institution effectively address the growing need to support researchers in their grant writing while simultaneously training the next generation of grant writers? At The University of Winnipeg, the Research Office has developed the Grant Assistant Prep (GAP) Program to fulfill both of these objectives. The GAP program offers essential support to researchers and provides valuable professional development opportunities for graduate students. This is achieved through a comprehensive training program comprised of 10 units that equips graduate students with the necessary skills to assist researchers in preparing Tri-Agency grants. Upon completing the training, graduate students are paired with researchers to provide targeted support for specific grants. In this presentation, you will receive valuable insights into the development of the GAP program, including a comprehensive review of its pilot year, covering the phases of initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and control, and closure. Additionally, we will provide guidance on how you can establish a comparable program.
Lauren Bosc
University of Winnipeg
Lauren Bosc
Lauren Bosc is the Director, Research Services, at The University of Winnipeg where she oversees research staff and manages the overall research ecosystem at the institution. Before joining this office in 2021, she did both her undergraduate and graduate work at The University of Winnipeg and supported researchers as the Managing Editor of a journal on children’s literature and as a research project manager.
Dylan Jones
University of Winnipeg
Dylan Jones
Dylan Jones joined The University of Winnipeg Research Office in 2021, though he has been a staff member at the university since 2019. He previously served as the Awards and Communications Officer in the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Dylan earned both his BA and MA from The University of Winnipeg, along with a certification in Project Management from Red River College. Currently, he supports the Canada Research Chair Program, as well as a wide range of other initiatives, including student research funding and training opportunities.
14 May, 2025 08:30 am to 09:15 am
Marysville
Selecting Nominees for Awards with Institutional Quotas: Mapping Critical Strategies
Some major research awards limit the number of nominations that can be submitted from a single institution, emphasizing the importance of internal competitions. Using a case study approach, this session will provide an opportunity to explore different strategies to select nominees for awards with institutional quotas. Discussion points will include the communication of award opportunities; administration of internal competitions; and equity, diversity and inclusion in selection processes. Audience members will be invited to share their experiences and perspectives.
Rachel Barken
Research Facilitator, Institutional Initiatives, Carleton University
Rachel Barken
Rachel Barken is a Research Facilitator at Carleton University. Her portfolio currently includes research awards and prizes and SSHRC Partnership Grants. Rachel previously held positions as a Research Facilitator at Wilfrid Laurier University specializing in social sciences and humanities grant development, and as a Postdoctoral Fellow at York University. Rachel holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Dalhousie University and a PhD in Sociology from McMaster University, where her research focused aging, gender, care work, and qualitative methods.
Snežana Obradović-Ratković
Brock University
Snežana Obradović-Ratković
Snežana Obradović-Ratković is Research Awards Program Facilitator in the Office of the Vice-President, Research at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario. She has worked as a research administrator at Brock University since 2005, supporting researchers through a lens of peace, friendship, respect, and coexistence.
14 May, 2025 09:30 am to 10:15 am
Devon
Me Do a Research Project? As an Administrator?! Nah... Well, Maybe... Um, Yes, Please!
As research grant and project administrators, many of us don't get a chance to conduct formal research ourselves. But what would it be like if we could see research from the other side? What if we more clearly understood how we are doing as research administrators from a researcher's point of view? This session will have an Associate Director of Operations in a Research and Innovation office share her research journey from what finally inspired her to do a project, how she developed the research question, started the research project, and some lessons learned in the development phase. She will share about the user-experience on how she was trained, guided, and supported in aspects such as what methodology to use, accessing existing research, identifying tools and resources needed to conduct the research and cleaning the data. The participants will walk away encouraged to engage themselves in a research project of their own to identify strengths and weaknesses of their research office.
Tanya Perdikoulias
Humber Polytechnic
Tanya Perdikoulias
Tanya Perdikoulias is the Associate Director of Operations with the Office of Research and Innovation. She provides confidential operations, financial and project support to allow the Dean, departmental management, and support staff to function efficiently and effectively. Tanya oversees the tracking of and monitoring of over $18M in internal and external accounts. She maintains a high level of departmental performance through recruitment, evaluation, training, motivation and work assignments of staff. Tanya is constantly looking for ways to improve operations and processes with adequate resources and appreciates the continuous learning that CARA provides. She holds an Honours, BA from Brock University, a Public Relations Post-Graduate Diploma from Niagara College; and a diploma in Project Management from Humber Polytechnic.
14 May, 2025 09:30 am to 10:15 am
PSA AB
Research Contracts Management: uOttawa
Effective contract management plays a vital role in advancing research at the University of Ottawa. Our focus is on building strong partnerships between researchers and administrators to support research endeavors. The emphasis is on creating a collaborative environment that enables researchers and administrators to work together effectively towards achieving research excellence and innovation. To streamline processes, we have a centralized intake system for contracts and agreements, ensuring consistency and efficiency in handling submissions. While this system centralizes intake, the review and negotiation of agreements are managed by three specialized offices, depending on the nature of the application or contract and the source of funding. This session aims to explore the decentralized approach to contract management at the University of Ottawa, examining the basis for this distribution, the mandate of each office, and how this structure better supports researchers while ensuring a smoother research management process. Additionally, for preparing the presentation, I will reach out to several U15 universities to understand their contract management model and compare them with our own at University of Ottawa. This will provide insight into how similar institutions manage research agreements and identify best practices we can adopt or improve upon.
Sorour Farrokh Ahmadi
University of Ottawa
Sorour Farrokh Ahmadi
I have a bachelor’s and two master’s degrees in law. I spent eight years working in intellectual property before shifting to research administration and contracts about four years ago. I’ve worked at McGill and Concordia, and now I’m a Senior Advisor for Research Contracts at uOttawa, where I help researchers navigate funding agreements, negotiations and the complexities of research projects.
14 May, 2025 09:30 am to 10:15 am
Marysville
The Three Pillars of Knowledge Mobilization
Knowledge mobilization is a complex process, but it doesn't have to be complicated. At its core, moving research from peer review into practice requires three core skills: the ability to ENGAGE, EDUCATE, and INSPIRE. Through this workshop-style session, you'll learn simple, practical strategies for creating communication products that connect with your target audiences at a deep level and drive change.
Dawn Henwood
Clarity Connect
Dawn Henwood
It's become almost cliché to talk about research and innovation as the hope for humanity's future, but I believe it!
I love working with folks who are tackling the most urgent issues of our time in domains such as health, climate, housing, and agriculture. Uncovering and expressing their stories takes us one step closer to a better world.
As a literary scholar, I studied "social protest fiction" of the nineteenth century because I was fascinated by the way that novelists like Charles Dickens and Harriet Beecher Stowe (author of the anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom's Cabin) used story to advocate for social reform.
As a writer outside of academia, I've published magazine articles, op-ed columns, and two books on technical and business communication. I've also created or co-created the entire alphabet of corporate communication and learning products, from annual reports to Zoom presentations, including videos and eLearning courses.
As a trainer and coach, I've taught or supervised more than a thousand students and professionals, created more than a dozen communication courses (including a 5-level program for a global consulting firm, which ran for more than 7 years), and developed the Technical Writing Certificate program offered through Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Open Learning (which has been running for more than 10 years).
For more than two decades, I've had the privilege of serving a wide variety of clients, from startups to multinationals, across a broad span of disciplines and sectors. The more complex the problem, the more motivated I am to help research solve it.
14 May, 2025 09:30 am to 10:15 am
PSA CD
Does What We Do Matter? Evaluating the Impact of Content and Administrative Reviews on Tri-Agency Flagship Programs.
Applicants' adherence to institutional internal review deadlines is a recurring challenge. However, our data demonstrates that administrative and content reviews play a crucial role in improving application success rates. This session will outline the content and administrative review process for major Tri-Agency programs, as well as the New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF), at Queen's University. To assess the value of our imposed review deadlines, we analyzed success rate differences between researchers who adhered to the research services review deadlines and those who did not, across multiple funding competitions. The findings reveal that meeting these deadlines significantly enhances success rates, likely through a combination of identifying areas for improvement early in the submission process, mitigating errors that could result in disqualification (e.g., unmet research security requirements, missing mandatory attachments, or other critical documentation) and ensuring time for revisions due to a complete application package being prepared in advance of the submission deadline. A live poll will be integrated into the session to gather perspectives from other institutions and foster an engaging discussion.
Dora Baczyk
Dora Baczyk, MSc. Research Projects Advisor – Life and Health Sciences Vice-Principal Research Portfolio, Queen’s University
Dora Baczyk
Over twenty-five years of experience in progressively advancing roles across hospital, academic research, industry, and administrative settings. My career has equipped me with extensive project management and leadership expertise, complemented by excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Throughout my journey, I have demonstrated self-discipline, creativity, and adaptability in navigating complex environments. My strong problem-solving abilities, relationship-building acumen, and negotiation skills have consistently delivered positive outcomes
Adam Jeziorski
Queen's University
Adam Jeziorski
Research Projects Advisor, Faculty of Arts and Science (Natural Sciences & Engineering funding programs)
Vice-Principal Research Portfolio
Queen's University
Adrian Kelly
Research Projects Advisor, Queen's University
Adrian Kelly
Adrian Michael Kelly is a pre-award Research Projects Advisor in Social Sciences, Humanities, and Creative Arts at Queen's University. He holds a PhD in English and is also a writer of fiction and memoir.
14 May, 2025 09:30 am to 10:15 am
Barkers Point
Mastering Large Grant Applications: How Do You Get There?
This session is an excellent opportunity for both novice and experienced researcher administrators to learn about the intricacies of organizing a large grant application and to prepare for their next large-scale funding opportunity. Join us for an insightful 45-minute panel session designed to provide insights from experience to research administrators with the essential skills and knowledge needed to facilitate successful large grant applications. This session will feature a distinguished panel of CARA colleagues from across Canada, who will share their extensive experience and provide practical advice on navigating the complexities of large, multidisciplinary, multi-institutional funding opportunities. Moderated by an experienced research administrator, the session will cover key aspects of large grant application submissions and eventual deployment through a series of targeted questions to the panelists. Topics will include: Assembling the team Time management Communication Working towards a common goal Defining roles and responsibilities Handling administrative and logistical challenges Concept development Budget planning Drafting the proposal Institutional approvals Final edits and proofreading The submission process Your application was successful now what?
Karen Mosier
Research Coordinator/Navigator University of Saskatchewan
Karen Mosier
Karen E. Mosier is a Research Coordinator/Navigator for the Department of Surgery in the College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. Karen has her BA in Psychology and MSc in Pharmacy. Karen has over seventeen years’ experience in research administration. Karen is also the author of the self-help book entitled Soft Skills and Professional Tips for the Office. Karen has been a CARA member since 2010. She completed her Certificate in Research Administration through ARMA in 2017. Karen is also a co-chair of CARA’s Professional Development committee and serves on the CARA Executive. She is also an instructor at Mohawk College for the Certification in Research Administration program and has taught the Funding Proposal Development course for the last 3 years. Karen was the recipient of the Dan Chase Distinguished Service Award – Priority Initiatives in 2018, the Community Builder Award in 2019, the Spirit of Kindness Award in 2020, and the Research Management Excellence Award in 2021. Karen appreciates all the professional development opportunities available through CARA and cherishes all the wonderful relationships she has made through her volunteer activities with CARA.
14 May, 2025 09:30 am to 10:15 am
Nashwaaksis
Reference Letters in Action: Developing an Award-Winning Argument
Letters of reference are crucial components of an award nomination. Choosing the right referee, one of high calibre, requires serious consideration. Due to highly competitive award nomination processes often resulting in multiple resubmissions, potential conflicts of interest (especially in smaller fields of study), and busy agendas of researchers/potential referees, it is becoming more and more challenging to recruit referees and to obtain unique, powerful, and persuasive letters.
Mona Rahman
Research Awards Officer, Vice-Principal Research Portfolio, Queens University
Mona Rahman
Mona Rahman is the Research Awards Office in the Vice-Principal Research Portfolio at Queen's University where her role is to coordinate external award nominations for faculty. She entered the world of research administration in 2017. Dr. Rahman holds a BSc(Honours) and PhD in Biochemistry, both from Queen's University, though she did have a brief foray as a post-doctoral fellow at the Robarts Institute in Vascular Biology before returning to Queen's in a multidisciplinary research project involving Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Chemistry.
Rachel Barken
Research Facilitator, Institutional Initiatives, Carleton University
Rachel Barken
Rachel Barken is a Research Facilitator at Carleton University. Her portfolio currently includes research awards and prizes and SSHRC Partnership Grants. Rachel previously held positions as a Research Facilitator at Wilfrid Laurier University specializing in social sciences and humanities grant development, and as a Postdoctoral Fellow at York University. Rachel holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Dalhousie University and a PhD in Sociology from McMaster University, where her research focused aging, gender, care work, and qualitative methods.
Snežana Obradović-Ratković
Brock University
Snežana Obradović-Ratković
Snežana Obradović-Ratković is Research Awards Program Facilitator in the Office of the Vice-President, Research at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario. She has worked as a research administrator at Brock University since 2005, supporting researchers through a lens of peace, friendship, respect, and coexistence.
14 May, 2025 10:30 am to 11:15 am
PSA AB
CARA 2025 Conference Debrief
Share your suggestions and feedback with the CARA Board and Conference Team.