June 9, 2022
Bi-weekly news from Spark: a centre for social research innovation at McMaster University
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The Spark Co-Lab is open!
McMaster has a free coworking space designed for research teams in LR Wilson 5803. If you’re looking for a space to work, meet as a team, or engage with partners, you may wish to join The CoLab.
At Spark, we are excited by the energy that develops when people working on diverse projects interact, and so have built a coworking space where you can both focus and engage with other faculty, research staff, RAs and grad students across disciplines.
Who can use it? Graduate students, research staff or research assistants (undergrad, grad, post-doc) and faculty from across McMaster as well as community research partners are eligible to join the CoLab.
When can it be used? Those who join the CoLab can access it any time the building is open, which is 6:15 am to 11:15 pm, Monday-Friday and 6:30 am to 5:30 pm on Saturdays. LR Wilson is closed on Sundays and holidays.
Cost? It’s free for use as a work space.
What’s in The CoLab? In addition to an open space with fifteen 2-4 person tables and a conversation area, we have two 2-person offices, two small conversation rooms, and a meeting room that can seat 12. All of these spaces are available to use first come, first served via our Booking System. We also have two large television screens for research teams to use when considering material together.
I'm interested. How do I join? It's simple. You can stop by for a brief (15 minute) orientation any time between 8:30 and 4:30 Tuesday and Thursday. Just ring the bell and someone will answer, or email us at talk.to.spark@mcmaster.ca to schedule a time to visit. We'll ask you to sign a user agreement, arrange for access to the space, and get you set up on our Booking System to reserve private spaces in the CoLab.
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Who do you want to speak at Spark Talks 2022-2023?
Spark's weekly research talks (Fridays at 10:30-11:20 am) are back in fall 2022. Planning is already in the works for an academic year full of informative sessions by some great researchers. As always, we want to provide you with engaging content from people whose work or skills spark an interest!
Do you want to share your work?
Great! This is a supportive starting place for sharing your work across disciplines
Maybe share your experience with a method, technology or research area?
Yes, let's build our collective research toolkits and find others with the same interests
Expose others to someone whose work or career you admire?
This is an easy initial engagement with Mac (and we pay stipends to external speakers)
Speakers can be anywhere in the world. All Spark Talks will be hybrid with a group convening in LR Wilson 5803 and available via Zoom. We have lots of open seminar slots from Sept 2022-April 2023, so can accommodate schedules!
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After another year of engaging seminars, Spark will be taking a break from Spark Talks during the summer months (May-Aug).
With excitement for Spark Talks return in Fall 2022, we will feature some of our favourite talks from this year in a weekly social media campaign on Twitter @Spark_McMaster. Join us on twitter every Friday at 10:30am during the summer for #SparkResearchReplay!
Check out the latest #SparkResearchReplay videos below:
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Midweek Meditation - June 15th
Spark is hosting drop in guided meditation from 3:00-3:45 pm bi-weekly on Wednesdays in LR Wilson 5803. Led by Spark's own Allison Van, who is a long time meditator and has taught meditation for the last seven years, this is a no pressure time and space to let your thoughts settle.
The next midweek meditations session is June 15th.
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Resources for Researchers
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Looking to pool software licences?
Now you can! Fill out this form and we will reach out if we can match you with others looking to pool licences.
We are also attempting a pilot in fall term allowing for virtual desktop access to several licenses for major Qualitative Data Analysis software, and will be seeking volunteers to test out the viability of this option. FSS faculty, please email talk.to.spark@mcmaster.ca if you're interested in participating.
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Research Conversations
We provide up to 4 hours of free support each year to all McMaster researchers (students, staff and faculty) on every social research topic imaginable. If we can't help you, we'll help you find someone who can.
Qualtrics Licences
If you are an FSS researcher who would like to request access to Qualtrics survey software, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/Gn2KvYgdebjo8d2W8.
Brighter Spark Applied Research
Spark offers custom research and evaluation, as well as highly skilled assistance in implementing virtually any social research method. Our cost-recovery services include methods and software training, custom research, state-of-the-art facilities, and taking on elements of your project to support its completion.
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Help us profile your research, publications, job ads, opportunities, and upcoming events by sending them to: talk.to.spark@mcmaster.ca to be showcased in our following newsletter.
2022 ICPSR Summer Program
For summer 2022, the ICPSR Summer Program will offer its renowned training program either in-person in Ann Arbor, or as a fully online format. The 2022 Program will feature a broad curriculum ranging from introductory to advanced courses in a variety of methods and techniques.
Registration for the First Session will close on Sunday, June 12, 2022. Registration for the Second Session will close on Sunday, July 10, 2022.
Learn more about the summer program here
BRIC - Bibliometrics and Research Impact Community Conferences
Hosted in-person this event aims to advance the skills and knowledge of library and information professionals supporting research impact services and initiatives. Participants will come together to exchange tips, learn practical techniques, and hear about how bibliometrics and research impact are being applied in different institutional settings and subject areas.
Pre-Conference held June 14th and Main Event on June 15th - June 16th. Reception at the Royal Botanical Gardens on the evening of June 15th.
Location: McMaster University Continuing Education (1 James Street North, Hamilton, ON L8P 1A1)
Read the full Conference Details here: https://www.bric-conference.ca/en/bric-2022
Register here
Sherman Centre for Digital Scholarship Workshop
"Digital Tools in the Humanities and Social Sciences: A Research Roundtable"
June 21st at 9am - 12pm (In-person, Lyons New Media Centre, 4th floor, Mills Library and Online)
How can digital tools enhance and complexify research in the humanities and social sciences? At this research roundtable, ten scholars from McMaster University and Universite Grenoble Alpes share their work in the Digital Humanities and Social Sciences. The panel is divided into three clusters: Data, Social Media, and Teaching and Pedagogy. Each panel will include a discussion period. Feel free to attend a single session or stay for the entire event. All are welcome at these virtual presentations, which will be recorded and shared online via the Sherman Centre's Online Learning page
Register here: https://libcal.mcmaster.ca/event/3675750
After the success of last terms workshops, the Sherman Centre is delighted to host 10+ sessions in Winter 2022. There is something for everyone (data visualization, StoryMaps software, two workshops on Microsoft Excel, and more). See the full event lineup and register here
Data Matters : Data Science Course Series
A week-long series of one and two-day courses aimed at students and professionals in business, research and government. Data Matters gives students the chance to learn about a wide range of topics in data science, analytics, visualization, curation and more from expert instructors. Registration is now open, reserve your spot now!
Data Matters will be held virtually via zoom on August 8th-12th 2022
Learn more and register here
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In this new section, we want to celebrate the achievements of colleagues, friends, and those doing important social research with the potential to spark a brighter world. We welcome recommendations for kudos features (including for yourself). Please send them to: talk.to.spark@mcmaster.ca.
A big congratulations to Chelsea Gabel (Health Aging and Society), who is one of six McMaster researchers recognized as 2022 University Scholars. This award recognizes those considered global leaders in a number of diverse research areas and disciplines.
Learn more about the award and recipients here
Shout-out to Tina Moffat (Anthropology), who discussed her book "Small Bites-Biocultural Dimensions of Children's Food and Nutrition" and how a broken food system is feeding childhood obesity and undernutrition.
Read more about the book and discussion with Tina here
Congrats to Robert O'Brien (Political Science) who is featured in the CTV News article "Analyzing the World Economic Forum 'Great Reset' conspiracy theory".
Read the article here
Shout- out to Mary Vaccaro (PhD Student, Social Work) and colleague who wrote the opinion article "Homeless and Pregnant: responding to a crisis" in the Hamilton Spectator. This article speaks to the need for a community-wide commitment that prioritizes people experiencing pregnancy for housing.
Read the full article in the Hamilton Spectator here
Kudos to Maddie Brockbank (PhD Student, Social Work) who was featured in the Conversation Opinion article "The Johnny Depp-Amber Heard defamation trial shows the dangers of fan culture"
Read the full article in The Conversation here
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