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Announcements, events, and other news from Spark

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July 18th 2024

Bi-weekly news from Spark: a centre for social research innovation at McMaster University

Centre News

Meet the Spark Talks Speakers: Insights into the 2024-25 Lineup

As we prepare for another exciting academic year, Spark: A Centre for Social Research Innovation is thrilled to announce the lineup for the 2024-25 Spark Talks series. This semester, we bring together thought leaders from diverse fields to share cutting-edge insights into research methodologies and contemporary social issues. Here’s a glimpse of some of the upcoming speakers and their thought-provoking talks that promise to enrich our academic community and the research field.

October 25th: “Is the Gender Wage Gap Really a Family Wage Gap in Disguise?” by Youngjoo Cha

Join us for an insightful discussion with Associate Professor Youngjoo Cha on the gender wage gap. This talk will delve into how marriage and parenthood wage gaps contribute to the gender wage gap, with a focus on variations across race and childless women. This helps to fill in a missing aspect of wage gap literature with a straightforward, compelling study.

Register here

November 1st: “Situated Ethnography” by Victoria Reyes

How do we understand the places and people we study? How do ethnographic approaches shape our analytic understanding of social life? The specter of masculinity haunts how scholars answer these questions. Reyes’s work draws and builds upon women of color feminisms and Black feminisms that challenge such masculinist foundations of ethnography by theorizing the importance of power relations and decentering the West. Rooted at their intersections, Reyes offers a novel theoretical and methodological framework to understand urban life: situated ethnography.

Register here

November 8th: “p-Hacking, Data type and Data-Sharing Policy” by Abel Brodeur

Join us on November 8th for an insightful Spark Talk by Abel Brodeur from the University of Ottawa. Brodeur, an expert in replication studies, will discuss his latest research on "p-Hacking, Data Type and Data-Sharing Policy." This study explores the impact of data-sharing policies on the prevalence of p-hacking in economics research, revealing that while data-sharing increases research transparency, it does not significantly reduce p-hacking. Don't miss this opportunity to learn more about the complexities of research integrity and data policies.

Register here

Join the Conversation

These sessions are designed to engage graduates, PhD students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty across social sciences and humanities. We encourage you to join us for these intellectually invigorating discussions that provide an unparalleled platform for academic dialogue and interdisciplinary exploration. For more details and to register for these talks, visit our Spark Talks page.

Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of these dynamic discussions. Register now and stay connected with the forefront of social research methods. As well, if you feel you or someone you know is a shoe-in for this kind of talk, follow the link below to nominate them. And finally, stay tuned for more updates and profiles of our upcoming speakers in future newsletters.

Let’s make the 2024-25 Spark Talks series the most engaging and insightful yet!

Resources for Researchers

Research Conversations

We provide up to 4 hours of free support each year to any researcher (students, staff, faculty or community) on every social research topic imaginable.  If we can't help you, we'll help you find someone who can.

Request a research conversation here

Qualtrics Licenses

If you are an Faculty of Social Sciences researcher who would like to request access to Qualtrics survey software, please contact us here.

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.

Methods Demonstrations

Faculty in Social Sciences may request demonstrations, short trainings, or code-along sessions from Spark staff for Research Methods or Professional Skills courses.  We're happy to discuss any needs and have already developed trainings for Literature Review, Interviewing, Survey Development, Focus Groups, Data Visualization.  Email us at [email-masked] to discuss if there's a fit for your course.

CoLab

Research on research innovation (yes, it's very meta) points to a simple truth.  Being in the same physical space and able to informally interact significantly increases cross-disciplinary collaboration and discovery.  The Spark CoLab aims to be such a space.  It is a free, open co-working space for graduate students, research staff and faculty.  You can learn more on our website or stop by from 9 am - Noon or 1 pm - 4pm on Tuesday or Thursday for a tour and orientation.

SEAL

Some data is critical to addressing major research questions, but is also profoundly sensitive and must be secured.  SEAL is a high security data repository that allows approved researchers worldwide to access highly sensitive data securely.  Data owners can use it to engage researchers in using their datasets and researchers can access data that otherwise would not be available to them.

Learn more about SEAL at: https://seal.mcmaster.ca/

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.

For a full list of Brighter Spark Applied Research's services, visit: https://spark.mcmaster.ca/brighter-spark

Spark Collaborations

Help us profile your research, publications, job ads, opportunities, and upcoming events by sending them to: [email-masked] to be showcased in our following newsletter.

Statistics Canada: Upcoming Workshops

Workshop: How to Use Census Data

Description: Ideal for beginners, this workshop covers Census concepts, methodology, geography, and analysis using the 2021 Census data.

What You Will Learn:

Methodology and questionnaire content

Census Geographies

Census concepts and variables

Using Census Program website tools

Finding and using Census data on the Statistics Canada website

Format: Online, two-day workshop.

Target Audience: Introductory level.

Registration: English and French dates available in October. Register here.

Cost: $325 per learner

Workshop: Turning Statistics into Stories

Description: Learn to communicate data effectively by focusing on your audience and using statistics to tell compelling stories.

Emphasis:

What is a Data Story?

Constructing a Data Story

Elements of a Data Story

Packaging and presenting your Data Story

Target Audience: Introductory level.

Registration: English and French dates available from September to November. Register here.

Cost: $325 per learner

Sherman Centre for Digital Scholarship (SCDS) - Graduate Residency: Applications Open

The Sherman Centre for Digital Scholarship (SCDS) is at the forefront of empowering graduate students to explore digital scholarship through its Graduate Residency in Digital Scholarship. The program offers a unique opportunity for graduate students to advance their digital scholarship projects through expert consultation, research mentorship, skill sharing, comprehensive training opportunities, dynamic interdisciplinary collaboration, and a supportive digital scholarship community, making it an exceptional choice for those seeking to amplify their research impact and scholarly pursuits.

The residency has seen diverse representation from various programs across McMaster, including Global Health, Earth, Environment, and Society, Communication Studies and Media Arts, English and Cultural Studies, Medical Science, Engineering, Social Work, Neuroscience, and more!

Applications for the 2024-2025 residency cohort are now open until August 30, 2024.

Learn More about the Graduate Residency.

Learning Cohort on Indigenous Data Sovereignty: Fundamentals of OCAP® Training

The Fundamentals of OCAP® course introduces the importance of First Nations ownership, control, access, and possession of First Nations data. This online, self-guided course consists of six modules, each taking 30-50 minutes to complete, with participants having six months to finish. The 2024 Learning Cohort, facilitated by McMaster's AskResearch team, is an optional, asynchronous companion to the OCAP course. The course costs $500 before taxes, with a 30% discount for groups of 10 or more.

Looking to join a group? Contact Angela Di Nello at [email-masked]

Kudos

Let's 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 any features you would like us to mention by emailing us at: [email-masked].

Let's start off by giving a shout out to the 19 graduates from the Master of Public Policy in Digital Society Program at McMaster University, celebrated at the Spring 2024 Convocation. We are immensely proud of your hard work and dedication. We look forward to celebrating those currently completing co-ops at the Fall Convocation. Your achievements mark the beginning of impactful careers. Wishing you all the best in your future endeavors! Read more here

Congratulations to Dr. Atif A. Kubursi, celebrated for his 54 years at McMaster University. The Dr. Atif A. Kubursi Scholarship Symposium on May 3 highlighted his contributions to academia, education, and economics, culminating in the creation of a scholarship in his name. Funded by over 60 donors, the scholarship supports undergraduate students in economics or the Arts & Science Program. The event featured heartfelt remarks, a panel on sustainable development, and a keynote from Dr. Kubursi himself. Read more here

And a hearty kudos to Dr. Adrianne Xavier, an Assistant Professor in Indigenous Studies at McMaster, whose dedication to Indigenous knowledge and community engagement is truly inspiring. Joining McMaster in 2019, Dr. Xavier's work focuses on Indigenous food security, land connections, and rematriation. She has been honoured with the McMaster Indigenous Research Institute’s “Indigenous In-Community Scholar Fellowship” and the Petro Canada McMaster Young Innovator Award for 2021-22. Her courses, including Contemporary Indigenous Issues and Indigenous Food Sovereignty, offer invaluable insights into Indigenous ways of knowing. Learn more about her impactful work here.

Here's a shout out to the McMaster researchers who developed the Vote Compass UK app, a groundbreaking tool designed to assist UK voters in understanding how their views align with major political parties. The app, live since June 24, 2024, offers voters a clearer picture of the political landscape by comparing their views with party policies. Led by Joanna Massie and Clifton van der Linden from the Department of Political Science, this initiative highlights the critical role of factual information in democratic engagement. Their work through McMaster’s Digital Society Lab exemplifies the impactful intersection of digital technology and political science. Read more about this innovative project here!

Finally, let's hear it for the dedicated team from the Student Success Centre and Human Resources Services for organizing the successful 2024 Student Staff Development Conference. This event equipped student staff with essential professional skills through engaging activities, networking opportunities, and insightful panel discussions. The conference is a testament to McMaster's commitment to student development and career readiness, ensuring our students are prepared to succeed in the workforce. Well done to everyone involved! Read more about the event here.

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