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Announcements, events, and other news from Spark

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August 1st 2024

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

Centre News

Spark Connections Newsletter: Celebrating Spark’s Achievements in 2023-2024

As we close the chapter on another exciting year, we’re thrilled to share the highlights and milestones from our 2023-2024 Annual Report. This year has been a whirlwind of activity, growth, and innovation at Spark: A Centre for Social Research Innovation. Here’s a look at some of our proudest achievements and how we continue to ignite the flame of social research excellence.

Advancing Research Excellence

At Spark, our mission is to connect researchers with the resources, skills, and tools they need to stand at the forefront of social research innovation. This year, we co-hosted the “Reproducibility/Replication Games” workshop with the Canadian Research Data Centre Network and the Institute for Replication. This two-part event in June 2023 provided valuable insights into creating and disseminating reproducible quantitative social science works.

Our weekly Spark Talks continued to draw significant interest, featuring global researchers who shared their innovative methods and findings. With topics ranging from duo ethnography to the use of large language models, these sessions have enriched our understanding and application of social research methodologies.

Empowering Through Education

Education remains at the heart of Spark. Our short course on “Impact Evaluation,” led by Paul Bakker, was a hit this fall, equipping participants with the tools to measure and assess the lasting impacts of various initiatives.

Additionally, our Data Champions Project, funded through a SSHRC Connections RDM Grant, supported graduate students in implementing best practices in research data management. These initiatives underscore our commitment to fostering a culture of continuous learning and practical application.

Expanding Research Support

Our Research Conversations service has been a beacon of support for faculty, students, and community researchers, providing expert advice and coaching on various research projects. This year, we held conversations with over two dozen researchers, helping them refine their questions, navigate research barriers, and connect with the right tools and resources.

We’ve also enhanced our facilities to better serve our community. The newly upgraded Qualitative Suite and Secure Empirical Analysis Lab (SEAL) now offer even more robust and secure environments for conducting sensitive and high-impact research. These spaces have been pivotal in supporting 15 active projects this year, including collaborations with prestigious institutions worldwide.

Strengthening Community Connections

Our Brighter Spark Applied Research (BSAR) team has been hard at work, partnering with local and regional organizations to deliver impactful research and evaluation services. From working with Cochrane Canada to collaborating with Hamilton Community Foundation, our applied research efforts are making a tangible difference in our community.

Communication and Engagement

This year, we launched our new website, designed to be an accessible and visually appealing hub of information. The new site features dedicated pages for Spark events, training, and services, making it easier than ever to find the resources you need. Our Research Toolkits offer curated collections of the best online resources, including videos, blog posts, books, and articles, grouped into seven comprehensive toolkits to support various research methods. We're thrilled to provide a user-friendly platform that enhances the way we communicate and engage with our community.

Our bi-weekly newsletter, Spark Connections, has continued to grow, now reaching over 500 subscribers with a readership between 2000-3000 per issue. Through social media, we’ve engaged with a broader audience, sharing updates and resources that support our mission.

Celebrating Key Events

We hosted our annual Open House Event in September, offering networking opportunities, tours of our facilities, and insights into our latest research. Our participation in the first annual Community-Engaged Research Day in March highlighted our commitment to fostering community partnerships and exploring new research opportunities.

Honouring Our Team

None of these achievements would be possible without the dedication and expertise of our incredible team. This year, we’ve seen significant contributions from our staff, including Lynn Holland’s guidance of our Administrative Team and Lily Wang’s strategic growth of SEAL.

Looking Ahead

As we celebrate these accomplishments, we’re already gearing up for another year of innovation and growth. We’re excited to continue our journey, expanding our educational offerings, research support, and community partnerships. In 2024-2025, we’ll undergo our first external five-year review, providing an opportunity to reflect on our progress and plan for the future.

Thank you for being a part of our vibrant research community. Your support and collaboration are what make Spark a beacon of social research innovation. Here’s to another year of breakthroughs, discoveries, and building a brighter world together.

If you’d like to dive deeper into our achievements and plans, you can read the full 2023-2024 Annual Report on our website.

Warm regards,

The Spark Team

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.

Upcoming Funding Opportunity: SSHRC Partnership Engage Grants

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) is now accepting applications for the Partnership Engage Grants September competition. These grants provide short-term support for partnered research activities that will inform decision-making at a single partner organization from the public, private, or not-for-profit sector.

Key Dates:

Intent to Apply: As soon as possible

Draft Application Due: August 26, 2024 (9am)

Final Application Due: September 9, 2024 (9am)

Sponsor Deadline: September 15, 2024

These grants are valued at $7,000 to $25,000 over one year and offer unique opportunities for partnered research. For more details and to apply, visit the Partnership Engage Grants Funding Opportunity.

For further assistance, contact Amanda Graveline, Senior Advisor, Development, ROADS, at [email-masked].

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]

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

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 Geraldina Polanco, assistant professor in the Department of Sociology, for being awarded the Global Scholar-in-Community Award. Her exceptional work on the reintegration experiences of migrants deported from the U.S. back to El Salvador is truly commendable. Geraldina’s dedication to community-led research and her partnership with CIMITRA highlight her commitment to making a tangible impact on the welfare of returnees. Read more here.

Congratulations to Jessica Maxwell on her appointment as Acting Director of the Social Psychology Program at McMaster University. Jessica's pioneering research on the psychology of sex and romantic relationships, along with her commitment to student success and innovative teaching methods, continues to make a significant impact. Read more here.

And a hearty kudos to Giles Spence-Morrow for joining the Faculty of Social Sciences as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology. Giles brings a wealth of experience from his postdoctoral research at Vanderbilt University and a rich academic background in Anthropological Archaeology. We are excited to see the innovative courses and research projects he will develop at McMaster. Read more here.

And another welcome to Rachel Weldrick joining the Faculty of Social Sciences as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health, Aging and Society. Rachel brings a wealth of experience in social gerontology, with a focus on social isolation and housing insecurity among older adults. We look forward to the exciting contributions she will bring to McMaster. Read more here.

Let's also welcome Rochelle Maurice to the Faculty of Social Sciences as an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work. Rochelle brings a wealth of experience in healthcare ethics and social work, with a focus on Black maternal and reproductive health. We are excited to see the impactful contributions she will bring to McMaster. Read more here.

Kudos to Peter Graefe who's taken the helm as the new Chair of the Department of Political Science. With a rich background in political economy analysis and a keen interest in social policies, Peter has been an integral part of McMaster since 2002. His dedication to understanding poverty politics and federal-provincial relations, alongside his engagement with local social assistance and poverty issues, underscores his commitment to impactful research and community involvement. Read more here.

Finally, congratulations to Rachel Zhou on her new role as the Director of the MA in Globalization. Rachel's extensive research in globalization, immigration, and global health, coupled with her interdisciplinary teaching experience, promises to bring innovative perspectives to the program. Her current SSHRC-funded project and past work highlight her commitment to exploring urgent global issues. Read more here.

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