York Region’s Innovation Clubhouse / Le centre de l’innovation de la région de York

By David Phipps, RIR-York

What do you do on a sunny Saturday? If you are an innovator or entrepreneur in York Region you would be playing in your innovation clubhouse, the Markham Convergence Centre. RIR-York was there.

Que faites-vous par un samedi après-midi ensoleillé? Si vous étiez un innovateur ou un entrepreneur de la région de York, vous seriez probablement présent à votre centre de l’innovation, le Markham Convergence Centre. RIR-York y était.

There are 14 Ontario Regional Innovation Centres, part of the Ontario Network of Excellence. York Region is proud to have ventureLAB. All of the Regional Innovation Centres have strong connections to universities, colleges and local businesses. ventureLAB is one of the few who welcome social innovation.

ResearchImpact-RéseauImpactRecherche (RIR), represented by RIR-York, exhibited at the September 24, 2011 Markham Convergence Centre (MCC) Open House. MCC is home to ventureLAB as well as Innovation York, York University’s industry outreach service, and other industry service providers such as the York Technology Alliance (YTA), Markham Small Business Centre and Markham Board of Trade. The Open House featured remarks by Robert Haché (Vice-President Research & Innovation, York University), Jeremy Laurin (CEO, ventureLAB), Bill Fisch (Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Regional Municipality of York) and Frank Scarpetti (Mayor, Town of Markham). Mike “Pinball” Clemons was on hand to talk about team work, collaboration and about finding the sweet spot. He observed that the MCC agencies demonstrated that character and education are required for innovation. He also talked about social services and community learning as important outcomes of innovation.

Working as a clubhouse the innovation organizations at the MCC practice knowledge mobilization every day. Through networking events similar to KM in the AM and York’s KMb Expo, both of which we have held at MCC, they broker relationships between industry, government, academic and community sectors so that innovators and entrepreneurs can collaborate and new products and social services.

Michael Johnny and David Phipps staffed the RIR booth at the MCC Open House. They spoke to companies, angel investors, Regional and municipal staff and politicians about York University’s KMb services. It is these KMb services that help produce social innovations like the Green Economy Centre and the PARC Heat Registry.

It was great to hear about York Region technology companies and the services provided to help them grow. It was also great for Pinball Clemons to stretch the concept of innovation to include collaboration and social outcomes. And among all of this energy York continues to put the social in innovation.

David Phipps and York’s KMb Unit named Canada’s biggest influencers

The following article appeared in York University’s YFile on September 28, 2011 and is reposted with permission.

David Phipps, director of York’s Research Services and Knowledge Exchange, has been named the most influential knowledge broker in Canada, according to a report by Knowledge Mobilization Works, a consulting and training company based in Ottawa.

The Canadian Knowledge Mobilization 100, a survey run by Knowledge Mobilization Works, asked respondents to rank the biggest influences of their knowledge mobilization practice. Phipps, who leads York’s Knowledge Mobilization Unit and ResearchImpact-RéseauImpactRecherche, Canada’s knowledge mobilization network, topped the list.

Left: David Phipps

Also mentioned among the top influencers in Canada were Peter Levesque (Knowledge Mobilization Works), Melanie Barwick (Hospital for Sick Children), Ben Levin (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education) and Gary Myers (KMbeing.com).  The survey collected responses from Jan. 5 to June 15, and results were released by Knowledge Mobilization Works on Monday

“Knowledge mobilization is a key element of York’s research outreach strategy,” said Robert Haché, York’s vice-president research & innovation. “Through David’s efforts and leadership, York’s excellent reputation as a leading knowledge mobilization university in Canada continues to be strengthened. This recognition by his peers is well deserved.”

York piloted institutional knowledge mobilization in 2005 under a grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Since then, York has grown its knowledge mobilization collaboration with the University of Victoria to include the other four ResearchImpact-RéseauImpactRecherche universities: Memorial University of Newfoundland & Labrador, Université du Québec à Montréal, University of Guelph and University of Saskatchewan. York also works closely with the United Way of York Region to deliver knowledge mobilization services to the York Region community, municipal and regional agencies.

Knowledge mobilization is a suite of services that connect university research and expertise to government and community agencies so that research can help these organizations make better informed decisions about public policy and social services. Knowledge mobilization is a process that results in social innovation.

A Summer of Summaries / Un été en résumés

David Phipps (RIR- York)

The ResearchSnapshot clear language research summary database holds 170 summaries. Thanks to a summer of writing at York University and collaborations with ResearchImpact-RéseauImpactRecherche universities and other knowledge mobilization organizations this number is poised to triple over the next few months.

La banque de résumés en langage claire ResearchSnapshot contient désormais 170 items. Grâce au travail estival de l’université de York, en collaboration avec des universités du RéseauImpactRecherche – ResearchImpact ainsi qu’avec d’autres organisations de mobilisation des connaissances, ce nombre est amené à tripler dans les prochains mois.

School has begun and it’s time not only to look forward to planning for another academic year of knowledge mobilization services but to also look back on the work of the summer. We held a very successful KMb Expo introducing social innovation, the outcome of the process of knowledge mobilization. We travelled to CUExpo, CAURA and Congress where the most frequently heard question was “how can my university join ResearchImpact-RéseauImpactRecherche?”  We started the KMb journal club. We got two papers accepted in peer reviewed journals and were invited to write a chapter in a forthcoming book.

And we wrote in clear language. A lot.  Last year, we published 28 new ResearchSnapshot clear language research summaries. This year summer we completed 44 summaries that will be posted in our online searchable database which already contains 170 ResearchSnapshot. In June, we committed to writing about social determinants of health. We are pleased that 21 of the 44 completed research summaries deal with issues related to social determinants of health, those social factors such as poverty, immigration, disability, education that contribute to health inequities. This collection will be a valuable resource for our recently awarded grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to undertake community based knowledge brokering for social determinants of health.

In addition, we have written clear language summaries of research from the University of Victoria and have collaborated with our York University KMb colleagues at the Homeless Hub to produce some of their research summaries in the ResearchSnapshot format. One example is the research produced in collaboration with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities that is summarized in the ResearchSnapshot “While home ownership has increased, more people are at risk of homelessness in the cities.”

Reaching Out on Climate Change: PICS Offers Online Climate Change Course / Tendre la main en matière de changements climatiques: PICS offre un cours en ligne sur les changements climatiques

Dale Anderson (RIR – University of Victoria)

The Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS) recently announced the launch of an innovative series of online climate change short courses for civil servants and British Columbians. Throwing the old-fashioned textbook approach out the window, “Climate Insights 101” uses a combination of animation, interviews and click-thrus to engage people on the basic concepts and findings of climate science research.

Le Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS) a récemment annoncé le lancement d’une série de brefs cours en ligne portant sur les changements climatiques. Innovante, cette série est conçue à l’attention des travailleurs du secteur public ainsi que des Britano-Colombiens. À mille lieues des traditionnels manuels, « Faits saillants sur le climat 101 » combine à la fois animation, interviews et annonces afin d’interagir avec les participants au sujet des concepts fondamentaux et des découvertes issus de la recherche en sciences du climat.

The Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS) recently announced the launch of an innovative series of online climate change short courses for civil servants and British Columbians. Throwing the old-fashioned textbook approach out the window, “Climate Insights 101” uses a combination of animation, interviews and click-thrus to engage people on the basic concepts and findings of climate science research. The first of four planned modules in the series is available online at www.pics.uvic.ca/insights. These courses, targeted for civil servants but available to anyone online, are the first of their kind.

PICS Executive Director Dr. Tom Pedersen says the courses provide a vital bridge between the scientific community and BC’s 26,000 civil servants who help inform and shape the province’s policies and planning. “People who don’t work in science are often intimidated by it, so these courses will go a long way towards demystifying the physics of the climate change we are seeing. It makes traditionally tough subject matter accessible as well as entertaining.”

Module One’s content has been provided by climate change experts Pedersen and Dr. Francis Zwiers, director of UVic’s Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change contributor. Environment Canada and the BC Ministry of Environment have also provided input.

Pedersen says the courses have a strong BC context but the global scope of the science makes it relevant to a wide audience. “I anticipate that schools, media and general society, as well as the target audience of people working in local government or ministries, will find the series invaluable for clarifying what is too often seen as a difficult or complicated issue.” Module Two (regional climate change and its impacts), Module Three (adaptation) and Module Rour (mitigation) are currently in production and are planned for release next year by PICS.

PICS is hosted and led by the University of Victoria in partnership with BC’s other research-intensive universities.

For more information and to take the course yourself, please see www.pics.uvic.ca/.

2011 York KMb Expo – Putting the Social In Innovation / L’Expo MdC 2011 de York – Mettre le social dans l’innovation

By Michael Johnny (RIR-York)

On June 15, York’s Knowledge Mobilization (KMb) Unit hosted its 5th Annual KMb Expo. Social Innovation was the central theme for the day, linking knowledge mobilization as a process that leads to social innovation.

Le 15 juin, l’Unité de mobilisation des connaissances (MdC) de York a été l’hôte de la 5e édition de l’Expo MdC. L’innovation sociale en était le thème central. On y a en effet expliqué de quelle façon la mobilisation des connaissances, en tant que processus, menait à l’innovation sociale.

For five years York’s KMb Unit has been creating relationships between York University and agencies in York Region and beyond. The outcomes of these relationships are social innovations that create new solutions to persistent social challenges. KMb Expo 2011 focused on these social innovations, which are the outcomes of the knowledge mobilization process. KMb Expo 2011 also looked to create the vision of how we can collaborate on a system of social innovation in York Region.

On Wednesday, June 15, 2011, approximately 100 university researchers, community leaders, community-based researchers, and government policy professionals gathered at the Markham Convergence Centre for networking, speakers, and workshops designed to introduce and inform people about the KMb Unit’s support of a broader social innovation agenda for York Region. There were five main components to the agenda:

1. Emerging Opportunities for Ontario’s Community Sector: Newmarket Councillor and Co-Chair of York Region’s Human Services Planning Board, John Taylor, introduced York Region’s ‘Making Ends Meet’ report, aimed to introduce residents to the Region’s priority items and blueprint for action to address human service priority issues. Among the notable points was a direct call to York University to partner to leverage its research capacity to help address the priority area of poverty reduction for York Region.
2. How University-Community Collaboration Produces Social Benefits: Two case studies were presented by community organization leaders, Valerie Ryan, CEO of Nottawasaga Futures, and Janice Chu, Director of Community Investments for the United Way of York Region. Each study highlighted KMb Unit involvement as a catalyst to support action-oriented change within their respective organizations.
3. Lunch Keynote: Stan Shapson and Daniele Zanotti spoke of the importance of social innovation for York Region and York University. Daniele announced Change Inc. as an incubator to promote and develop social innovation within York Region.
4. Networking Break: All attendees visited 8 exhibitor booths and had their Passport to Collaboration stamped with a chance to win a fabulous prize. The opportunity to network remains one of the most sought after goals by attendees of our Expos.
5. Optional Capacity Building Sessions: Attendees could opt in to attend one of the following sessions: Research 101, KMb 101, or Social Media 101. The opportunity to utilize KMb as a platform to build capacity for our community partners to engage in research and knowledge-based collaborations is an emerging priority.

The outcomes from the day were positive, with a high response of satisfaction with the agenda items.  The positive feedback for the Passport to Collabortion as an innovative networking solution was notable, as was the chance for people to hear actual stories of social innovation. Of course, we listen to all feedback and respect the desire people had for more interaction; our Expo is merely an introduction to dialogue on certain issues and topics.

Be sure to continue to follow our blog for news of new activities in the Fall and Winter months as well as for ongoing opportunities to engage with researchers, government, and community leaders on topics and priorities that are important to you. But you’re more than welcome to contact the KMb Unit directly to discuss any research or knowledge-based needs you may have. We’re a very social group here and happy to assist you!

Deux pas en avant pour la mobilisation des connaissances (MdC) à l’UQAM / Two Steps Forward for KMb at UQAM

Luc Dancause et Jérôme Elissalde (RIR – UQAM)

Au cours de la période 2010-2012, l’Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) accueille près de 200 nouveaux chercheurs. Dans une optique de mobilisation des connaissances, l’UQAM lance coup sur coup un nouveau site et un guide destinés à mieux soutenir les chercheurs dans leurs activités.

In 2011-2012, almost 200 new researchers will join UQAM. In an effort to provide more support to these newcomers regarding knowledge mobilization, UQAM is launching a new website and a researcher’s guide.

Profitant de l’effervescence de la période du retour en classe, l’équipe du Service de la recherche et de la création (SRC) de l’UQAM a présenté deux nouveaux outils qui s’avèreront fort utiles dans le futur. Dans un premier temps, le SRC a lancé son tout nouveau site web. Le contenu de ce dernier a été complètement restructuré et enrichi afin qu’il devienne et demeure un outil indispensable et convivial pour toute la communauté de recherche et de création de l’UQAM. Les chercheurs peuvent y trouver  l’ensemble des ressources et des informations dont ils ont besoin pour mener à bien leurs projets de recherche et de création.

Dans un deuxième temps, le SRC a lancé, en collaboration avec le Service des Partenariats et du Soutien à l’Innovation (SEPSI) la première version d’un guide intitulé « Guide de la recherche et de la création à l’UQAM : Outils et ressources pour mener à bien vos projets ». Ce document se veut un outil pour aider les chercheurs à se repérer parmi les services de soutien offerts à l’UQAM lors des différentes étapes du développement d’un projet de recherche et\ou de création, de la recherche initiale de financement à la gestion du projet, en passant par la  mobilisation des connaissances. Conçu à la base comme un document électronique, le guide est appelé à évoluer au gré des besoins des chercheurs et chercheures de l’UQAM.

Du point de vue de la mobilisation des connaissances, le lancement de ces deux produits permet à l’UQAM de rappeler que toute une gamme de services de soutien est déjà offerte à travers ses diverses composantes (facultés, services, etc.). Le Bureau du vice-recteur à la recherche et à la création a d’ailleurs mis en place un programme de soutien à la mobilisation des connaissances, regroupant des professionnels du SRC, du SePSI et du SAC afin de rendre cette offre plus accessible et de la bonifier.

Le programme de soutien à la mobilisation des connaissances de l’UQAM

• Services-conseils sur la valorisation des connaissances (diffusion, transfert, etc.)
• Identification d’opportunités (financement, partenariat, etc.)
• Soutien au développement de collaborations

Dans un prochain billet, nous aborderons les coulisses de la conception du Guide « Recherche et création à l’UQAM : Outils et ressources pour mener à bien vos projets » qui constitue en soi une intéressante expérience de mobilisation des connaissances à l’intérieur même d’une université.

Getting Back to Basics / Retour aux fondements

By David Phipps (RIR-York)

Inspired by a campfire and a few beers, David Phipps (RIR-York) reflects on Using Evidence and looks back to the future of knowledge mobilization.

Inspiré par un feu de camp et par quelques bières, David Phipps (RIR-York) réfléchit à l’utilisation des données probantes et jette un regard sur l’avenir de la mobilisation des connaissances.

I was camping this weekend. I have been camping with this same group of friends on this same weekend for years so rain or shine we go and have a great time.  We have a great time doing almost nothing for three days.  We sit around a fire.  We play games.  We get caught up with friends we don’t see too often. We read. And we have a couple of beers (okay, more than a couple).  This year it rained. Our tents were damp but nothing could dampen our spirits (thank you Bud Light Lime). Because it was raining, I took some time out to work on a book chapter we have been invited to write for an open access book titled Social Sciences and Humanities – Applications and Theories. Part of the chapter is, of course, a lit review so I have been revisiting some foundational KMb literature.  

After a lovely time with Sarah Morton and Sandra Nutley this summer (thank you Gary Myers, @kmbeing for your blog), I took some time this weekend and returned to Using Evidence that Sandra Nutley published in 2007 with her colleagues Isabel Walter and Huw Davies. I got back to KMb basics while getting back to the basics of living in a tent and cooking over a camp fire.

When I first read Using Evidence in 2007 York’s KMb Unit had been operating for one year.  We had just hired our second full time staff person and we had more KMb enthusiasm than KMb talent. In 2011, York is leading ResearchImpact-RéseauImpactRecherche, we have published on our work, spoken internationally and I have met Sandra twice and look forward to seeing her again as we both speak at the CRFR 10^th Anniversary National Conference in Edinburgh in November. It is interesting to revisit foundational literature like Using Evidence and see the literature through a lens of experience. I can now synthesize key messages and see the KMb forest where before I saw only a collection of KMb trees.

There are lots of key messages arising from Sandra’s book.  The three I take home after reflecting on our five years of KMb service are:

• KMb is a social process
• Efforts to enhance KMb need to be interactive and focus on the relationships between researchers and decision makers
• KMb happens at the level of the individual but future efforts will explore KMb at the level of the organization/system

There are two implications of these take home messages for York and RIR:

1. If KMb is a social process then social media tools should be able to contribute to the process of KMb
2. Systems level KMb need to use interactive methods to support individual KMb relationships

York and all the RIR universities are building KMb services at the institutional level to serve a system of researchers and their (primarily) local research receptor organizations. We have also frequently blogged about the role of social media in KMb (search the “social media” tag on Mobilize This!) and most recently on August 25. In our book chapter we will present some evidence we have collected about how we are using twitter to support a KMb community of practice for KMb stakeholders.

In 2007 we were learning the basics.  Four years later we return to the basics so we can look to the future.  Interactive relationships between researchers and decision makers are the foundation of KMb. In the future we will develop system level KMb supported by social media so that we can continue to build on the basics and better foster those interactive relationships.

Meet a Mobilizer – Monica Nunes / Faites la connaissance d’un agent de mobilisation – Monica Nunnes

ResearchImpact-RéseauImpactRecherche would like to extend a big KMb welcome to one of our newest knowledge brokers – Monica Nunes. Monica is working out of York University’s knowledge mobilization unit and is supporting researchers, young adults and community partners in Ontario and Manitoba.

ResearchImpact-RéseauImpactRecherche aimerait souhaiter la plus cordiale des bienvenues à une nouvelle venue parmi les courtiers de connaissances, Monica Nunnes. Monica travaille à partir de l’Unité de mobilisation des connaissances de l’Université York et offre un soutien aux chercheurs, aux jeunes adultes ainsi qu’aux partenaires communautaires de l’Ontario et du Manitoba.

Hello! My name is Monica Nunes and I am the current project coordinator for Mobilizing Minds: Pathways to Young Adult Mental Health, a young adult mental health research project led by young adults, community organizations, researchers, and health professionals. Together we are working to develop resources to assist young adults, and those who support them, in making informed decisions about stress, anxiety and depression. The process of knowledge mobilization - getting the right information to the right people (in our case young adults) in the right format and at the right time to inform decisions – directs our work. And, by having young adults inform and guide all stages of our project, youth engagement anchors how we get that work done.

I am happy to be part of the Mobilizing Minds team, filling in for Jenn McPhee who is busy being a mom (again!). Although I am a relatively new member to this project, I feel very fortunate to be a part of the Mobilizing Minds team. Anyone who has interacted with this team has met a group of dedicated, passionate and hardworking people who have accomplished much in the few years of the project’s existence.

However, one aspect of my involvement with Mobilizing Minds that is quite inspiring for me is how I am regularly being connected to a broader societal movement that is emerging across sectors in Canada. Specifically, the movement that I am referring to encompasses the burgeoning involvement of individuals and communities in activities that understand and respond to mental health in new, progressive and ultimately more just ways.

Indeed, recent actions by diverse groups ranging from governments to high school students to corporations are driving positive social change in the area of mental health. By initiating awareness campaigns, drafting policy frameworks, developing community programs, and forming unique partnerships many are creating opportunities to promote better mental health.  And, as Mobilizing Minds conducts research to produce tools to help young adults make decisions around their mental health, I am also able to count myself a participant of this positive movement.

Certainly, there is still work to be done in the areas of mental health & addictions. Many young adults still face barriers to support stemming from stigma and health system gaps. However, the momentum that individuals and communities are spurring to promote this new ‘mental health movement’ holds robust promise for improvements. These possibilities inspire me.

And speaking of inspiration, outside of work, other things that inspire me include: spending time with my Vóvó and Vôvô (Portuguese for Grandma and Grandpa), biking through Toronto, and ice cream.