SMRTS Seminars Program
The SMRTS (Sharing Multi-network Resources for Trainee Success) Seminars Program is a professional development initiative between 13 research institute, national and provincial networks aimed at providing the best possible programming to our respective trainees.
Each month, we will offer our trainees access to a wide range of soft skills programming through a live-streamed webinar or event. For further information about specific webinars, please contact the host network as listed below.
UPCOMING SEMINARS
Wednesday 27 May, 2020 1:00-2:00pm ET
“What I wish I knew: a chat with researchers, patent experts, and entrepreneurs”
Panelists:
- David Vocadlo: Professor, Simon Fraser University; CSO, Alectos Therapeutics
- Kaley Wilson: Director of Business Development, Quark Venture
- Stephanie White: Partners, Kirby Canada
Research discoveries and technology developed from the laboratories can lead to commercialization and bring your creations to life. However, lots of considerations and efforts take place along the way, including protecting your ideas while still being able to discuss your work in a science conference, or finding the balance between sharing too little and too much about potentially commercializable innovations. In this panel discussion, panelists including researchers, entrepreneurs, and patent experts will share their experiences and stories about their different routes of research innovation, IP protection, technology commercialization, as well as their failures and successes.
Tuesday 2 June, 2020 3:00-4:15pm ET
“EPIC Conference Workshop: Pause, Pivot, Perish: Academic Research in the Time of COVID-19”
Panelists: Dr. Cosmin Munteanu (University of Toronto), Dr. Jennifer Campos (University of Toronto/UHN), Dr. Josephine McMurray (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Many of us are in the midst of collecting, or poised to collect, data for research plans that have been months, if not years, in the making. These plans have been thoroughly vetted and approved by our supervisors, ethics boards, and funding bodies.
Then came COVID-19. And everything screeched to a halt.
Join us for an interactive discussion of the research challenges faced by those conducting non-pandemic research during the time of COVID-19. Can you pause or pivot? Or will your research plans perish on the rocks of the global pandemic? We will discuss our challenges and the brainstorm options to help you stay on course for that critical paper or thesis.
Hosted by AGE-WELL NCE
Tuesday 9 June, 2020 3:00-4:30pm ET
“EPIC Conference Workshop: The Design Scavenger Hunt”
Facilitators: Dr. Daniel Southwick (UHN) and Dr. Gabby Resch (Ryerson University)
Join us for a guided workshop on using cooperative methods to incorporate stakeholder expertise into the design process. This is an introductory workshop and no prior design or prototyping experience is required. Attendees will be introduced to existing technologies and interventions and will explore the problem space it addresses. An interactive workshop, the attendees will then be prompted to find related technological interventions and delve deeper into its relationship with the problem space, stakeholders, and other interventions. Using this as a starting point, attendees will then breakout into smaller groups to design, and present, alternative interventions.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Attendees will be made aware of, and discuss, the key challenges associated with engaging with stakeholders
2. Attendees will learn various methods for incorporating stakeholder expertise into the design process
3. Attendees will be introduce to cooperative design as a method to increase the impact of stakeholder expertise when designing interventions
Participants are asked to come prepared with several sheets of paper and a pen/pencil.
Hosted by AGE-WELL NCE
Tuesday 16 June, 2020 3:00-4:00pm ET
“EPIC Conference Panel: Communicating your Research in the 21st Century”
Speakers: Megan Mueller, York University, Elise Johnson, Paperwhite, & Julia Krolik, Art the Science & Pixels and Plans
You know your work is important. Your supervisor, your colleagues, and other trainees know it too. But how do you present your research to those outside of academia? How do you communicate your work and its impact to other audiences, including your stakeholders? Join us for 3 short talks that highlight some key ideas, principles, and techniques for trainees – for all in academia! – to consider when communicating their research through with journalists, through social media, and beyond. Each presentation will be followed with Q&A.
Hosted by AGE-WELL NCE
Tuesday 23 June, 2020 3:00-4:00pm ET
“EPIC Conference Workshop: How to get a job you want”
Speaker: Dr. Jennifer Polk, From PhD To Life
How can you get a job you actually want to do? Participate in this interactive workshop to learn how to determine the kind of work that suits you so you can better target your career exploration and job search activities. Topics include identifying your values and strengths, understanding your experience and skills, and coming up with a strategy for moving forward that makes the most sense for you and your goals.
Hosted by AGE-WELL NCE
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PAST SEMINARS
2020 Webinars
- “Knowledge Mobilization and YOU,” Sheryl Guloy, PhD (Canadian Sleep and Circadian Network)
- “An Assistant Professor’s Guide to Writing a Scientific Review Paper,” Dr. Lee-Hwa Tai (BioCanRx NCE)
- “The Role of the Project Manager in Research,” Robyn Roscoe, Lyric Management (MEOPAR NCE)
- “Living Through and Coping with Stressful Times: A Session For Graduate Students” Dr. David Pilon, Dalhousie Student Health and Wellness (MEOPAR NCE)
- “Illustrating Your Research: How to Make an Effective Scientific Figure” Sarah Nersesian, Founder and Scientific Illustrator at Designs that Cell (BioCanRx)
2019 Webinars
- “The role of evaluation: Selling an intervention in a marketplace of interventions” Daniel Dutton, Dalhousie University (AGE-WELL NCE)
- “Infographic Toolkit for Researchers”, Julia Krolik, Art the Science (AllerGen NCE)
- “Building a Culture of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Science: Tips, Tools and Strategies,” Imogen Coe, Ryerson University (GlycoNet NCE)
- “Practical Project Management“, Samantha Sandassie, AGE-WELL NCE, (BioCanRx NCE)
- “LinkedIn for Scientists”, Krista Lamb (OIRM)
- “Spreading Your Ideas – How and Why Researchers Are Talking Like TED”, Sabrina Sassi and Sheryl Guloy (CSCN)
- “Hands on with Intellectual Property – Understanding how to Leverage IP rights to Protect New Technologies,” Isi Caulder, Bereskin & Parr LLP (AGE-WELL NCE)
2018 Webinars
- “Pitching and Presenting with Style,” Sylviane Duval, OpenTheBox, (MEOPAR NCE)
- “Choices and Opportunities for Academic & ‘Academia Adjacent’ Careers,” Allison Brennan & Leslie Grad (KBHN)
- “Social Media: Building Your Personal Brand,” Kate Headley, MsCommuniKate Public Relations (MEOPAR NCE)
- “Taking Good Business Ideas out of the Lab: Commercializing Your Research” (GlycoNet)
- “Navigating Academic Scholarship,” Amber Hastings-Truelove (CFN NCE)
- “The ABCs of Media Interviews,” Margaret Polanyi (Senior Communications Manager, AGE-WELL NCE)
- “Experimental Design and Reporting” (BioCanRx)
- “Write the Right Grant” Dr. Parminder Raina, (McMaster University)
2017 Webinars
- “Moving Research to Policy: Practical Approaches for Researchers to Inform Policy Development,” Dr. Jennifer Zwicker (University of Calgary) & Dr. Keiko Shikako-Thomas (McGill University)
- “Media Relations- How to Get Your Story Into the Press,” Lisa Willemse (Senior Communications Advisor, OIRM)
- “Understanding Patents in the Academic Environment,” Lisa Sim (Miller Thomson LLP)
- “Grantsmanship: An Exercise in Strategy,” Dr. Jennifer Quizi (Ottawa Hospital Research Institute)
- “Building Success Through Networking and Interview Skills,” Guang Ying Mo, PhD.
2016 Webinars
- “Reverse Innovation: A Case Study,” Dr. Matt Ratto (University of Toronto)
- “Communicating in Plain Language,” Sylviane Duval (Independent Consultant)
The SMRTS Program is a collaborative effort between the following networks:
