Workshops
ORIS Seminars and Workshops
ORIS provides the University of Lethbridge research community with top-notch support required to achieve excellence in research and scholarship. The Grants Facilitators assist researchers with developing, reviewing, and administering successful grant proposals. These sessions are for faculty members, PDFs, and students (all levels) interested in learning more about funding opportunity processes, strategies, and resources to support grant development and innovation.
Graduate students can have all ORIS seminars/workshops recorded and validated to their MyExperience Transcript. For more information about transcripts or to have an experience validated, please reach out to the administrator via my.experience@uleth.ca.
"Help us help you": attract, receive, and manage quality funding opportunities.
Are you an early career researcher?
By participating in our workshop series, you could be eligible for a seed grant to launch/develop your research program. Contact the grant facilitator for your discipline to learn more.
Seminar Series
All seminars will be held in person at AH 177 from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm, and recordings will be posted on our website for those who cannot attend.
Panel Discussion with the Tri-Agency LeadersWhen: May 16 Panelists: Trushar Patel (NSERC), Jennifer Copeland (CIHR), David Slomp (SSRHC) Moderator: Jackie Rice (Associate VPR) |
Partnership Grants and Intellectual PropertyWhen: May 23 Presenters: Brandie Lea, Hannah Scott (Mitacs) Applied Research is all the rage – all the cool kids are doing it! Join us to learn how you can be a cool kid and work with industry partners to bring in more cash for your research portfolios and increase the reach of your research beyond academia. Hannah and Brandie have great connections and insights on how to bring you a bit more bang with your bucks. |
Human & Animal Ethics Requirements and ProcessesWhen: May 31 Presenters: Danika Dorchak, Haley Dennis Securing ethics approval is an important part of research, whether working with animals or humans. Meet with Danika and Haley to learn what the ethics process looks like on campus, and how we can help to make this part of your research journey as easy as possible while still keeping the welfare of research participants at the forefront. |
This series is open to all Faculty members and their research teams, including undergraduate students, graduate students, postdocs, and research associates. Both seminars will be held in person at AH100 and recordings will be posted on our website for those who cannot attend.
Research Data Management: An IntroductionWhen: Wed, Jun 14, 2023 |1:00 pm to 2:00 pm Presenters: Emma Scott & Sandra Cowan, UofL Librarians This seminar is part of the Navigating Research Data Management (RDM) series. Join librarians as they introduce researchers to the information, tools, and resources that will prepare them for the emerging RDM landscape in Canada. The release of the Tri-Agency RDM Policy places new demands on researchers around the planning and use of research data. Many funding agencies now require a data management plan as part of their grant application. Researchers will learn what a data management plan is, the considerations when creating one, and how to incorporate research data management in their grant applications. |
Research Data Management: Make Your Data FAIRWhen: Tue, Jun 27, 2023 | 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm Presenters: Nicole Eva & Sandra Cowan, UofL Librarians This seminar is part of the Navigating Research Data Management (RDM) series. Given the current movement toward open data and open science, librarians will introduce the ‘FAIR Guiding Principles for scientific data management and stewardship’ — guidelines for improving the Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reuse of research data. This session will also cover the CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance. |
This seminar is open to all Faculty members and their research teams, including undergraduate students, graduate students, postdocs, and research associates. It will be held in person at AH100, and the recording will be posted on our website for those who cannot attend. When: July 19, 2023 | 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm Presenters: Emma Scott & Nicole Eva, UofL Librarians In this session, researchers will learn about the various considerations involved in publishing their work. Librarians will provide an overview of Open Access (OA) publishing, including types of OA policies and resources for evaluating publishers and journals. The workshop will also cover costs, resources, guidelines, and tips highlighting the essentials of publishing your work, with a focus on OA publication – to meet grant requirements, boost your citations, promote your research, and more equitably share information. |
This workshop is for all researchers including faculty members, postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduate students. It will be held in-person at AH100, and the recording will be posted on our website for those who cannot attend.
When: September 28, 2023 | 10:00 am to 11:00 am
Presenter: Martha Mathurin-Moe (Vice Provost, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion)
Building Inclusive Excellence in research is a critical part of diversifying and enhancing the research ecosystem. It is really important that Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (EDIB) are valued as a critical component that fosters innovation and strengthens research outcomes. In this session, participants will explore practical approaches to effectively embedding Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (EDIB) throughout the research process as well as addressing any misconceptions about using EDIB in the research process.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Understand key concepts and definitions of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Decolonization.
2. To understand and address the misconceptions of EDIB in the research process.
3. To develop practical approaches and tools to embed EDIB into all aspects of the research process.
*Light refreshments will be provided.
This workshop is for faculty who are interested in learning more about how to open, access, manage, and close their research funds. It may cover topics such as the types of funds, subawards, eligible spending, over-expenditures, extensions, transfers, tri-agency renewal, and reporting, as well as addressing some frequently asked questions. This workshop will be held in-person at AH100, and the recording will be posted on our website for those who cannot attend.
When: October 20, 2023 | 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Presenters: Mark Sera & Gabe Krywolt, UofL Financial Services
*Light refreshments will be provided.
This workshop is for researchers who are interested in learning more about the benefits of public engagement:
- Public engagement activities and opportunities
- Guidelines and approaches for communicating research impact to the public
- Knowledge translation including the use of lay-language
- Institutional support/policy related to research communication
This workshop will be held in-person at AH100, and the recording will be posted on our website for those who cannot attend.
When: November 9, 2023 | 10:00 am to 11:00 am
Presenter: Trevor Kenney, UofL News & Information Manager
*Light refreshments will be provided.
Improve your next grant application by learning about elements of effective figure design! Whether it is a grant application, presentation or manuscript, you have limited space to explain your science. Figures that are clear, intuitive and robust to misinterpretation are essential for success in any research area (NSERC, CIHR, or SSHRC). This workshop will provide you with resources and considerations for creating great data figures, schematics (grant-at-a-glance) diagrams, Gantt charts, and other types of figures.
How to register: For this workshop, SPACES ARE LIMITED AND REGISTRATION IS MANDATORY! Please fill out this form to express interest, and you will receive an email confirming your spot (if available) or notifying you that you are on the waitlist. Room number will be communicated to attendees after registration. Please email Haley Dennis (h.dennis@uleth.ca) if you have questions about spaces or the waitlist.
When: January 10, 2024 | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Treit (click to learn more about the presenter)
*Light refreshments will be provided.
This workshop is for all faculty members (particularly ECRs), postdocs, and graduate students interested in learning effective strategies for grant development. It will be held in-person at AH100, and the recording will be posted on our website for those who cannot attend.
When: January 25, 2024 | 9:00 am to 10:30 am
Presenters: Lars Hallstrom, PhD (Professor of Political Science) & Cheryl Currie, PhD (Associate Professor of Public Health)
- Lars Hallstrom is the Director of the Prentice Institute for Global Population and Economy, and a recipient of over 100 research, knowledge mobilization, infrastructure and collaborative grants.
- Cheryl Currie is the Director of the Social Epidemiology in Action Lab in the Faculty of Health Sciences, and she has a record of successful internal, provincial and national grant applications (City of Lethbridge, CIHR, Alberta Innovates, etc.).
*Light refreshments will be provided.
This workshop is for all faculty members (particularly ECRs), postdocs, and graduate students interested in learning about funding opportunities with Mitacs, Alberta Innovates (AI), and/or the National Research Council of Canada (NRC). It will be held in-person on campus in AH100, and the recording will be posted on our website for those who cannot attend.
When: February 14, 2024 | 9:00 am to 11:00 am
Presenters: Hannah Scott (Mitacs), Nicole Daub (NRC), Calvin Koskowich (NRC), and Brandy Old (Alberta Innovates)
*Light refreshments will be provided.
This workshop is for all faculty members (particularly ECRs), postdocs, and graduate students interested in learning about how to integrate Knowledge Translation into their grants. It will be held in-person on campus in AH100, and the recording will be posted on our website for those who cannot attend.
When: March 15, 2024 | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Presenters: Candace Ramjohn and Gabrielle Zimmermann from AbSPORU
Learning objectives for the workshop:
- To understand what knowledge translation (KT) and integrated knowledge translation (iKT) are, and why they are significant
- To discover the key steps in identifying and engaging the knowledge users, and where to begin when creating an engagement plan
- To explore what end-of-grant knowledge translation is, identify why it is significant, and assess how it differs from integrated knowledge translation (iKT)
*Light refreshments will be provided.
This presentation is open to all (in particular, faculty, research staff & graduate students) who are interested in learning more about what API has to offer.
This presentation will be held in-person on campus in SA6008 and will highlight more information about API, its history, the organizational strengths, client case studies that API has engaged in (non-confidential), API's programs, training opportunities, collaboration opportunities, and more.
When: April 22, 2024 |11:30 am to 12:30 pm
Presenter: Paramita Chaudhuri Basu, PhD MBA | Director, Programs & Ecosystem Development
This workshop is for all faculty members (particularly ECRs), postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduate students involved in human participant research. It will be held in-person on campus in AH100, and the recording will be posted on our website for those who cannot attend.
When: April 24, 2024 | 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Presenters: Kim Kordov (Director) and Charmaine Kabatoff (Senior Officer) from the UAlberta Research Ethics Office
Background: Here at ULethbridge, our current designated Board of Record for Human Research Ethics approvals is the UAlberta Research Ethics Board, and UAlberta uses the online ARISE system to track and record human research ethics applications. Kim Kordov (Director) and Charmaine Kabatoff (Senior Officer) from the UAlberta Research Ethics Office will be coming in-person to ULethbridge to give a presentation on human research ethics and the ARISE system, as well as to answer any questions from our faculty members, staff, post-doctoral fellows, graduate students, or undergraduate students.
Agenda:
- 9:30-10:15 am: The Complete Guide to ARISE
- Tutorial for the online ARISE ethics system, overview of common pitfalls, and answers to researchers' questions about ARISE
- 10:15-10:30 am: Break
- 10:30-11:15 am: Mastering Human Research Ethics
- Brief overview of the TCPS2-2022 core principles, overview of common pitfalls in human research ethics, suggestions for consideration when designing a research project involving human participants
- 11:15-11:45 am: Break (and additional time for Q&A related to human research ethics)
- 11:45-12:30 pm: Light lunch provided
*Light refreshments will be provided throughout.
Staff from the NSERC Pacific and Prairies Regional Office will present a virtual session to provide an overview the NSERC Alliance grants program. Learn how Alliance grants support research in the natural sciences and engineering through collaborations that generate new knowledge and apply results for the benefit of Canadians. This workshop is for all interested faculty members (particularly ECRs), postdocs, and graduate students.
This session will focus on:
- Alliance Advantage: Alliance Advantage grants are for partner-driven projects. They fund projects focused on the partners’ goals, with at least one partner organization sharing in the costs of research.
- Alliance Society: Alliance Society grants to fund projects with societal impact as the main driver. They draw on the relevant perspectives and skill sets of active participants that help accelerate the translation and application of research results.
The NSERC presentation will be followed by a Q&A session.
When: May 7, 2024 | 10:00 am to 11:30 am
Presenter: NSERC Staff
Where: Virtual (contact Esther Ekpe Adewuyi [esther.ekpeadewuyi@uleth.ca] for the Zoom link)
The Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) is a global initiative that recognizes the need to improve the ways in which researchers and the outputs of scholarly research are evaluated. Major Canadian funders such as NSERC, CIHR, SSHRC, CFI, and Genome Canada have signed DORA. So, what does this mean for the researcher? This session will introduce DORA, outline its recommendations, and discuss how it applies to researchers. Researchers will be introduced to ways of documenting both the qualitative and quantitative evidence of their research impact particularly in funding applications.
This workshop is for all faculty members (particularly ECRs), postdocs, and graduate students. The recording will be posted on our website for those who cannot attend.
When: May 22, 2024 | 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Presenter: Stephanie Haustein
Where: Virtual (contact Haley Dennis [h.dennis@uleth.ca ] for the Zoom link)
Join our librarians as they introduce researchers to the information, tools, and resources that will prepare them for the emerging RDM landscape in Canada. The release of the Tri-Agency RDM Policy places new demands on researchers around the planning and use of research data. Many funding agencies now require a data management plan as part of their grant application. Researchers will learn what a data management plan is, the considerations when creating one, and how to incorporate research data management in their grant applications.
This workshop is for all faculty members (particularly ECRs), postdocs, and graduate students, and it will be held in-person on campus in AH100. The recording will be posted on our website for those who cannot attend.
When: June 5, 2024 | 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Presenter: Librarians from ULethbridge
*Light refreshments will be provided.
This workshop is for all faculty members (particularly ECRs), postdocs, and graduate students interested in seeing examples of successful grant applications, getting some demystifying of how to transform creative language into grant language, and discussing projects for which they might apply for funding. It will be held in-person on campus in room SA8003, and the recording will be posted on our website for those who cannot attend.
When: June 14, 2024 | 9:30 am to 11:00 am
Presenters: Heather Davis-Fisch (Dean of Fine Arts) and Campbell Peat (ORIS Grant Facilitator for Social Sciences, Humanities, and Fine Arts)
*Light refreshments will be provided.
In the second part of our RDM series, librarians will introduce researchers to safe and secure methods of data depositing. This session will cover a number of repository options, and give a more in depth introduction on how to use Borealis, the Canadian Dataverse Repository. Researchers will learn what “open data” means in the Canadian funding context and how to apply those principles to their data management plans.
This workshop is for all faculty members (particularly ECRs), postdocs, and graduate students, and it will be held in-person on campus in AH100. The recording will be posted on our website for those who cannot attend.
When: July 10, 2024 | 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Presenter: Librarians from ULethbridge
*Light refreshments will be provided.
This workshop will provide guidance on navigating the SSHRC Insight Grant application process. Whether you are an emerging or established scholar seeking to refine your skills, this workshop will help you:
- Understand Insight Grant evaluation criteria.
- Develop comprehensive knowledge mobilization plans that target both the public and experts.
- Craft grant proposals that speak to multidisciplinary adjudication committees.
- Create informative and comprehensive budget justifications.
- Learn project management skills that will strengthen your proposal and timeline.
Everyone is welcome to attend. While this workshop will focus on applying to the SSHRC Insight Grant competition, we will discuss skills and strategies that will help all grant writers.
When: August 1, 2024 | 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm
Where: AH100 or on Zoom - contact Campbell Peat for the link (campbell.peat2@uleth.ca)
Presenter: Campbell Peat (ORIS Grant Facilitator for Social Sciences, Humanities, and Fine Arts)
*Light refreshments will be provided.
In this session, researchers will learn about the various considerations involved in publishing their work. Librarians will provide an overview of Open Access (OA) publishing, including types of OA policies and resources for evaluating publishers and journals. The workshop will also cover costs, resources, guidelines, and tips highlighting the essentials of publishing your work, with a focus on OA publication – to meet grant requirements, boost your citations, promote your research, and more equitably share information.
This workshop is for all faculty members (particularly ECRs), postdocs, and graduate students, and it will be held in-person on campus in AH100. The recording will be posted on our website for those who cannot attend.
When: August 7, 2024 | 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Presenter: Librarians from ULethbridge
*Light refreshments will be provided.
Background:
- In December 2023, Canada joined the ranks of associate countries for Horizon Europe, the world's largest program to support international innovation and research projects, with a budget of nearly EUR 100 billion over seven years. This partnership opens doors for Canadian researchers, SMEs, and innovators to collaborate on groundbreaking projects tackling global challenges.
- Horizon Europe is a framework program and the projects supported are typically of an applied nature leading to innovative solutions for societal, technological, and economic challenges. Beyond the financial benefits, the program also offers unique opportunities for international partnership building and enhanced engagement in global innovation and research networks
The session will:
- provide participants with an overview of the program, its structure and processes, and key characteristics that distinguish it from other research funding programs.
- give some recommendations for the University of Lethbridge to build an infrastructure that can assist its researchers with successfully participating in the program.
Presenter: Britta Baron, President and CEO, European Canadian Centre for Innovation and Research. She is the former Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President (International) at Western University.
Audience: Faculty, research associates, postdoctoral fellows, PhD students, SMEs, and Innovators
Date: September 9, 2024
Time: 9:30-11:00 am
*Light refreshments will be provided.
Staff from Public Safety’s Research Security Centre will be joining us at the University to facilitate a 90-minute session on Safeguarding Science to raise awareness about research security-related issues.
Objectives: The primary objective of this workshop is to explain the potential for misuse of dual-use research, technology, and materials, along with possible risk indicators and mitigation tools to protect Canadian research assets.
Audience: The workshop is intended for researchers, research staff (including technicians, postdoctoral fellows, and students), research security professionals, research administrators, information technology and information management staff, security personnel, biosafety and radiological safety officers, human resources personnel, supply chain personnel, and senior management.
Disciplines:
Health and Life Sciences
Social Sciences and Humanities
Natural Sciences and Engineering
Date: September 18, 2024 | 10:00 to 11:30 am
Presenter: Erin Dorgan, Regional Advisor (Prairies), Public Safety Canada
Venue: SA9008
*Light refreshments will be provided.
Dr. Marc Roussel, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, is hosting a series of lunch-time discussions for graduate supervisors. These sessions will be informal offerings for ALL supervisors to hear or share tips, tricks, and best practices on various topics relating to graduate supervision.
Objectives: This session will discuss strategies for providing effective feedback to students. Participants will be encouraged to share their tips, techniques, questions, and experiences.
Audience: These sessions are open to all graduate supervisors regardless of their discipline.
Disciplines:
Health and Life Sciences
Social Sciences and Humanities
Natural Sciences and Engineering
Date: October 15, 2024 | 12:00 to 1:00 pm
Host: Dr. Marc Roussel
Venue: W646
Only one of these sessions will count towards ECR Workshop Seed Grant attendance.
Quantum City is visiting our institution to meet with researchers and trainees working in quantum and quantum-adjacent (or quantum-inspired) research areas. Quantum City is building an ecosystem for quantum science and technology in Alberta bringing together researchers, developers, and adopters of quantum technology and services. The quantum ecosystem in Alberta is rapidly growing - with full-spectrum support from theoretical research to discovery research to quantum solutions development and commercialization.
1-2 pm: Roundtable Discussion with Researchers
- Introduction of the Quantum City initiative: overview and opportunities
- Provincial, national, and global directions on quantum research: potentials for collaboration and funding
2-3 pm: Panel Discussion
- Quantum Tech in Alberta: Future and Opportunities
- From Research to Market: quantum tech opportunities in Canada
Presenters & Panelists:
- Dr. Adam Bene Watts, Scientist-in-Residence, Quantum City
- Cecilia Oteiza Ayres, Manager, Quantum Industry Engagement
- Carla Tureski, Manager, Communications
- Kyung Soo Choi, Co-founder, Q-block Computing Inc
- Dr. Muhammad Khan, CEO, Staque Solutions, CEO Advancerite Technologies Inc.
Audience: Faculty members and trainees
Innovation Masterminds (imYEG) is a disruptive pre-accelerator program designed to overcome the earliest barriers faced by post-secondary innovators just starting out on the path to commercialization. Created in Edmonton in 2019 by Chris Micetich and his team at Brass Dome Ventures Ltd., the program is now expanding province-wide.
This information session is open to anyone at any stage of the commercialization journey - from ideation to prototype to patented IP.
12:15 - 1:15 – Information Session regarding the Innovation Masterminds program, outlining training, investment, and mentorship opportunities. A light lunch will be provided.
Presenters & Panelists:
- Chris Micetich, CEO BrassDome Ventures, founder of imYEG
- Amanda Stadel, M.Sc., Manager, Industry Development, BioAlberta
- Mentors from the imYEG program,
Audience: Faculty members and trainees, undergraduate students and community members
About Innovation Masterminds
Based on university-driven innovative technologies, imYEG is designed to enhance the volume and quality of innovations and commercial activity leaving our province’s PSIs and entering Alberta’s business and innovation ecosystem. imYEG provides experience-based mentorship by engaging proven multi-disciplinary key opinion leaders who have successfully founded their own companies.
What Sets Innovation Masterminds Apart
imYEG is a first-of-its kind pre-accelerator for early-stage startups, specifically offered free of charge to select innovators coming out of Alberta’s Post-Secondary Institutions, with particular focus on innovations at the inception phase. We offer tried and true entrepreneurial engagement, support, and mentoring services from our esteemed Council of Founders members, recruited from across 12 different industries. The Brass Dome Ventures Ltd. team, which confidently boasts a combined experiential history of over 100 years, provides business and administrative support to the innovators in the program.
Learn more @ imYEG
Overview: This is the first of a 2-part series on Pathways to Commercialization is open to all Faculty members and their research teams, including undergraduate students, graduate students, postdocs, and research associates. Staff from Innovation Asset Collective will be facilitating a one-hour virtual information session on IP considerations for researchers in an academic setting.
Facilitator: Peggy Chooi is a Strategic IP Specialist) with more than 20 years of combined experience as a Canadian and international intellectual property lawyer, and a focus on trademark law, IT, and IP commercialization.
Objectives: The facilitator will discuss and answer questions around the following and other related topics:
- Why is IP strategy a relevant consideration in a research setting?
- How do you know that you have an invention?
- Why patent?
- Disclosure and patent – what are some considerations to keep in mind?
Disciplines:
Health and Life Sciences
Social Sciences and Humanities
Natural Sciences and Engineering
Date: November 13 | 10 -11 am
Venue: Virtual (Zoom link will be shared closer to the event).
Overview: This is the second of a 2-part series on Pathways to Commercialization is open to all Faculty members and their research teams, including undergraduate students, graduate students, postdocs, and research associates.
Presenter: Dr. Arlan Schultz, an associate professor at the University of Lethbridge, is the founder of AuraWave Technologies, an advanced digital audio technology platform that seeks to develop world-class and cutting-edge professional audio devices for use both on the stage and in the studio.
Objectives: Dr. Schultz will be sharing his journey from research to commercialization - learnings, opportunities, and challenges.
Disciplines:
Health and Life Sciences
Social Sciences and Humanities
Natural Sciences and Engineering
Date: November 28 |10 -11 am
Venue: AH100
Dr. Marc Roussel, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, is hosting a series of lunch-time discussions for graduate supervisors. These sessions will be informal offerings for ALL supervisors to hear or share tips, tricks, and best practices on various topics relating to graduate supervision.
Objectives: This session will discuss strategies for supporting graduate student funding applications. Participants will be encouraged to share their tips, techniques, questions, and experiences.
Audience: These sessions are open to all graduate supervisors regardless of their discipline.
Disciplines:
Health and Life Sciences
Social Sciences and Humanities
Natural Sciences and Engineering
Date: January 20, 2025 | 12:00 to 1:00 pm
Host: Dr. Marc Roussel
Venue: W646
Only one of these sessions will count towards ECR Workshop Seed Grant attendance.
Tri-Agency Workshops
ORIS provides workshops designed specifically to support the development of applications for Tri-Agency funding opportunities:
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
- Social Sciences and Humanities and Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)
These workshops discuss application guidelines, adjudication processes, and best practices for strong applications. They are presented by the grant facilitator for the specific agency and may include uLethbridge researchers who have served on a peer-review adjudication committee. Click the links below to learn more.