In an effort to ensure research at the University of Lethbridge is accessible to community groups and industry, as well as create opportunities for collaboration between faculty members and external stakeholders, the U of L will be hosting its second annual Community University Research Exchange (CURE) event on March 21, 2014.
The free event will be held at the Lethbridge campus, and is designed so that interested community members and partners or those having a research mandate can meet with and talk to faculty with like-minded goals.
Vice-President (Research) Dan Weeks says the CURE event aims to spur future research projects involving community agencies.
“Much of the research performed at the U of L is driven by the needs of our local communities, province and country. Helping to ensure our community has an opportunity to influence the direction of the world-class research conducted at the U of L is extremely important,” says Weeks. “I believe these interaction will help to shape research directions at the University.”
Last year, faculty members made short presentations to community members about their research areas and ongoing research projects. Additionally, U of L researchers created poster presentations and engaged in one-on-one dialogue with community members.
While the second CURE event will continue to make available U of L research expertise, this year’s initiative is providing the opportunity for external groups to present to faculty members about the type of research that is, and will be, beneficial to the work they undertake.
“We think adding this new element will help our researchers better understand some of the gaps that exist in the public,” says research officer Penny D’Agnone, who is organizing the event. “We are excited to incorporate this element which we hope will help create some new, unique partnerships.”
Dr. Maureen Dobbins, the Scientific Director of the National Centre for Methods and Tools and Health Evidence from McMaster University, and an expert in knowledge translation, will be the event’s keynote speaker.
In addition to the keynote address and other public presentations, faculty members from a wide variety of disciplines will participate in an open poster session that encourages one-on-one dialogue.
The University of Lethbridge is now accepting registrations for CURE 2014. The event will be held at the U of L and is free to all attendees.
Currently, organizers invite any and all community members or agencies to submit their registration to attend or participate. Participation can be, but is not limited to, short presentations describing research projects completed, in progress or being developed. All topics and disciplines of research are of interest.
To register, or if you need more information, please contact Penny D'Agnone at penny.dagnone@uleth.ca or 403-382-7198.