Fostering Trainee Well-Being through Accountability and Collaboration
Oct 1 @ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm EDT
Canadian universities and research institutions are increasingly recognizing that systemic barriers within the research ecosystem deeply affect the well-being and success of trainees. These barriers are often embedded in disciplinary norms, lab cultures, and institutional practices, which reinforce exclusionary behaviours and disproportionately impact the participation, opportunities, and experiences of trainees from equity-deserving groups. Addressing these barriers requires identifying them and committing to intentional, structural change. All players in the research ecosystem have a role to play in dismantling these barriers and fostering inclusive, supportive research environments.
This panel will bring together representatives from a federal granting agency, a university, a national not-for-profit research network, and a trainee to discuss formal policies, strategies, and initiatives that prioritize and safeguard trainee well-being. Initiatives like the Government of Canada’s Dimensions program and ArcticNet’s EDI Strategy demonstrate how ecosystem players can display accountability and lead structural change. Panelists will reflect on how these initiatives use clear measurement frameworks, data collection, and iterative evaluation to produce meaningful and sustained progress towards change in research environments.
– Organized by BioCanRx
