In addition to the research efforts of individual members and research clusters, the ISSP spearheads strategic research projects that mobilize and advance knowledge from the Institute’s vast network of scholars, students, partners and practitioners. These cross-faculty, cross-sectoral projects address grand challenges at the nexus of science, society and policy. In so doing, they foster new research collaborations, support innovative co-production and funding models, and help to advance the ISSP’s strategic vision of helping Canada transform decision-making to meet the grand challenges of our time.
ISSP-led Research
The Institute for Science, Society and Policy is a cross-faculty Institute at the University of Ottawa exploring the links between science, society and policy.
About the research
Confluences
The challenges facing society – from climate change to global pandemics, inequality and beyond – require solutions at the intersection of science, society and policy. Cutting-edge research is being done in this space at the Institute for Science, Society and Policy (ISSP), but there is untapped opportunity to co-produce and mobilize this knowledge with decision-makers. This project takes a strategic, innovative approach combining direct engagement with decision-makers and the co-creation of an annual knowledge mobilization (KMb) series and edited volume on SSP.
The project advances the Institute’s five-year strategic vision: helping Canada transform decision-making to meet grand challenges by strengthening relationships among academic, public, private and civil society leaders. The overarching aim is for uOttawa to be a ‘go to’ destination for policy practitioners to co-create, learn about and apply leading-edge SSP insights.
The project advances the Institute’s five-year strategic vision: helping Canada transform decision-making to meet grand challenges by strengthening relationships among academic, public, private and civil society leaders. The overarching aim is for uOttawa to be a ‘go to’ destination for policy practitioners to co-create, learn about and apply leading-edge SSP insights.
@Risk
There is tension found within public decision-making when there is a difference in risk perception… between experts and other stakeholders, and a difference of opinion on how to mitigate risks.
@Risk: Strengthening Canada’s Ability to Manage Risk is identifying how to reconcile this tension because differences can lead to serious consequences, including the potential to put our current societal approach to risk management itself ‘at risk’.
@Risk will identify conceptual frameworks and mechanisms to strengthen Canada’s risk management capacity in situations where expert and lay public assessments of risk differ. This is a multidisciplinary partnership involving researchers from 11 Canadian and U.S. universities and 4 partner organizations.
@Risk: Strengthening Canada’s Ability to Manage Risk is identifying how to reconcile this tension because differences can lead to serious consequences, including the potential to put our current societal approach to risk management itself ‘at risk’.
@Risk will identify conceptual frameworks and mechanisms to strengthen Canada’s risk management capacity in situations where expert and lay public assessments of risk differ. This is a multidisciplinary partnership involving researchers from 11 Canadian and U.S. universities and 4 partner organizations.
Beyond Endless Frontiers
The social contract for science and innovation is under strain. With the decline of trust, there are worrying signs of a public unsure about the value and authority of science in their everyday lives, and a growing disconnect between what the public increasingly sees as unapproachable, elitist institutions and what scientists see as a lack of public appreciation for the modes and merit of their work.
At the same time, there have been major developments in the processes of science and innovation and their intersections with public policy, communications, and broad societal challenges. In this period of significant social, economic and environmental stresses, the need for science and innovation to be central to society's response is even greater.
The goal of this SSHRC partnership development project is to examine the postwar social contract that underpins Canada's scientific enterprise and explore the elements of a new policy framework.
At the same time, there have been major developments in the processes of science and innovation and their intersections with public policy, communications, and broad societal challenges. In this period of significant social, economic and environmental stresses, the need for science and innovation to be central to society's response is even greater.
The goal of this SSHRC partnership development project is to examine the postwar social contract that underpins Canada's scientific enterprise and explore the elements of a new policy framework.
EDI
Universities, funding agencies, and governments across Canada are taking action to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in research, teaching, and knowledge mobilization (KMb) activities. Identifying how to transform research and KMb to incorporate EDI principles is an urgent imperative. But there are gaps between EDI ambitions and EDI know-how: How do we get from an abstract concept to concrete action?
In early 2022, the ISSP convened its network of researchers, students, and practitioners in a series of 3 workshops to mobilize its expertise and help incorporate EDI principles in decision-making at the science-society-policy interface.
This project received financial support through a Knowledge Mobilization Grant 2021-22 from uOttawa’s Office of the Vice-President Research and Innovation.
In early 2022, the ISSP convened its network of researchers, students, and practitioners in a series of 3 workshops to mobilize its expertise and help incorporate EDI principles in decision-making at the science-society-policy interface.
This project received financial support through a Knowledge Mobilization Grant 2021-22 from uOttawa’s Office of the Vice-President Research and Innovation.