Craig Public Lecture - Professor Mark Lautens

Scientists are encouraged to directly interact with the public, who ultimately are the ones who generously support our research. Yet this process is fraught with challenges in terms of how to deliver the message and what message is of interest and likely to have an impact.

While we share our knowledge and findings with the wider world, we are also acutely aware that the sources of funding are our government agencies, private foundations and industry.

How do we interact with those we seek to inform and those we seek to influence?

I have been trying to #educateadvocate over the past year and will discuss efforts to date. Among my efforts are: coordinated letter writing to the leadership of our granting council, contact with Ministers and Deputy Ministers through letters and face-to-face meetings and Opinion pieces in our National newspapers. I will outline each of these activities and the possible outcomes.

References
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/young-scientists-face-too-manyfunding-obstacles/article37372543/

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-the-science-budget-reveals-theneed-for-new-research-strategies/
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-what-is-the-future-of-stem-in-theage-of-disruptive-technologies/
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-graduate-students-are-the-lifebloodof-research-they-need-more/