Spark Connections: July 21, 2022

Launch of the Black Women's Visions Website

In early July, the Black Women's Visions project launched their official website. Their mission is to provide a collaborative space for Black women to access information, community and advocacy tools related to HIV, health, healthcare, social issues and self-advocacy. 

The website features information about the initiative, information, toolkits, videos and articles through a virtual space for women to connect, discuss, network and develop a community. 

Check out the newly launched website, learn more about their mission and share it's helpful resources widely!

Visit the Black Women's Visions Website

The Spark Co-Lab is open!

McMaster has a free coworking space designed for research teams in LR Wilson 5803.  If you’re looking for a space to work, meet as a team, or engage with partners, you may wish to join The CoLab.

At Spark, we are excited by the energy that develops when people working on diverse projects interact, and so have built a coworking space where you can both focus and engage with other faculty, research staff, RAs and grad students across disciplines.

I'm interested. How do I join? It's simple. You can stop by for a brief (15 minute) orientation any time between 8:30 and 4:30 Tuesday and Thursday. Just ring the bell and someone will answer, or email us at talk.to.spark@mcmaster.ca to schedule a time to visit. We'll ask you to sign a user agreement, arrange for access to the space, and get you set up on our Booking System to reserve private spaces in the CoLab.

Who do you want to speak at Spark Talks 2022-2023?

Spark's weekly research talks (Fridays at 10:30-11:20 am) are back in fall 2022. Planning is already in the works for an academic year full of informative sessions by some great researchers. As always, we want to provide you with engaging content from people whose work or skills spark an interest!

Do you want to share your work?
      Great!  This is a supportive starting place for sharing your work across disciplines 

Maybe share your experience with a method, technology or research area?
      Yes, let's build our collective research toolkits and find others with the same interests

Expose others to someone whose work or career you admire?
      This is an easy initial engagement with Mac (and we pay stipends to external speakers)

Speakers can be anywhere in the world. All Spark Talks will be hybrid with a group convening in LR Wilson 5803 and available via Zoom. We have lots of open seminar slots from Sept 2022-April 2023, so can accommodate schedules!

Nominate a speaker

After another year of engaging seminars, Spark will be taking a break from Spark Talks during the summer months (May-Aug).

With excitement for Spark Talks return in Fall 2022, we will feature some of our favourite talks from this year in a weekly social media campaign on Twitter @Spark_McMaster. Join us on twitter every Friday at 10:30am during the summer for #SparkResearchReplay!

Check out the latest #SparkResearchReplay videos below:

Connect with Spark on Twitter

Looking to pool software licences?

Now you can! Fill out this form and we will reach out if we can match you with others looking to pool licences.

We are also attempting a pilot in fall term allowing for virtual desktop access to several licenses for major Qualitative Data Analysis software, and will be seeking volunteers to test out the viability of this option.  FSS faculty, please email talk.to.spark@mcmaster.ca if you're interested in participating.  

---

Research Conversations

We provide up to 4 hours of free support each year to all McMaster researchers (students, staff and faculty) on every social research topic imaginable.  If we can't help you, we'll help you find someone who can.   
Request a research consultation at https://forms.gle/7FciqxCtK5fN6AD97
 

Qualtrics Licences

If you are an FSS researcher who would like to request access to Qualtrics survey software, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/Gn2KvYgdebjo8d2W8.

Brighter Spark Applied Research

Spark offers custom research and evaluation, as well as highly skilled assistance in implementing virtually any social research method. Our cost-recovery services include methods and software training, custom research, state-of-the-art facilities, and taking on elements of your project to support its completion.
For a full list of Brighter Spark Applied Research's services, visit: https://spark.mcmaster.ca/brighter-spark

Help us profile your research, publications, job ads, opportunities, and upcoming events by sending them to: talk.to.spark@mcmaster.ca to be showcased in our following newsletter.

---

Critical Global Health: Summer Workshop Series

Critical Global Health is hosting a "summer workshop" series led by Ph.D. students across McMaster University, University of Guelph, and Western University. This series aims to interrogate and critically re-think certain approaches and methodologies used within health research. Each event will be an hour-long and online via Zoom. All sessions are free! 

• July 25th @ 6 PM - Rima Hanna - Intersections in Street Harassment (Black, Indigenous, POC Community): Making Space & Culture Jamming
• July 28th @ 7 PM - Jacob Berry - "We Have To Care, But Do You?": Building an Ethics of Care into Community Based Health Research
• August 5th @ 7 PM - Aisha Barkhad - The epidemic potential of vector-borne infectious diseases in a changing climate: Rethinking vector control and prevention efforts using a health equity lens
• August 12th @ 7 PM - Lulwama Mulalu - The world is on fire, now what? The psycho- emotional labour of marginalised voices in Western academic institutions.
• August 17th @ 7 PM - Erika Campbell - Population Control is Unacceptable: Understanding Eugenics, White Supremacy, and Genocide in so called Canada

Learn more and register for the workshops here

---

Back to Mac: Getting Research Ready 

August 11th at 8:30-9:45am  (Online event, Event URL sent via registration email)
Hosted by: McMaster University Library, Ariel Stables-Kennedy

Whether you're starting your first year at Mac or you are coming to campus after a year of learning remotely, everyone is welcome to attend this orientation session, where you'll connect with peers and learn how to access various resources to support your success as a student.

Learn more and register here: https://libcal.mcmaster.ca/event/3676860 

---

Data Matters : Data Science Course Series

A week-long series of one and two-day courses aimed at students and professionals in business, research and government. Data Matters gives students the chance to learn about a wide range of topics in data science, analytics, visualization, curation and more from expert instructors. Registration is now open, reserve your spot now!

Data Matters will be held virtually via zoom on August 8th-12th 2022

Learn more and register here

---

Leadership Development on LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning at McMaster is launching a new campaign on leadership development. Throughout July, McMaster Students will have free access to the full collection of videos on topics including: inclusive leadership, building relationships and communicating with influence. 

Learn more about McMaster's LinkedIn Campaign for July here

In this new section, we want to celebrate the achievements of colleagues, friends, and those doing important social research with the potential to spark a brighter world.  We welcome recommendations for kudos features (including for yourself).  Please send them to: talk.to.spark@mcmaster.ca.

Kudos to Adrienne Davidson (Political Science) who was featured in the CP24 article "Ontario child-care rebates starting to roll out but program remains a 'patchwork' "
Read the full article here:

Shout-out to Vass Bednar (Master of Public Policy in Digital Society) who contributed the Globe and Mail opinion article " The rogers outage is an opportunity to change how we think about our digital infrastructure" 
Read the full article in The Globe and Mail here

Kudos to Nathan Andrews (Political Science) who will use New Frontiers funding to study racism and exclusion in academia. This interdisciplinary research will be conducted over the next two years at McMaster in collaboration with colleagues from across Canada
Read more about Nathan's Research here

Shout-out to Atif Kubursi (Economics) who authored the the Hamilton Spectator opinion article "Questioning and restricting globalization comes at the cost of higher inflation"
Read the full article here

Kudos to Chris Sinding (Social Work) who will be stepping into the role of Acting Director of the Community Research Platform (CRP) from July 1st 2022 to June 30th 2023. 
Read more about Chris Sinding and the CRP here

Spark: a centre for social research innovation

Website: https://spark.mcmaster.ca/
Linked-in: https://www.linkedin.com/company/spark-a-centre-for-social-research-innovation/about/  
Email: talk.to.spark@mcmaster.ca
Subscribe to Spark Connections: https://spark.mcmaster.ca/contact