Spark Newsletter: April 1, 2021

SAVE THE DATE!
Intensive 2-week course on Data Wrangling in R
Being held May 3rd-14th from 4-6 pm Monday - Thursday online, this short course will introduce students to the wonders of the tidyverse and all you need to do data cleaning, wrangling and basic descriptive statistics in R.  The short course costs $200 for McMaster-affiliated student, staff and faculty and $350 for the external public. 

Registration for the course has now begun.

April 9th, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Relevant Research Series - Methodology and approach to knowledge mobilization
Caroline Sinders - Research Driven Art

Caroline Sinders is an artist and researcher whose work explores the intersections of critical design, trauma, data, and AI as art. This talk will explore the methodology she’s created to guide both her art and research practice, called “research-driven art.” Inspired by photojournalism, critical design, and open-source software, research-driven art is a process-driven artistic methodology and approach to knowledge mobilization.

Register now! 

April 16th, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm 

Relevant Research Series - An introduction to machine learning, data, and design thinking
Caroline Sinders -  Feminist Data Set Workshop

Can data collection itself function as an artwork? Can it act as a form of protest? In this workshop, participants will collect feminist data beginning with an introduction to machine learning, data, and design thinking, and leading into a collaborative and facilitated process with the objective of building a feminist data set from the ground up. This workshop explores how data collection can be used as an artistic practice and a collaborative, community practice. The workshop is intersectional and trans and non-gender binary inclusive. For more: https://carolinesinders.com/feminist-data-set/

Register now!

April 2nd, 10:30 am - 11:30 am

Productivity During Pandemic - “Nothing About Us Without Us”: Ukrainian Sex Workers’ Politics in Changing Times
Dafna Rachok
Register here: https://mcmaster.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIqf-CsrzMuE9JxQwqiQpidz5VHHzf9xQtM

April 9th, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Relevant Research Series - Methodology and approach to knowledge mobilization
Caroline Sinders - Research Driven Art
Register here: https://libcal.mcmaster.ca/event/3597458

April 16th, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm 

Relevant Research Series - An introduction to machine learning, data, and design thinking
Caroline Sinders -  Feminist Data Set Workshop
Register here: https://libcal.mcmaster.ca/calendar/scds/feminist-data

In case you missed it:

Looking to pool software licences with another researcher?

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

Current Availability (Holders & Seekers)
-    1 Holder of Mimics (Materialise) and looking for someone to share this software with 
-    1 Seeker for Adobe Sign or Docu Sign 
-    1 Seeker for Grammarly Premium 

If you currently hold Adobe Sign/Docu Sign or Grammarly Premium and are willing to share the licence with another researcher, please email: talk.to.spark@mcmaster.ca

If you are currently in search of a Mimics (Materialise) licence and would like to pool with a current holder of this software, please email: talk.to.spark@mcmaster.ca

 

Research Conversations

If you are stuck or looking for new ideas, thoughts, or technologies for your social research, reach out.  Spark exists to support your work.  We provide up to 4 hours of free support each year to all McMaster researchers on every social or human systems topic imaginable. 

Request a research consultation at https://forms.gle/7FciqxCtK5fN6AD97 and we will set up a time to talk.
 

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 next newsletter.

Upcoming Online Event: April 5th at 11:30 am – 1:00 pm 

The Kindred Tour at McMaster with Alan Pelaez Lopez
Organized by: Presidents Advisory Committee for Building an Inclusive Community (PACBIC) 
Learn more and Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-kindred-tour-at-mcmaster-with-alan-pelaez-lopez-tickets-145101056165 
 

New Publication Alert 

Coming to Critical Disability Studies: Critical Reflections on Disability in Health and Social Work Professions
(Co-authored by Ann Fudge Schormans, School of Social Work, McMaster).
Read the full paper published in the Canadian Journal of Disability Studies here: https://cjds.uwaterloo.ca/index.php/cjds/article/view/743 

 

McMaster Staff Job Posting:  Research Technology Analyst – Online Research 

Provide technical support services or research computing, and acts as a technical resource and project lead for moderately complex projects involving the development, implementation and maintenance of technology systems and services for research. Sounds like the perfect job for you?
Learn more and apply here: https://bit.ly/3rMLM7m 

 

 

Spark: a centre for social research innovation

Website: https://spark.mcmaster.ca/
Email: talk.to.spark@mcmaster.ca
Subscribe to Spark Connections: https://spark.mcmaster.ca/contact