Read on Twitter
The Early Impact of COVID-19 on the #NextGen scientists @sciencepolicy #cspc2020ft @BovairdSamantha @this_is_farah @nabavinoushin @suartce, organized by @TOSciPolicyNet & moderated by Paul Dufour
Check out
https://www.sp-exchange.ca/rethinking-federal-research-funding @DSP_SPE https://tspn.ca/covid19-report/ https://twitter.com/BovairdSamantha/status/1329127511989624832
@BovairdSamantha's intro
In 2018, @DSP_SPE launched a survey to assess students' perspective on federal funding
Survey focused on:
Success Rates & award holder exp
Application experience & criteria
International ECR challenges & support
EDI consideration
In 2018, @DSP_SPE launched a survey to assess students' perspective on federal fundingSurvey focused on:
Success Rates & award holder expApplication experience & criteriaInternational ECR challenges & supportEDI consideration
Survey Demographic
SPE acknowledges that we should collect race-based data and include more gender identities in the future
SPE acknowledges that we should collect race-based data and include more gender identities in the future
Success Rate
What students value most
Recommended Scholarship value harmonization
Values should increase to recognize increased cost of living
Values should increase to recognize increased cost of living
Redefining success: add more value to
Project proposal
Research-related extracurricular activites
Societal impact
Periods of leave
Project proposalResearch-related extracurricular activitesSocietal impactPeriods of leave
The survey also identified the need for better
International student support
Support for women and non-binary researchers
*reminder that we did not provide sufficient gender identities in the survey at the time
International student supportSupport for women and non-binary researchers*reminder that we did not provide sufficient gender identities in the survey at the time
Final recommendations
Harmonize value
Increase availability, value and eligibility period
Merit and eligibility criteria
Collect and report gender, race and LGBTQ2SIA+ rep data
Harmonize valueIncrease availability, value and eligibility periodMerit and eligibility criteriaCollect and report gender, race and LGBTQ2SIA+ rep data
@nabavinoushin's opening thoughts, representing @CAPSACSP
Survey between Apr 1 to May 31
Most participants are in BC and AB, roughly 400 participants
Survey between Apr 1 to May 31Most participants are in BC and AB, roughly 400 participants
COVID19 impacted 23% work permit application. PR App on hold; Work permit extension delayed, contract extension unclear40% did not have sufficient financial insurance88% did not apply for EI27%'s fellowships/contracts were negatively impacted
17% of respondents had teaching responsibility; among them, 25% were negatively impacted by #COVID19 83% had to cancel work-related travel plansresearch for 75% of respond were affected by covid37% affected job application
Positive experiences are attributed to
employer being well organized in terms of virtual meetings and transitioning to remote work
more time to read, analyze, write
employer allowed to take office equipment home
employer being well organized in terms of virtual meetings and transitioning to remote workmore time to read, analyze, writeemployer allowed to take office equipment home
Final recommendations
Check out CAPS' website for more resources, and keep an eye out for the full report coming up
Check out CAPS' website for more resources, and keep an eye out for the full report coming up
@this_is_farah 's opening remarks for @TOSciPolicyNet
Here's the report again: https://tspn.ca/covid19-report/
At the time, no survey to assess specifically concerns of grad students (as opposed to postsec students)
Survey ran between Apr 22 to May 31
1431 respondants
Here's the report again: https://tspn.ca/covid19-report/
At the time, no survey to assess specifically concerns of grad students (as opposed to postsec students)Survey ran between Apr 22 to May 311431 respondants
Demographic
Research: COVID had negative impact on 76% of respondantsFinances & Funding
Health & wellness26% considered a leave of absence as opposed to 10% before the pandemic
Final thoughts & recommendations:
Mitigate research long-term impact
Increase funding
Prioritize #EDI
Invest in and improve mental health resources
Increase flexibility of long-term leave of absence
@DSP_SPE 's report on Mental Health …https://95323b55-8978-495d-94dd-ed077c2bade4.filesusr.com/ugd/7fd26f_e0aed9a40d7b4294b4dcf078e7e3db40.pdf
Mitigate research long-term impactIncrease fundingPrioritize #EDIInvest in and improve mental health resourcesIncrease flexibility of long-term leave of absence@DSP_SPE 's report on Mental Health …https://95323b55-8978-495d-94dd-ed077c2bade4.filesusr.com/ugd/7fd26f_e0aed9a40d7b4294b4dcf078e7e3db40.pdf
@suartce 's opening remarks from
Impact of COVID on lab-based research trainees
315 respondents + 18 semi-structured interviews
Mixed method analysis
Kubler-Ross Model of grief
Manuscript available now; will post link when I find it later in thread
Impact of COVID on lab-based research trainees315 respondents + 18 semi-structured interviewsMixed method analysisKubler-Ross Model of griefManuscript available now; will post link when I find it later in thread
Found the paper!
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-59050/v1
In addition to emotions (in the figure in the last post) also looked at other concerns
A few quotes highlighted
decreased motivation to pursue/continue grad school
concerns of future funding for #science
Final recommendations
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-59050/v1
In addition to emotions (in the figure in the last post) also looked at other concernsA few quotes highlighted
decreased motivation to pursue/continue grad schoolconcerns of future funding for #scienceFinal recommendations
Now for the panel discussion
Who should be responsible to implement recommendations above?
NN: All of us! Grads & postdocs to push for change, institutional support is necessary. Must work & engae w/ diff stakeholders
FQ: stakholders have diff responsibilities. Work together!
Who should be responsible to implement recommendations above?
NN: All of us! Grads & postdocs to push for change, institutional support is necessary. Must work & engae w/ diff stakeholders
FQ: stakholders have diff responsibilities. Work together!
CS: These findings aren't new; " #COVID19 exasperated cracks in the foundation". Long-lasting change requires academic cultural change
SB: small efforts have an impact: fill a survey, volunteer in grassroots groups. We are all NGOs - additional institutional support is crucial
SB: small efforts have an impact: fill a survey, volunteer in grassroots groups. We are all NGOs - additional institutional support is crucial
This affects *all* academic institutions around the world. How can we learn from the larger international academic community?
FQ: Check out survey from Australia (1000 respondents at U of Sydney). Found that many considered leaving academia echoing findings from @TOSciPolicyNet
FQ: Check out survey from Australia (1000 respondents at U of Sydney). Found that many considered leaving academia echoing findings from @TOSciPolicyNet
Article mentioned above:
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02069-y
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-36330/v2
NN: There's a relevant new article by @aaas (22k respondents worldwide) https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2020.621563/full
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02069-y
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-36330/v2
NN: There's a relevant new article by @aaas (22k respondents worldwide) https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2020.621563/full
SB: There is additional info from South America & China. Totally agree that we should be mindful of local experiences to draw a representative picture of the whole impact of covid on researchers
@MitacsCanada has been successful in broadening the perspectives of grad students to transition to the workforce. How can academic institutions adopt similar programs?
FQ: Unis must assess needs in their local student community.
FQ: Unis must assess needs in their local student community.
FQ: Federal funding agencies can better support "alternative career paths" like #scicomm. Rightfully pointed out though, the LARGE majority of grads don't continue in academia so is it really "alternative"
SB: @DSP_SPE 's precisely calls to broaden the metrics for excellence; should de-silo expectation of grads to pursue academic career paths; specific support for international students is further required which has been prev highlighted by @IWS_Network https://twitter.com/AnhKhoiTrinh/status/1327304650907914241?s=20
Paul Dufour adds that provincial funding agencies should also be included in the mix
What are your final advices?
CS: Ask PIs (or their students) how they responded to #COVID19 ; really telling about the research culture of their labs
What are your final advices?
CS: Ask PIs (or their students) how they responded to #COVID19 ; really telling about the research culture of their labs
NN: #scientists role is more than collecting data, we should use it to create an impact in our local environment. Highlights funding programs like the AAAS fellowship
FQ: For MITACS, open it up for Master students
FQ: For MITACS, open it up for Master students
FQ: For more senior students, you have an important role to mentor & aid upcoming students (applying for grad school, summer research internships, etc.).
https://canadasrop.ca/
PD's thoughts: "don't be discourage" by our current lived-reality!
https://canadasrop.ca/
PD's thoughts: "don't be discourage" by our current lived-reality!
