Institute for Life and Health Science

Minutes for Wednesday July 22, 2009 – 11:00 AM

Room 611 NH

Those in attendance: Edwin DeMont, Wendy MacCaull, Lori Graham, Ann Bigelow, Margo Watt, Elizabeth McGibbon, Angela Beye, Karen Brebner, David Morgan

Regrets: Laurie Wadsworth, Manuel Aquino, V. Karunakaran

  1. Selection of Chair (1 volunteer)
  • Edwin DeMont
  1. Selection of Secretary (1 volunteer)
  • Karen Brebner
  1. General discussion on the purpose of the Institute
  • Lori – What is the group trying to do?
  • Edwin – Assist research opportunities for faculty and educational opportunities for future students. For example, should our goal be to establish a degree in health science? What is benefit of such an institute?
  • Wendy – Currently involved in a project for R & D to enhance health service delivery. Agrees that we should look into developing an interdisciplinary degree for health science.
  • Edwin –We should discuss the idea of organizing seminars for group members. For now, the group can be thought of as a mechanism for collaboration and cohesion for ideas. Will help faculty members in applying for NSERC, CIHR & SSHRC applications, CFI funds for the groups might be a possibility once we get
  • Wendy – Need to establish common resources to maintain the program for more that just a few years.
  • Edwin –NSERC CREATE program might be an option to pursue depending on our interests. Process will be relatively slow.
  • Elizabeth – Suggests mini presentations on research programs for members so that we know what’s going on with each member.
  • Margo – Can we set aside time to talk about collaborators to identify other options beyond the description of research? Can we organize a time to do this once school starts?.
  • Edwin will try to plan this and will invite the new VP research Dr. De’Bell
  • Edwin –Should we set an official launch date for the group? Get some press about it, after website is set up with an idea of what we want to do. We should try to remain small until ideals and goals are identified. Need to include 1 member from each of obvious faculties.
  • Clare Fawcett in Anthropology should be approached
  • Should we identify someone in Sociology to be approached?
  • Margo – Can a group look at other models at small universities to see if they have similar groups and how do they work? Can we consider co-supervision of students in other faculties?
  1. Role of the Institute in enhancing research (2-3 volunteers).

Working group setup to start discussions.

  • Lori will chair
  • Dave
  • Margo
  • Elizabeth

**Angela will talk to Angie Thompson in HKIN and Elizabeth will talk to Charmaine MacPherson in Nursing regarding becoming part of the group and sitting on either the research or the education working group.

  1. Role of the Institute in developing new educational opportunities (2-3 volunteers)

Working group setup to start discussions.

  • Edwin will chair
  • Wendy
  • Ann
  1. Common free time block for members of the Institute starting in 2010/11 academic year (1 volunteer)
  • Angela
  1. A website for the Institute (1 volunteer)
  • Wendy has volunteered a helper to do this in consultation with Edwin.
  • Will be a secure site at first
  1. Schedule next meeting (with Dr. De’Bell?)
  • Schedule next meeting in early September to identify issues to look at.
  • Edwin will suggest time in September likely before classes start
  • Show and tell after classes start.
  1. Social Event
  2. Social event – Potluck dinner? Edwin’s house late August? Will combine early Sept meeting at same time. Will invite De’Bell as well.