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Laurentian University celebrates over $237,000 in Federal SSHRC grants

Laurentian University celebrates over $237,000 in Federal SSHRC grants

Funding will support research in social sciences and humanities.

(October 13, 2022) - Laurentian University researchers have received funding in amounts of over $237,000 from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). Grants received support researchers in their endeavours to produce new knowledge. 

Dr. Lea Tufford, Associate Professor in the School of Social Work, received a 5-year Insight Grant to support her study, “Supporting Social Work Field Education: Developing a Model of Holistic Competition.” Insight grants support research excellence in the social sciences and humanities. Research must demonstrate originality, and be deemed a significant contribution to knowledge. 

Dr. Tammy Gaber, Associate Professor and Director of the McEwen School of Architecture and Dr. Frantz Siméon, Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work have each been awarded 2-year Insight Development Grants. Dr. Gaber’s study, “Losing Faith: Continuity and Community of Aaltos Sacred Spaces” and Dr. Frantz Siméon’s study, “Apports du réseau de proximité dans le soutien à domicile des francophones en contexte minoritaire, les leçons de l'expérience du Club amical de Sudbury en temps de pandémie,” will benefit from the funding. Insight Development Grants foster research in its early stages, enabling development of new research questions, as well as experimentation with new methods, theoretical approaches and/or ideas. 

Dr. Simon Laflamme, Full Professor in the School of Liberal Arts, has earned a 1-year Aid to Scholarly Journals Grant to support the journal, “Nouvelles perspectives en sciences sociales.” Aid to Scholarly Journal grants support Canadian scholarly dissemination by offering a contribution to enable journals to explore innovative activities as well as to help them to defray the costs associated with publishing scholarly articles, digital publishing and journal distribution on Canadian not-for-profit platforms.

“Insight, Insight Development and Aid to Scholarly Journals grants are critically important for researchers and the training of students that often work side by side with faculty to advance scholarship and knowledge dissemination. These investments from the Federal government ensure that researchers are able to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in fields of social sciences and humanities,” said Dr. Tammy Eger, Laurentian University's Vice-President, Research. “Congratulations to all recipients whose tireless research efforts help address important questions that impact lived experiences at local, national and international levels.” 

These 2022-2023 SSHRC grant recipients from Laurentian University follow the success of 2021-2022 SSHRC grant recipients. 

Earlier this year, Laurentian University also announced the participation of faculty and students in a collaborative five-year SSHRC Partnership Grant for a project of unprecedented scale in the design disciplines, “Quality in Canada’s Build Environment: Roadmaps to Equity, Social Value and Sustainability,” funded in the amount of 8.6M. 

Laurentian’s Maamwizing Indigenous Research Institute also received over $430,000 in funding from SSHRC’s Race, Gender and Diversity Initiative to support three years of Indigenous community-driven research.

Maamwizing Indigenous Research Institute at Laurentian University receives $430, 832 in SSHRC funding

Maamwizing Indigenous Research Institute at Laurentian University receives $430, 832 in SSHRC funding

Funding will support Maamwizing: A hub for Indigenous community-driven research.

(June 21, 2022) - The Maamwizing Indigenous Research Institute (MIRI) at Laurentian University has received $430,832 in funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council’s (SSHRC) Race, Gender and Diversity Initiative. This grant was awarded to Dr. Joey-Lynn Wabie, with funds to support a three-year project, titled: Maamwizing: a hub for Indigenous community-driven research.  

This exciting news is celebrated today on National Indigenous Peoples Day. This day recognizes and celebrates Indigenous cultures, communities and peoples and offers the opportunity to reflect and commit to principles of Truth and Reconciliation. Laurentian is Canada’s only university with a tricultural mandate, offering a post-secondary experience in English and French with a comprehensive approach to Indigenous education. These are principles that Laurentian takes pride in, and MIRI complements by providing opportunities for, and with, Indigenous students to learn about authentic relationships and research with communities.  

Maamwizing: a hub for Indigenous community-driven research will be led by Dr. Wabie and two local Anishinaabe community partners: Akinomooshin Inc., & White Buffalo Road Healing Lodge Inc. These organizations are dedicated to Indigenous resurgence, or the reconnecting of Indigenous peoples with Indigenous knowledges, governance, languages, ceremonies, relationships, and lands at the grassroots level, thereby addressing the systems and impacts of racism and colonialism as they impact Indigenous peoples. Drs. Darrel Manitowabi, Elizabeth Carlson-Manathara, and Kevin Fitzmaurice are also integral to the success of the grant as co-applicants.

Dr. Joey-Lynn Wabie, Algonquin Anicinabe ikwe from Mahingan Sagahigan (Wolf Lake) First Nation, incoming Director within Laurentian’s School of Indigenous Relations and Acting Director of MIRI celebrates this funding announcement: “In fostering a research space that is driven by community partners and supported by the MIRI research team, our objective is to center community and culturally based knowledge and perspectives towards the co-creation of evidence based research findings that best responds to specific programming and service delivery needs. This can further inform the larger policy questions relating to effective and equitable community and culturally based programming for Indigenous youth in the north and within an overall framework of Indigenous self-determination and decolonization.”

Dr. Susan Manitowabi, Interim Associate Vice-President, Office of Academic and Indigenous programs shares Dr. Wabie’s enthusiasm: “This research is an expression of Indigenous self-determination in that it is being proposed by, for, and with Indigenous people. The application of the 7 Pointed Star Hub Model, as a uniquely MIRI approach to community-driven research will provide an Anishnaabe, culturally based and supportive method for community engagement, planning, and research sharing practices; which are grounded in the principles of the Seven Grandfather Teachings: Respect, Bravery, Honesty, Humility, Love, Wisdom, and Truth.” 

Vince Pawis Sr., founder and Executive Director, White Buffalo Road Healing Lodge Inc. added that he and his team are grateful to be a part of this critical project: “Having worked in the community with Indigenous youth and adults since our inception in 2005, this is a great opportunity to research the work of grassroot Indigenous agencies to help support Indigenous healing.”

“Miigwechiwendam” is the sentiment of Julia Pegahmagabow, founding eniigaanizid for Akinoomoshin Inc. “With the support of this partnership and grant, we will be able to re-search our pathway to anishinaabe kendaaswin and come to understand the relationship to anishinaabe pedagogies and how to apply them. We have the support of Maamwizing to find the threads that our ancestors were able to leave for us and weave them into a strong foundation of knowing and knowledge transmission for our children, youth, and communities.”

In November, Laurentian University and MIRI look forward to hosting Maamwizing 2022: Land and Language, a conference that will focus on the sharing of stories and wise practices to ensure the health and wellness of both land and language is cared for. This will include broad interpretations and wider connections between land and language by grassroots community voices, alongside Indigenous scholars and non-Indigenous people who work in allyship with them. Confirmed keynote speakers include Dr. Niigaanwewidan Sinclair (University of Manitoba), Dr. Jennifer Walker (McMaster University), and Joseph Pitawanakwat (Creator’s Garden). Dr. Celeste Pedri-Spade (Queen’s University), inaugural Director of MIRI from 2016 to 2019, will provide an opening address. 

 

About White Buffalo Road Healing Lodge Inc.:
White Buffalo Road Healing Lodge Inc. is a non for profit organization incorporated in 2005, located in Shawanaga First Nation, approximately 30 kilometres north of Parry Sound. White Buffalo Road Healing Lodge Inc. is the vision of Vince Pawis Sr., the founder and current Executive Director. The Healing Lodge provides traditional Aboriginal youth-at-risk programs, Indigenous Elder Assisted Parole Circle Hearings and currently provides on a contractual basis Aboriginal traditional female and male Native Inmate Liaison Officer Services in Thunder Bay, Sudbury, North Bay, Orillia, Brampton and Lindsey, Ontario correctional facilities.

White Buffalo Road Healing Lodge Inc. works with the Ministry of Children and Youth Services, Safety, Licensing Appeals and Standards Tribunals Ontario (SLATSO) and the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services.

About Akinomooshin Inc.:
Akinoomoshin Inc. is a grassroots not-for-profit organization working to center anishinaabe kendaaswin in the daily lives of anishinaabek. Our dream is to offer daily anishinaabemowin immersion and aki (earth) learning for children and youth, their families and communities through our teaching lodge, akinoomoshin wigwam. 

Akinoomoshin Inc. began to meet and organize in 2016 with kitchen table visits and discussions on the challenges of the systems for our children and youth. Incorporated in 2017, Akinoomoshin Inc. is situated in the community of Atikameksheng Anishnawbek.

Akinoomoshin Inc. has working relationships with Science North, the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, and Atikameksheng Anishnawbek for cultural and language-related sharing and learning. Akinoomoshin Inc. has been granted funding by the Ontario Arts Council, Niigaan Gdizhaami Fund, and Canadian Heritage to carry out language and earth-learning focused activities, including Maamwizing and the RDGI funding to move our work forward.