Sharing Mitacs Funding Experiences at Perspectives on Experiential Learning Conference

On May 1, Dr Ryan Gibson joined a panel discussion focused on sharing experiences with the Mitacs funding program to support graduate student capacity development during the Perspectives on Experiential Learning Conference. The panel, organized by Nadia Timperio and Ben Bradshaw, consisted of Dr. Angela Canovas (Department of Animal Biosciences), Dr. Jamie Burr (Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences), and Nic Durish (School of Computer Science), and Dr. Gibson. The panel discussion allowed each presenter describe their engagement with Mitacs and outline the benefits achieved through the program.

Dr. Gibson currently holds two Mitacs Accelerate grants that support two doctoral students. Details of these grants are listed below:

Evaluating Sustainable Governance for Non-Profit Organizations in Rural Canada: This Mitacs Accelerate internship is a partnership with the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation. The overall objective of this project is to identify and understand the critical factors that contribute to successful governance of non-profit organizations and charities in rural communities and what strategies and practices have been successful in other places. Katie Allen, PhD in Rural Studies student, is working on this initiative.
Economic Implications of Policy Change – Cannabis Legalization in the Kootenays: This Mitacs Accelerate internship is a partnership with Community Futures Central Kootenay and Selkirk College. This research focuses on understanding the economic implications of changes in federal policies in rural areas. With better understanding, businesses and community serving organizations can better plan for economic implications emerging from policy change. Tracey Harvey, PhD in Rural Studies student, is working on this initiative.

The Mitacs Accelerate program provides matching funds to support internship opportunities for graduate students. As a nonprofit organization, Mitacs supports research-based innovation. Further details regarding the Mitacs program can be found at https://www.mitacs.ca. Information about the 2019 Perspectives on Experiential Learning Conference can be found at https://opened.uoguelph.ca/Perspectives-on-Experiential-Learning.