Building a Science or Research shop: Refining or Expanding Your Model

This workshop is aimed at those already working as community based researchers (university or community) interested in creating and running Science Shops/Research Shops on their campus or in community, further institutionalizing, broadening and “scaling up” their efforts for greater integration and sustainability. A Research Shop or Science Shop provides independent, participatory research in response to concerns experienced by community or civil society organizations. Science Shops/Research Shops are not “shops” in the traditional sense, but are small entities that carry out or mediate scientific research in a wide range of disciplines ( ‘science’ and ‘research’ in their broadest meanings, including humanities, arts and engineering). They usually work on behalf of citizens and local civil society on a no fee/low fee basis for those without capacity for research on their own. Science Shops’ responsiveness to CS need for expertise and knowledge is a key element that distinguishes them from other knowledge transfer or exchange mechanisms. Science Shops are often linked to or based in universities, where research is done by students often as part of their curricula with supervision of associated (university) staff/professors. Other Science/Research Shops are community NGO/NPOs doing projects with various stakeholders and funders. The workshop will: • provide multiple models for how to operate a science/research shop from national and international examples • address practical issues in the research mediation process (needs articulation, links with curricula) • address strategic issues around institutional commitment and funding • provide networking to link efforts across Canada and internationally The workshop will be led by the Research Shop (University of Guelph), the Science Shop at the University of Groningen (The Netherlands) and the Bonn Science Shop (Germany), bringing in the experiences of other Science Shops in the international Living Knowledge Network, of which the European speakers are founding members and coordinators