BC Environmental and Occupational Health Research Network

The BC Environmental and Occupational Health Research Network (BCEOHRN) was founded in 2005 through an award from the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research. Members of the Network are researchers, students/trainees and users of research. Currently the Network is comprised of over 1,000 members, located primarily across the province of BC. Detailed information about our members can be viewed at our members’ database available by clicking the button at the top of any page on our website. BCEOHRN creates new efficiences and partnerships in the areas of environmental and occupational health research. The Network aims to increase common resources and shared resources within this research community. Visit Our Programs for details on our programmatic offerings to members.

Vision

BCEOHRN will be recognized and respected as providing national leadership in occupational and environmental health research which will ultimately protect human health.

Mission

In order to achieve our Vision, BCEOHRN’s Mission is:

• To facilitate interdisciplinary occupational and environmental health research through connecting and supporting people to create excellence in education and research results’ dissemination;

• To foster a truly provincial network that creates new efficiencies, partnerships and opportunities that will make BC a magnet for training, attracting and retaining top quality researchers.

Values

BCEOHRN recognizes the diversity of needs, locations, expertise and topics relevant to its membership. We aim to remove obstacles that arise from this diversity by increasing knowledge within the research community of common resources, common questions and shared opportunities.

Bylaws

BCEOHRN is now a society.  Download our bylaws here (.pdf format).

Overarching Strategic Goals

1. Improved research capacity through enabling inter-institutional collaboration and seed funding to develop innovative research ideas.
2. Student support by providing funding (travel bursaries, pilot funding, team building grants) and a mentorship program.
3. Improved knowledge transfer by hosting two meetings per year that bring together stakeholders (researchers, educators, policy makers, trainees) to address occupational and environmental health issues that are priorities to British Columbians.

Become a member!

We invite anyone with an interest in health research to become involved in one or more MSFHR-funded networks. Membership is free. Participants in network activities include:

• Institutionally-based researchers from all pillars and disciplines
• Research trainees and students
• Community-based researchers
• Community collaborators
• Service providers and directors working in the areas of health promotion, prevention and treatment with an interest in evidence-based practice
• Policy-makers, including local and regional health authority representatives and others interested in evidence-based policy and planning
• Individuals with an interest in health research

Why get involved?

• Province-wide knowledge translation, promotion and networking support
• Support for bringing research teams together to develop proposals and work on research projects across distance
• Provincial and regional workshops aimed at enabling knowledge exchange and research involvement

BCEOHRN Member Benefits include:

Information sharing
- Website
- Member database
- Web-based seminars
- Regular updates
Building Connections
- Annual Meeting
- Electronic network
- Mentorship
Support services
- WebEx
- Grey Literature Database and wiki
BCEOHRN endeavours to assist with grant writing
- Grant Writing Assistance
- Funding Opportunities
Financial support
~ These funding opportunities are no longer active. For archive purposes only. ~
- Research Capacity Development Grant
- Conference Travel Bursary Program
- Networking Facilitation Fund
Member-driven activities
- Workshops
- 2010 Initiatives Working Group
- Mentorship Working Group
- Policy Makers’ Roundtable
Knowledge Translation and Exchange (KTE)
- Building Capacity for Research
- Assisting the Research Process
- Disseminating Research Findings
- Influencing Change

Interested in becoming a member? Visit our Join Us page.

2005-2010: Part of the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research’s Health of Population Networks

The Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR) provides a range of funding programs aimed at building capacity, promoting excellence and fostering a community of researchers that is responsive to BC’s health needs and contributes to BC’s economy. The Foundation’s Infrastructure Programs are designed to support these goals by providing funding that:

• enhances BC’s health research environment so that researchers can be more productive and competitive, particularly in terms of national research funding;
• strengthens collaborations beyond the research community, and beyond BC;
• enhances research training environments; and
• promotes research knowledge transfer and exchange activities.

The Networking Infrastructure Program provides funding to help link researchers and research resources across health research applications, institutions, organizations and regions; build critical mass; share and leverage research capacity; and promote a spirit of collaboration and partnership. The Health of Population Networks (HoPN) ceased being funded by MSFHR on March 31, 2010.

Other MSFHR Health of Population Networks (HoPN):

• BC Child and Youth Health Research Network
• BC Mental Health and Addictions Research Network
• BC Network for Aging Research
• BC Rural and Remote Health Research Network
• Disabilities Health Research Network
• Network Environments for Aboriginal Research BC
• Women’s Health Research Network

For more information about the HoPN, visit www.msfhr.org.

For a print brochure about the HoPN, click here (.pdf)

BCEOHRN: Connecting and supporting people to create excellence in research and training in occupational and environmental health.