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.

Funding for BCEOHRN from the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research will cease on March 31, 2010. Other funding strategies are being developed by the BCEOHRN Board of Directors to carry on operations after that date. If you have input for funding ideas, please contact us. New ideas are being explored and changes will be made to the Network on April 1, 2010. Watch the website for developments.

 BCEOHRN’s 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.

Membership

The Network is currently comprised of over 1,000 members from across the province. 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. Members are:
• University-based and community-based researchers from many disciplines
• Research trainees and students
• People who work in environmental and occupational health fields, and are interested in research
• Service providers
• Policy-makers, including local and regional health authority representatives

Core Activities

- Information sharing
- Building Connections
- Support services
- BCEOHRN endeavours to assist with grant writing
- Financial support
- Member-driven activities
- Knowledge Translation and Exchange (KTE)

BCEOHRN’s Primary Success Factors

- Active Membership
- Geographic Relationship-Building
- Diverse Board of Directors & Leadership
- Knowledge Translation and Exchange (KTE)
- Low overheads
- Forward Strategic Planning
- Performance Measurement

Performance Measurement

BCEOHRN underwent an external peer review through MSFHR’s Infrastructure Program in the spring of 2007. The panel gave the Network a rating of ‘excellent’, using CIHR’s rating scheme.

In the winter of 2007/08 BCEOHRN carried out a members’ satisfaction survey. Overall the results were overwhelmingly favourable. The majority of the respondents were highly satisfied with BCEOHRN’s services and feel BCEOHRN is supportive of their activities.

For more details, visit the About Us section.