BC Environmental and Occupational Health Research Network

The Canadian Community of Practice in Ecosystem Approaches to Health (CoPEH-Can) is an initiative funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and directed and administered by a consortium of Canadian universities (University of British Columbia, University of Guelph and Université du Québec à Montréal), whose primary objective is to promote and support research, education, policy and practice in ecosystem approaches to health. The CoPEH-Can website provides additional information about the community of practice and CoPEH-Can project. As part of the educational mandate of this initiative, CoPEH-Can will be hosting an 11-day short course entitled Ecosystem Approaches to Health (Ecohealth) in Vancouver at the University of British Columbia on August 05-15, 2008. A maximum of twenty-five participants will be accepted into the 2008 short course, including up to twenty graduate students (eligible for “Graduate Training Awards”) and up to five career development positions for those actively working in the field (eligible for “Career Development Training”).

Graduate Training Awards will offer twenty (20) awards of $1000 to help cover the costs for graduate students to attend the Ecosystem Approaches to Health Short Course. Graduate awardees will not be charged registration to attend the course.

Ecohealth Research Awards will offer four (4) awards of a maximum of $17,500 to cover justifiable field work and conference/dissemination expenses. Awards cannot be used to pay tuition fees but may be held concurrently with other awards. This research has to integrate an ecohealth approach, to be associated with the student’s graduate program and take place in a developing country or in a development context in Canada.

The Fellowship is for young researchers at the master’s or doctoral level intending to study work and health. Preference will be given to candidates whose research interests include understanding of the social determinants of health and illness in work environments, and/or evaluating workplace interventions to improve health and/or the associated measurement issues. The Institute is particularly interested in candidates who demonstrate a commitment to research that promises to reduce work-related injury, illness and disability in Ontario. In the spirit of Dr. Syme’s own contributions to research mentorship, candidates from any disciplinary background are eligible for training fellowship support.

The purpose of the affiliate studentship offered through the Western Regional Training Centre for Health Services Research (WRTC) is to provide support to highly qualified students who are pursuing training in disciplines related to health services research at a Western Canadian University. The award allows students to continue with graduate studies in their home department or at their home University, but requires them to participate in selected WRTC activities and comply with WRTC conditions of acceptance as outlined in these Guidelines and a Letter of Agreement. In addition, WRTC offers an option for interested students to participate in a four-month (or equivalent) field placement at a decision-maker health-related agency, and will facilitate arrangements for the field placement if the student requests this option. Students currently registered in a graduate program at a western Canadian university can apply to the WRTC to be considered for an affiliate studentship. Affiliate studentships are $5,000 for one year. Prior to submitting an affiliate application students should contact the WRTC to discuss their research focus.

NLCAHR’s Scholar-in-Residence Award provides funding for a researcher to spend one or two terms at Memorial University. The visiting researcher will provide input into local research activities, help build linkages and facilitate collaboration of local researchers with external researchers and research organizations. The goals of NLCAHR’s Scholar-in-Residence program are: to bring to Newfoundland and Labrador established scholars from elsewhere who are actively involved in research linked to the Centre’s priority themes; to build linkages and facilitate collaboration of local researchers with external researchers and research organizations; to provide input into our ongoing research activities and research plans as well as to the work of graduate students at Memorial