This year's Community Summit tackles the topic of inequality, be it economic, social or political. Organized by SFU Public Square and running from April 1-9, this annual gathering will consider solutions for a more equitable, just, and prosperous society for all.
In support of this year's Community Summit on Overcoming Inequality, SFU Library has highlighted below a collection initiatives, services, and resources related to the principle of information equity.
What is Simon Fraser University's stance towards information equity?
With the Simon Fraser University Senate's endorsement of an institutional Open Access Policy in 2017, SFU confirmed its commitment to sharing the research product of its scholars with as wide an audience as possible.
With the support of SFU Library, electronic copies of research conducted by students, faculty, and postdoctoral fellows could be made widely available to the general public.
Open Access publications are free to read on the open internet. Readers can download, copy, and distribute an Open Access publication, as long as credit is given to the authors.
How do I find Open Access Materials Online?
One of the best ways to find Open Access material online is by searching a research repository. A digital research repository is an online collection of research associated with an institution or a discipline. Repositories provide barrier free online access to a range of scholarly publications including journal articles (pre and post prints), conference proceedings, and more. Summit is the Simon Fraser University research repository.
Knowledge Mobilization at SFU
Knowledge mobilization involves the process of making academic research more accessible to a general audience. Simon Fraser University has made a commitment to providing resources to support researchers share research findings in meaningful ways, facilitating wider public engagement with research and deepening connections between researchers and knowledge users.
The SFU Knowledge Mobilization Hub is located in the Bennett Library on the Burnaby Campus and can help you find ways to engage the public with your research.
The Community-Engaged Research initiative
Designed around a collaborative research infrastructure, SFU’s Community-Engaged Research initiative (CERi) promotes principles of participation, cooperation, empowerment and knowledge translation to lift up and strengthen the capacity of SFU’s researchers and students, to engage respectfully and ethically with community members.
A Knowlege Mobilization Podcast
Below the Radar: A Knowledge Mobilization Podcast
In this podcast produced by SFU Vancity's Office of Community Engagement, ideas are discussed and amplified that might otherwise be flying below the radar. Topics include environmental and social justice, arts, culture, community-building and urban issues with featured guests.
Recently, Glen Coulthard appeared on episode 37 of the podcast, discussing his recent work. Glen Coulthard is the the author of Red Skin, White Masks: Rejecting the Colonial Politics of Recognition, one of the books featured in the resource list for this year's Community Summit.
President's Dream Colloquium on Making Knowledge Public
In fall 2018, SFU hosted the President’s Dream Colloquium on Making Knowledge Public, a series of public lectures and student seminars investigating how research and scholarly knowledge is conveyed to, and used by, the general public. A key theme of this event was growing need for academic researchers to engage more proactively in the public sphere in order to help facilitate a more robust and information-based mode of discussion and debate.
A collection of materials relating to this past event, including video recordings of each public lecture and accompanying materials, have been made available on this page in a consolidated form.
Community Scholars Program
A joint project between SFU and three other BC post-secondary institutions, the Community Scholars Program provides access to subscription-only academic research to the staff of non-profit and charitable organizations. These organizations, doing critical work in areas such as health care, education, and homelessness, are able to gain access to more than 20,000 journal titles and e-books that would have otherwise been inaccessible to them.
Currently, more than 500 individuals are enrolled in this program, gaining access to vital scholarly research that supports their work.