The Imagining Canada’s Future (ICF) Ideas Lab, led by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada, is a pilot program that creates innovative research partnerships and projects.  The program transcends disciplinary boundaries, sparking fresh research approaches, nurturing knowledge exchange, and setting the stage for future interdisciplinary ventures. 

Dr. Bharati Sethi, a distinguished researcher and Canada Research Chair in Care Work, Ethnicity, Race and Aging in the Political Studies department at Trent University, successfully competed for the opportunity to participate in the project. Upon selection and participation in the first stage of the initiative, Dr. Sethi recently shared her experience of the initial stage, which included an interactive, interdisciplinary workshop, and explained the opportunities similar models might pose for the future of research. 

“I saw the Ideas Lab as fertile ground for nurturing innovation in research partnerships and an opportunity to foster a culture of interdisciplinary collaboration,” said Professor Sethi. “By working across traditional boundaries, we can collectively tackle the complex challenges that define our modern world and where Canadians, specifically, can help make a difference.” 

Prof. Sethi’s motivation to participate in the Ideas Lab stemmed from her own passion for forging connections across diverse research areas. The prospect of harnessing her expertise and collaborating with scholars from fields such as engineering, biology, social sciences, and humanities, from all regions of Canada, filled her with anticipation. 

Under the overarching theme of Global Health and Wellness for the 21st Century, the Ideas Lab current initiative supports the SSHRC’s mission to tackle pressing health challenges. This theme recognizes the dynamic landscape of global health, shaped by various factors including an aging population, rapid technological advances, climate change, and the profound impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. It underscores the notion that no single area of research can result in comprehensive solutions to these complex situations. 

The importance of global perspectives

In stage two of the pilot, five teams are invited to submit a proposal that aligns with the SSHRC Global health and Wellness themes. Prof. Sethi is leading one of the muti-disciplinary teams in a competitive and closed grant competition.  

“As global citizens, we hope that, if we are funded, our project will inform policy and decision-making across the academic, public, private and not-for-profit sectors to support a healthy, equitable, and just Canadian society,” shared Prof. Sethi. “The insights will also have the potential to contribute to health and wellness globally.”