SSHRC grants to McGill researchers put youth first

Two McGill researchers were recently awarded large partnership grants by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). These grants are designed to foster research partnerships among the academic, private, public and not-for-profit sectors.

Susanne Lajoie, of the Faculty of Education, will receive close to $2.5 million over the next eight years to conduct research into how to develop technology-rich learning environments in a range of fields from medicine and psychology to history. The goal is to develop and test online learning environments to ensure that students from elementary school age to those in universities are not just learning, but are engaged in concrete problem solving. And enjoying themselves while they’re at it!

Nico Trocmé, of the School of Social Work, will receive over $1.5 million over seven years to work with researchers, provincial service associations and direct service providers to gather and analyze information about the child protection services provided in Quebec to Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children. The goals of the research will be to both gather data about the overrepresentation of Aboriginal children in youth protection services and to examine their trajectories within this system. The hope is that by gathering this information, researchers and social service agencies will be better equipped to develop policies to tackle some of the larger challenges Aboriginal youth face.

"These multisectoral research partnerships are key to innovation and to building knowledge for Canada’s future," said Chad Gaffield, President of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. "With this funding support, we are gaining insight about, and developing innovative solutions to today’s social, economic and cultural issues, while training the next generation of researchers and leaders."

A further $775,000 will go to four other McGill researchers over the next three years. They are conducting research in fields ranging from partnering with Aboriginal parents to promoting good governance through enhanced parliamentary oversight. The researchers are Susan Rvachew (School of Communication Sciences and Disorders), Aaron Sprecher (School of Architecture),

Frederick Stapenhurst (Institute for the Study of International Development), and Donald Taylor (Dept. of Psychology).

about these grants