Skills for Research Impact

Skills for Research Impact is a workshop series, spanning the fall and winter semesters at the University of Guelph. Faculty, research staff, graduate students and anyone interested in enhancing the impact of their research are invited to join.

Through sessions facilitated by impact experts, participants will learn how to successfully plan, execute and evaluate knowledge mobilization (or knowledge translation and transfer) activities. Sessions will cover topics key to effective research communications and engagement of non-academic audiences, including policy, industry and community stakeholders.

Throughout the series, participants will gain skills that can be applied to their own research contexts, goals and projects. Workshops will be highly participatory and will provide practical knowledge, skills and tools that can be used right away.

Join us for one or multiple sessions! The first five core sessions will be offered online.

Letters of recognition are available upon request at the end of the series for those who attended all core sessions in the Winter 2025 semester. Please contact kttadmin@uoguelph.ca for more details.

Webinar access information will be provided through the Microsoft registration page.

Workshop Title Description Speaker Date, Location and Registration Link
Planning for Research Impact

Knowledge mobilization 101! Become familiar with knowledge mobilization plans and conceptualize strategies adapted to your goals and audiences.

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Define "knowledge mobilization"
  • Identify why knowledge mobilization is important
  • Identify best practices for knowledge mobilization
  • Summarize the steps involved in knowledge mobilization planning
  • Compare and contrast End of Grant KT and Integrated KT
  • Apply the principles of knowledge mobilization to their research
 Valerie Hruska, Knowledge Mobilization and Communications Coordinator,
Research Innovation Office, University of Guelph

Sept. 16, 2025

1-2:30 p.m.

Location: Virtual (Teams)

Register for the Planning for Research Impact session
Op-Ed Writing

In an age where public discourse shapes policy, perception, and progress, researchers have a vital role to play beyond academia. This workshop empowers researchers to translate their expertise into compelling, accessible opinion pieces that resonate with broader audiences.

 

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Identify timely and relevant topics rooted in their research;
  • Develop a clear and persuasive argument;
  • Write with clarity, brevity, and impact for non-specialist readers;
  • Navigate the submission process for major media outlets
 Facilitated by: Saskia Brussaard, Managing Partner & Co-founder, 6 Seeds Consulting

Sept. 23

1-2:30 p.m.

Location: Virtual (Teams)

Register for Op-Ed Writing
Clear Language Writing

Hone your clear communications skills! Get tips on how to structure and write clear language summaries of your research for dissemination to lay audiences.

At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Define what clear language communication is
  • Recall why clear language communication is important in Knowledge Mobilization
  • Explain the importance of identifying and understanding the needs of your audience
  • Evaluate the clarity of various communication pieces
  • Construct clear language communication using organization, language, and formatting strategies
 Kim Garwood, Production Manager, Stiletto 

Sept. 30, 2025

1-2:30 p.m.

Location: Virtual (Teams)

Register for the Clear Language Writing session
KTT Strategies and Dissemination

How do you share your research with non-academic audiences?

Learn about a number of potential mechanisms you can use for knowledge mobilization, discover how to choose a mechanism that’s appropriate for your audience, and take a deep dive into several popular mechanisms for dissemination, including social media, research summaries, infographics, and media. 

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Recognize various opportunities for dissemination of research to non-academic audiences 
  • Select an appropriate option for dissemination to your audience 
  • List, and apply skills learned related to, popular dissemination mechanisms: 
    • Social media 
    • Policy brief or two-page summary 
    • Infographic or visual summary 
    • Media outreach 
  • List resources that will help disseminate your research in additional ways
 TBD

Oct. 7

1-2:30 p.m.

Location: Virtual (Teams)

Register for the KTT Strategies and Dissemination session 
Community Engagement

Actively engaging your audiences in your research process is one of the most effective ways to increase the uptake and impact of your research. But how does that work?

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Identify a range of key audiences and potential goals for engagement
  • Consider different levels and types of community engagement before, during and following the research process
  • Incorporate practical tips and important considerations in their own engagement efforts
 Kendra Schnarr,Research Projects Assistant at CESI

Oct. 21

1-2:30 p.m.

Location: Virtual (Teams)

Register for the Community Engagement session
Evaluating KTT Activities

When all is said and done, how do you know it worked? Go beyond the anecdote and learn to use evaluation techniques to assess the impact of your knowledge mobilization efforts.

After attending this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Summarize the steps involved in evaluating KTT
  • Discuss common challenges and best practices in KTT evaluation
  • Use strategies to identify KTT measures and indicators
  • Explain trade-offs in deciding what and how to measure
  • Select appropriate KTT evaluation goals
  • Build a logic model or theory of change to explain KTT rationale
  • Create a basic evaluation framework for their own KTT work
 Anne Bergen, Director, Knowledge to Action Consulting Inc.

Oct. 28, 2025

1-2:30 p.m.

Location: Virtual (Teams)

Register for the Evaluating KTT Activities session

This workshop series is a collaboration between the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance and the Research Innovation Office and the Community Engaged Scholarship Institute at the University of Guelph. For more information, contact us at kttadmin@uoguelph.ca.

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