PRESS RELEASE
Sharing Research Findings in Nunavut: A Knowledge Tracking Workshop
March 1-2, 2011 a food security knowledgetracking workshop was held in Iqaluit,
Nunavut. Rachel Hirsch (York University,
Toronto), a researcher interested in public
views of and involvement in Canadian
environment and health policy, hosted the
workshop. This work was inspired by the
increased emphasis academics and policymakers have been placing on food security and
climate change research across the Arctic. The
question is: what happens next, after communitymembers are involved in these projects? Highlights
from this workshop include a presentation from
Noor Johnson (McGill University, Montreal) on her
work tracking the movement of climate knowledge
from Clyde River to Iqaluit to Ottawa, experience
building ‘research-action bridges' (photo above), and
hands-on work building models of communication.
Workshop attendees discussed how to get messages
‘out there’ and how to evaluate the success of these
communications. To explore possible
obstacles/opportunities in knowledge sharing
communication models were constructed using
straws and connectors (photo on the right). This
innovative exercise led to interesting discussions
about who we share information with and how we
try to protect our intended messages from misinterpretation. Attendees are now working
together to produce a knowledge-tracking guidebook outlining how to assess the use and
integration of local food (in)security knowledge in Nunavut climate change policymaking.