Q: What is the future of the Research/Creation Grants in the Fine Arts program?
A: SSHRC is in the business of funding research, not creation. However, it would be
surprising if this program was dropped, as there is a high demand for it. It has far
exceeded our expectations as to the number of applications.
Q: It is increasingly difficult for the library to get and maintain social sciences and
humanities journals, and to get funding for e-journals – what can be done?
SYNERGIES (a proposal to CFI to create an electronic archive of Canadian
scholarship that is retrospective, current and forward-looking) was not funded.
A: I am furious about the SYNERGIES rejection. We’re unsure where to go with the
electronic journals idea.
Q: It is not clear whether SSHRC offers support for curriculum development.
A: SSHRC does offer this type of support; contact the appropriate SSHRC Program
Officers for details.
Q: Will SSHRC provide a larger number of small (in dollar amount) grants? This
is important for those researchers rated as “4A”, who do not need large grants in
order to carry out their programs of research.
A: SSHRC will be trying to figure out to what extent it is a good idea to shift the
Standard Research Grants program so that it can fund more researchers with smaller
grants.
Q: There is a problem with using the term “human sciences” when including
research in the humanities and fine arts.
A: This is a direct translation from French, and the same wording is used in many other
languages for research encompassing the social sciences and the humanities. However, if
it seems that many people are uncomfortable with the term we will drop it.
Q: To what extent will innovative, interdisciplinary projects be understood under
the academic peer review process?
A: SSHRC is experimenting with this; initiatives include the formation of
interdisciplinary peer review committees and the idea of merit review (i.e. from
communities) in addition to traditional peer review.
Q: Is SSHRC interested in collaborative international projects that would lead in
the direction of knowledge being shared internationally?
A: Yes. Canada is currently very weak on the international front.
Q: Researchers, universities and funding agencies must move to a new model of
“selling” research in popular culture.
A: Researchers are not, on the whole, very good at asking the “so what?” question.
Researchers should be addressing their ideas for this in their grant applications
(Dissemination/Communication of Research Results sections) – currently, researchers’
dissemination plans tend to involve them talking to each other, rather than to the public or
media.