News
2024
June
How Does Public Engagement Impact Academic Careers at Memorial? New OPE report
OPE is happy to release a new, student-led report exploring how public engagement affects the careers of faculty members at Memorial University. Touching on a range of issues, including promotion and tenure, the production of scholarly products, funds leveraged, and partnerships, both in community and across higher education institutions.
OPE's 2023/2024 Annual Update
Interested in learning more about the projects and programming that the Office of Public Engagement supported this year? Our Annual Update for 2023/2024 is now available: OPE Update 2023/2024.
2023
September
Memorial launches Public Engagement Framework Renewal Process
This Fall, Memorial’s Office of Public Engagement (OPE) is launching a Public Engagement Framework (PEF) renewal process to ask people, inside and outside the university, how they envision the next ten years of Memorial’s public engagement story.
March
See the Results of OPE's Evaluation of the Public Engagement Framework
The OPE has completed a comprehensive review of the impacts of the Public Engagement Framework, at Memorial and within Newfoundland and Labrador, since it was adopted in 2012.
2022
August
OPE Graduate Student Job Opportunity (Part-Time)
Are you interested in helping Memorial make a positive difference outside the university? Memorial’s Office of Public Engagement (OPE) is looking for someone to join their program team. Learn more here.
May
Read the Office of Public Engagement's 2021 Annual Update
The Office of Public Engagement (OPE) is happy to share our 2021 Annual Update. Hear from our leadership, learn more about our funds, and get a sense of what we're planning for the next 12 months.
March
Relationships, Reciprocity and Relevance: Building Healthy Community-University Partnerships
More and more students, faculty, and staff at Canadian universities are exploring ways to make their research, teaching and learning, and public engagement relevant, accessible and aligned with the community. It’s a positive development, but how do we ensure that these efforts are equitable, respectful, and useful to the communities that we serve?
Join us April 5th for a virtual panel.
February
Training Opportunity for University Leadership
Are you a university leader seeking to make public or community engagement a priority within your institution, faculty or department? Consider attending this leadership and executive focused training opportunity, presented by Engagement Academy for University Leaders and Memorial University, July 13-15, 2022.
2021
October
Into the Spotlight: A Conversation about Being a Public Academic
Public scholarship can have a powerful impact.
Join us for a panel hosted by Dr. Isabelle Dostaler, Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration and frequent media commentator, featuring experienced public scholars from Memorial for a discussion about their experiences.
May
Engage Memorial Webinar: Building the Future of Collaboration between Rural NL and Memorial
The connections between rural Newfoundland and Labrador and Memorial University run deep. Join our panel host, Dr. Kelly Vodden, rural researcher and Associate VP (Grenfell Campus) as she leads a conversation about where we have been and where our public engagement relationships need to go in the future.
January
New funding for public engagement at conferences and events
The Catalyst Conference Fund offers up to $5000 to help conference organizers include opportunities for public engagement in large events.
2020
June
Nominate an outstanding community-university partnership for a President's Award
Nominations for the 2020 President's Award for Public Engagement Partnerships are open now!
March
UPDATED INFORMATION: Classrooms, teaching labs and study rooms closing on all campuses
Updated opening hours and occupancy limits for computer labs that remain open for students who do not have personal computer access for remote learning.
January
Faculty Unite over Public Engagement
The upcoming edition of the Faculty Club on Thursday February 20, will feature Dr. Lisa Rankin and Dr. Shannon Lewis Simpson discussing their experience incorporating public engagement into teaching and learning, field research and how and why students benefit from the approach.
Read more about this initiative in the Gazette.
2019
December
President's Choice
The Innu Language Project has been named the recipient of the 2019 President’s Award for Public Engagement Partnership.
Read more about how Dr. Marguerite MacKenzie and Mamu Tshishkutamashutau/Innu Education (MTIE), the Labrador Innu School Board's are collaboratively working on their common goal of maintaining Innu-aimun as a living language passed on from one generation to the next.
Survey says ...
Developing and administering a public engagement survey has been a game changer for Kelly Greenfield, Scott Taylor and Kirstan Dyson.
“Every student should be encouraged to think about their research in terms of whether they can engage a public partner ... And the public should be viewing Memorial as a resource and a place to reach out to if they need help.”
Read more in the Gazette.
November
Conference on higher education
The Role of Universities and Other Institutions of Higher Education in Facilitating Economic, Social and Cultural Development in Peripheral Regions, Nov. 14th and 15th. This conference will take place at the Emera Innovation Exchange, Signal Hill Campus of Memorial University, 100 Signal Hill Road, St. John’s, NL.
This conference is jointly sponsored by the CARE (Collaborative Applied Research in Economics) initiative, the Department of Economics (MUN), SITA (Scholarship in the Arts), and the Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT), Waterford, Ireland.
Those interested in attending should register by emailing economics@mun.ca or nstrapp@mun.ca.
May
Nominate a Partnership for the President's Award for Public Engagement
Nominations are now being accepted for the President’s Award for Public Engagement Partnerships.
March
Survey on Public Engagement
Our public engagement survey is now open!
Click here to find out more.
February
Quick Start 2019 is now open!
The Quick Start Fund for Public Engagement offers up to $2500 in support for public engagement projects involving new university-community collaborations, such as preliminary meetings, events and service learning projects.
2018
August
The Office of Public Engagement has moved
It's official: we've moved into our space at Memorial's new Signal Hill Campus.
If you've got a meeting booked with us at our space, make sure you head to 100 Signal Hill Rd. instead of our old location. You can find us in office 2006 of the new facility. We can't wait to show you around!
February
The Quick Start Fund for Public Engagement is now open!
Are you looking for funding to support your new university-community collaborations? Look no further! The Quick Start Fund for Public Engagement is now open!
2017
June
The Public Engagement Accelerator Fund is open for applications!
The Public Engagement Accelerator Fund offers up to $10,000 in support of the initiation or extension of public engagement projects that link to Memorial’s mission.
President's Award for Public Engagement Partnerships - Accepting Nominations
Do you know of an exemplary university-public partnership? The President's Award for Public Engagement Partnerships is accepting nominations until July 7
April
Quick Start Fund for Public Engagement - the clock is ticking!
Time is running out to apply for the Quick Start Fund for Public Engagement! For the best chance of success, apply for funding for your preliminary meeting, event or service learning project by the April 30 deadline!
2016
November
Yaffle Reimagined
Yaffle has received an upgrade to better connect community needs with university expertise.
June
Deadline Extended: Nominations for the President's Award for Public Engagement Partnerships
The nomination deadline for the President’s Award for Public Engagement Partnership has been extended to Friday, July 15th.
May
The Public Engagement Accelerator Fund is open for applications!
Do you have a public engagement project that links to Memorial's mission? Then check this out!
April
Call for Proposals: Engage Memorial, 2016
The Office of Public Engagement is seeking applications from students, faculty, and staff to host an event for Engage Memorial 2016.
2015
October
Post-doctorate Opportunity: Vital Signs and the Jarislowsky Chair in Cultural and Economic Transformation
Memorial University’s Leslie Harris Centre of Regional Policy and Development, the Community Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Jarislowsky Chair in Cultural and Economic Transformation are seeking a Public Engagement Postdoctoral Fellow.
You're invited to the St. John's launch of the Encyclopedia of Local Knowledge
The Faculty of Arts, Office of Public Engagement and The Centre for Newfoundland Studies cordially invite you to the launch of Pam Hall’s Encyclopedia of Local Knowledge,
CHAPTER II: FOGO AND CHANGE ISLANDS
August
The First Look at Memorial's Battery Facility Graduate Accommodations
Now that construction is wrapping up on the Harbour Wing of Memorial University’s new Battery Facility Graduate Accommodations, the first look inside the re-modelled space is ready to share. Major work on the wing, which includes 42 rooms, is now complete, with only finishing touches remaining prior to the first students moving in.
Postdoctoral Fellowship Opportunity: agricultural safety research and knowledge mobilization
The SafetyNet Centre for Occupational Health & Safety Research (www.safetynet.mun.ca), is seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow (funded in part through Memorial’s Office of Public Engagement, Faculty of Medicine and Grenfell VPR, with additional support from Agrivita Canada Inc. and Agriculture and Agri-Foods Canada), to develop and carry out a research and knowledge mobilization program on occupational health and safety for the Newfoundland and Labrador agricultural sector.
July
Memorial's Battery Facility Graduate Student Accommodations offering broad views, seeking the same
Applications for Memorial University’s Battery Facility Graduate Student Accommodations are now being accepted.
April
Strengthening the relationship between the Botanical Garden and academic units
Building the relationship between the Garden and Memorial's academic campuses and units.
March
Engage Memorial: Share, Learn and Connect
Join us for an enlightening series of workshops & learning events about public engagement at (and with) Memorial.
February
Quick Start Fund for Public Engagement is now open
Need a little help for a big idea? The 2015 Quick Start Fund for Public Engagement is now open!
January
Engage Memorial: Call for proposals
Calling for expressions of interest for Engage Memorial 2015
2014
November
Memorial Unviersity's 2014 research report celebrates collaboration and community
The report’s theme, We Are Research, is prevalent in each of the stories as a celebration of and testament to the impact that research will have on society. It also reflects the collaborative effort and teamwork that is required to make extraordinary research happen.
September
Memorial University names Pam Hall as inaugural Public Engagement Post-doctoral Fellow
Dr. Pam Hall is most at home among the unique and colourful towns and villages of Newfoundland and Labrador. In fact, they are from where she draws much of her creative inspiration.
Decoding Newfoundland culture
“I’m feeling right mauzy. Been ‘eaving and I’m all plugged up.”
Translation: I’m feeling ill and am experiencing vomiting and constipation.
The recent Newfoundland film The Grand Seduction showcased the challenges of attracting and keeping a doctor in a small town. But imagine how different the film would have been if the young doctor wasn’t from mainland Canada but from China. And English wasn’t his (or her) first language.
Touch tank visit helps child overcome sensory issues
Seven-year-old Jayden Druggett has something in common with his favourite animal, the moon snail. Both need a little extra coaxing to come out of their shells.
And even though his mother, Jenny Purcell, says he is completely obsessed with snails, one thing she never, ever thought he would be able to do was hold one.
Memorial researchers awarded funding for social sciences research
Researchers at Memorial University have been awarded significant funding to support research on behalf of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
July
Hibernia investment grows enrichment programming
Memorial University will help cultivate the next generation of innovators in Newfoundland and Labrador thanks to a $2.85-million investment from the Hibernia Management and Development Company Ltd. (HMDC).
Proposed uranium mine creates opportunity for unique research collaboration
Ordinarily Dr. Derek Wilton, a professor Earth Sciences, might not be expected to have much in common, with Dr. Atanu Sarkar, a public health physician in the Faculty of Medicine.
But a potential uranium mine in Labrador is bringing together these two very different researchers at Memorial.
Engaging Youth in Ocean Sciences
On June 19th, Ocean Sciences’ Dr. Patrick Gagnon and two of his graduate students, David Bélanger and Anne Provencher St-Pierre, had the pleasure of communicating, in French, their passion for oceans and marine life to 30 first-grade students from École des Grands-Vents (a K-12 French school located in St. John’s).
Colony of Avalon recognized by Faculty of Arts
The Colony of Avalon Foundation has been named the 2014 recipient of the Faculty of Arts' Newfoundland and Labrador Community Research Engagement Award.
April
Knowledge mobilization is On the Move: Faculty of Arts research project forges ground-breaking partnership with Canada's public broadcaster
Mobilizing knowledge effectively can present a significant challenge for many researchers and many universities. Even for projects that have very practical implications for people and communities, it is not always easy to get good research out there. Memorial’s On the Move Partnership, led by Dr. Barbara Neis of the Department of Sociology, has come up with an innovative solution to the challenge, and forged a unique partnership directly with the long-running CBC Radio documentary program, Ideas.
February
Engage Memorial Week Update: Friday Edition
Will you be our Valentine? From public engagement, to a great big thank-you, Engage Memorial Week continues!
Engage Memorial Week Update: Thursday
It's Thursday, but Engage Memorial Week is still going strong!
Engage Memorial Week Update: Wednesday
Hump day? No way! We've got a big Engage Memorial Week Wednesday planned.
Engage Memorial Week Update: Tuesday
What's on the go for Engage Memorial Week today?
Full Engage Memorial Week, 2014 program now available
Partnership to advance oceans and economic development in Holyrood
The Fisheries and Marine Institute (MI) of Memorial University has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Town of Holyrood to provide a framework for advancement of oceans-related education, training, applied research and economic development.
January
Engage Memorial Week, 2014 is on the way!
Engage Memorial Week is February 10th-15th, 2014!
Public engagement has always been a key element of Memorial's role in the life of Newfoundland and Labrador. Join us as we explore and celebrate the opportunities and benefits of public engagement- with an entire week of events, there's something for everyone!
School of Nursing earns recognition and scholarships at annual event
Memorial's School of Nursing was well-represented at the Association of Registered Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador's (ARNNL) annual education and research trust presentation held recently in St. John's.
2013
December
New fund for public engagement now open
A new fund supporting public engagement activity for Memorial staff, faculty and organizations is now accepting applications.
Arts award highlights community contributions to research
The Mamu Tshishkutamashutau/Innu Education (MTIE), the Labrador Innu School Board, was recently honoured as the first recipient of the Faculty of Arts' Newfoundland and Labrador Community Research Engagement Award.
November
Fly-in/Fly-out: Community tensions and planning approaches in Canada and Australia
Fly-in/Fly-out is now common practice among resource sector workers. However, transient workers may be a cost to host communities through their use of infrastructure and services and contribute little to community development. Addressing these problems is the focus of this research.
Nunatsiavut speaker to discuss sustainable Inuit communities
Tom Sheldon, Director of Environment of the Nunatsiavut Department of Lands & Natural Resources, will be speaking in the department on Friday, November 22 at 1:00 p.m.
Now seeking ideas and input for Engage Memorial Week, 2014
We're seeking ideas for Engage Memorial 2014!
Engage Memorial is a week of learning about, and celebration of, public engagement collaborations between the Memorial University community and the broader community. Memorial’s Office of Public Engagement is working with individuals and groups throughout the university to plan a week of exciting and informative events; we’re requesting expressions of interest from departments, units and groups who wish to lead an Engage Memorial activity.
October
Translating decades-old data into a media-rich environment
Newfoundland and Labrador dialects are known worldwide for their distinctiveness and regional diversity.
The online Dialect Atlas of Newfoundland and Labrador (www.dialectatlas.mun.ca/) will help preserve the rich cultural heritage of this province by documenting the regional distribution of the many traditional linguistic features that characterize English in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Citizen scientist detects sighting of mosquito thought to be carrier of West Nile
A website set up by researchers at Memorial University, www.nlnature.com, has demonstrated the power of citizen science to provide early detection of novel species in the province.
A member of the public recently posted a sighting of a mosquito thought to be a possible vector of the West Nile Virus.
July
New funding to study community impact of arsenic poisoning in North West Territories
A researcher in Memorial University’s Faculty of Arts has received a major grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
Dr. John Sandlos of the Department of History has received $200,000 over three years for his project, Toxic Legacies: Community Perspectives on Arsenic Pollution at Yellowknife’s Giant Mine.
Collaboration is key to successful regional governance, says Memorial University report.
A report released by Memorial University’s Leslie Harris Centre of Regional Policy and Development (the Harris Centre) takes an in-depth look at communities across the province and identifies successful approaches and challenges to regional governance. The report examines regional collaboration as an important strategy for rural communities facing social, economic and ecological change.
June
Tapping into the source
Folklorists Dr. Philip Hiscock and Dale Jarvis have teamed up for a perfect summer research project.
They will be tapping into traditional knowledge around wells, springs and natural water sources within the St. John’s area with help from the Harris Centre’s RBC Drinking Water Research and Outreach Fund.
Researchers work with students to create space experiments
Just before Commander Chris Hadfield blasted off in December 2012 for a five-month mission on the International Space Station, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) invited young Canadian students to design their own science experiment for him to do while on board. Memorial researchers helped one Newfoundland school make it into the contest's top 10 - twice!
May
Memorial and Shorefast Foundation establish partnership
On Thursday, May 16, Memorial University and the Shorefast Foundation signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU). The signing is the initial step in a pilot project, administered by Memorial’s Office of Public Engagement, that will inform the development of a model for future MOUs between Memorial and public engagement partners who have multiple connections with the university.
Graduate Student Engages Youth in Ocean Sciences
Katie Gale, M.Sc. student with Dr. Annie Mercier helps grade 4 student with school project.
April
Writers' Fair taking place at Centre for Newfoundland Studies
The Centre for Newfoundland Studies’ (CNS) mandate is to have a copy of every book ever published by a Newfoundland and Labrador writer and a copy of every book ever published about Newfoundland and Labrador.
It’s not surprising, then, that the centre enjoys great relationships with numerous writers and publishers.
The CNS will be hosting a Writers' Fair for the general public on Sunday, May 5, to celebrate this long-standing partnership.
Newfoundland Quarterly returns to Memorial
As of April 1, Newfoundland and Labrador’s oldest magazine, the Newfoundland Quarterly, will officially become a public engagement unit of Memorial University.
March
Botanical garden rejoins Memorial University as public engagement unit
With spring on the way, the Memorial University Botanical Garden is happy to announce a new beginning of its own: as of Monday, April 1, the garden will officially become a public engagement unit of the university.
The Marine Institute and WWF-Canada partner to advance fisheries and oceans education
The Marine Institute (MI) of Memorial University of Newfoundland has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with World Wildlife Fund (WWF)-Canada to provide a framework for the advancement of fisheries and oceans related education, training and research and development.
MPs visit St. John's campus to discuss marine biodiversity
NDP MPs Ryan Cleary and Jack Harris came to Memorial last month to meet with researchers involved with the Canadian Healthy Oceans Network.
Graduate student conference features public engagement theme
Public engagement is one of the themes of this year's Aldrich Conference. Abstracts are currently being accepted for the $1000 Memorial University Graduate Student Public Engagement Prize.
Memorial’s purchase of former Battery Hotel property complete; property use planning commences
President Gary Kachanoski has announced that the purchase of the former Battery Hotel property has been finalized.
World weather expert to lecture at Memorial
A public lecture on Newfoundland and Labrador’s favourite subject – the weather – will take place at Memorial University.
Dr. Gilbert Brunet, head of Weather Science at the Met Office, will deliver a lecture titled The Mathematical Challenges of Earth-System and Weather Prediction on March 19 at 7:30 p.m. in the Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation, Room IIC-2001 on the St. John’s Campus.