Six Thompson Rivers University researchers have received inaugural Engage Awards from Health Research BC, supporting new partnerships that connect researchers with communities, organizations and health-system partners to address pressing health challenges across British Columbia.
The Engage Award is part of Health Research BC’s new Impact Pathways Program, which supports collaboration between researchers and research users. The awards provide short-term funding for early-stage activities that build relationships, strengthen partnerships and explore opportunities to co-develop research that can inform practice, policy and community decision-making.
“The Engage Awards recognize the strength of collaborative, community-connected research taking place at TRU,” said Dr. Shannon Wagner, vice-president, research at TRU. “By bringing researchers together with communities, health-system partners and people with lived experience, these projects are building the relationships needed to address complex health challenges and create meaningful impact across British Columbia.”
The awards support 50 teams across BC, bringing together researchers and research users from a range of sectors and communities, including health system staff, policymakers, community organizations, Indigenous Peoples and organizations, people with lived experience, and private and not-for-profit organizations.
“Some of the most important conversations in health research happen before research begins,” said Dr. Geoff Payne, president and CEO of Michael Smith Health Research BC. “By supporting engagement early, the Engage Award helps ensure future research and knowledge mobilization are informed by the people who will contribute to and use research knowledge.”
TRU-led projects receiving Engage Awards represent diverse disciplines, including social work, nursing, biology and computing science. The recipients are:
Dr. Lorry-Ann Austin – Still a Mess: a community-engaged theatre project exploring lived experiences of homelessness to build resilience and support in Kamloops, BC. Learn more
Dr. Lisa Creelman – Exploring aging transitions for Indigenous Elders living on reserve. Learn more
Dr. Florriann Fehr – Exploring community-informed harm reduction approaches: medical cannabis as an adjunct strategy to support recovery, workforce sustainability, and community health. Learn more
Dr. Will Garrett-Petts – Health impacts of climate change and wildfire mitigation policies on vulnerable communities. Learn more
Dr. Nisha Puthiyedth – Developing collaborative strategies for AI-enabled antimicrobial resistance (AMR) preparedness in British Columbia. Learn more
Dr. Natasha Ramroop Singh – Building research relationships to explore social determinants of health priorities with the Sekw’el’was First Nation in Lillooet, BC. Learn more
The Impact Pathways Program supports collaborative, community-connected health research across British Columbia. It includes two awards — Engage and Mobilize — that support engagement and knowledge mobilization activities at different stages. The Engage Award provides funding up to $5,000 for a term of up to four months for early-stage activities that explore shared challenges outlined within Health Research BC’s priority themes.
Thompson Rivers University is leading in sustainability. Learn more about TRU’s contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
