The 13th Annual Bloorview Research Institute (BRI) Symposium – held at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital – is an opportunity to showcase the leaps and bounds that Canadian research has made in advancing the field of childhood disability globally through ground-breaking research, discovery, innovation, family engagement, and action. It will feature research talks by experts and leaders in the field, and unearth current issues, challenges and opportunities for the future of childhood disability across the globe.
This year’s theme is Advancing the global impact of childhood disability research: Driving forward discoveries for inclusive and meaningful life-changing impact. The symposium will highlight influential work occurring across all areas of childhood disability research, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), acquired brain injury and concussion, participation and inclusion, and innovative technology.
NEW for 2018!
Breakout Sessions
This year’s symposium will feature five exciting and informative Breakout Sessions to choose from upon registration:
1. Innovative, arts-based research methodologies
Facilitators: Dr. Janet Parsons, Dr. Fiona Moola (Holland Bloorview) and Dr. Yukari Seko
Leading arts-based researchers from the Toronto community will guide the group through a discussion on the role of arts-based research in health care by utilizing a range of teaching methods, such as lecture, small group learning, and teaching circles. The seminar leaders will draw on a range of empirical studies and data in health care ranging from experiences in the foster care system to the role of storytelling and drawing in the lives of young people with life shortening conditions. The history, philosophy and challenges that arts based researchers face will be critically considered as well as the numerous merits and possibilities afforded by this innovative and novel approach. Practical, concrete skills in arts based methods will be acquired by attendees.
2. Achieving global impact — perspectives on taking new innovations international
Panel: Emily Lutyens, Legworks CEO; Joel Finlayson Healthcare Consultant, Investor & Business Builder Managing Director of WellNovation based in Saudi Arabia; Vito Forte Board Chairman of OtoSim Inc., a University of Toronto, SickKids, and MaRS Innovation owned start-up corporation, paediatric otolaryngologist
Successful products in one country doesn’t always translate into success in markets abroad. Even giants like eBay and Starbucks have had their share of failures trying to expand internationally. So how can smaller, more modest businesses even attempt to go global? Join us and our diverse panel of experts to discuss the challenges of growing an idea into a globally-impactful business. Walk away with key learnings and best practices for scaling health technology companies from the perspective of an inventor, an entrepreneur and an investor. See how you can apply their hard-learned lessons to make your impact.
3. Extending the reach of your research by building the right project team: Linking integrated knowledge translation and equity, diversity and inclusion
Facilitators: Ashleigh Townley, Dr. Shannon Scratch, Elaine Cagliostro, and Andrea MacDonald
In recent years, many granting agencies require a knowledge translation plan to demonstrate how a project will ensure the use of the information internally and beyond the walls of Holland Bloorview. Integrated knowledge translation (iKT) is a framework used to engage knowledge users at the start of a project to help shape the work, and increase the uptake of the work after completion. However, iKT alone does not address a lack of diverse voices in research, due to a variety of reasons (timing, funding, location, language, unconscious bias, etc.) and how it can limit the reach/relevance of research. Therefore, to increase the utility of the work produced by Holland Bloorview globally, there may be a need to challenge how we think about, seek out and engage with knowledge users to create our project teams using an iKT and equity, diversity and inclusion approach.
4. Indigenous perspective on research
Facilitator: Dr. Angela Mashford-Pringle
Dr. Angela Mashford-Pringle will introduce the audience to Indigenous research methodologies and facilitate a discussion around strategies and insights to support collaborations and partnership with Indigenous scholars and communities.
Dr. Mashford-Pringle is an assistant professor and associate director for the Waakebiness-Bryce Institute for Indigenous Health. She is an urban Algonquin woman from Timiskaming First Nation in northern Quebec whose research is at the intersection of Indigenous health and education with a focus on culture and land-based learning. Dr. Mashford-Pringle is the director for the collaborative specialization in Indigenous Health and director of the new Master of Public Health Indigenous Health field. She has held leadership and administrative positions, including at Centennial College as the inaugural Aboriginal Programs Manager where she developed many Indigenous programs.
Dr. Mashford-Pringle is the first Indigenous and the only Canadian board member of the Community-Campus Partnerships for Health (CCPH). She is working with the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) to become an affiliated scientist.
5. How to write and share your research in an accessible way
Facilitators: Christine Provvidenza and Joanne Wincentak, Holland Bloorview
Your research needs to be shared accessibly so that all stakeholders in your work can benefit from it. Sharing your research accessibly means that you only include the most important information, use plain language and visuals. However, this can be easier said than done. A research study can produce a large volume of complex information, which can be hard to distill and share in a way that’s easy-to-understand. Through interactive learning activities, this workshop will help enhance your skills in distilling information into clear, concise and actionable messages as well as presenting them in an appealing way.
Artistic Performance & Showcase
We are also excited to present two artistic elements designed to inspire, move, and challenge perceptions of disability in a unique and thought-provoking way. Stay tuned for more details and sneak peeks into both!
Mickey Milner Keynote
The highly-esteemed Mickey Milner keynote will be presented by Dr. Christine Imms, Professor of Occupational Therapy, Australian Catholic University. Dr. Imms has a long-standing interest in understanding participation outcomes of those with childhood-onset neuro-disability. Using a range of methods and approaches, her research has predominantly involved children and young people with cerebral palsy, and been focused on describing patterns of participation, developing measures, designing and testing interventions of relevance to occupational therapy practice.
Dr. Imms will present a talk titled 'Living a good life: How participation research is challenging our childhood disability foci'.
The annual BRI Symposium is Canada’s largest hospital-based paediatric disability health research conference that combines research and the family perspective. We welcome you to join us as we showcase Canada’s impact in globally advancing childhood disability research for the most meaningful and healthy futures for all children, youth, and families.
To learn more, visit BRI Symposium.
To register, visit Registration.
