Crossing over silos in genomics research
Karine Morin, Director, National GE3LS Program, Genome Canada
Silos, to many delegates who will attend Congress 2014, refer to insular thinking. To a few, they may evoke Canada’s agricultural tradition. It would seem unlikely that an exploration of the figurative term as well the literal one could happen at once during a session of Congress, but under the theme Borders without Boundaries, such an opportunity may not be so farfetched. In fact, considering how few life scientists will be traveling to Brock University to discuss advances in genomics, it may well seem more implausible that Genome Canada would participate in this year’s event. Yet those curious to learn how genomic research and innovation and the social sciences and humanities intersect should stop by our booth or attend one or both sessions sponsored by Genome Canada.
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Copyright laws affect almost every aspect of academics’ professional lives, from limiting how much of a book we can put in a course pack to allowing journals to put our (mostly publicly-funded) research behind paywalls. It affects how we teach, research and publish, to say nothing of tuition fees and university budgets.
School’s out for summer!
The organizers of Congress 2014 have made an effort to acknowledge that Brock University is located on Aboriginal territory and to include Indigenous voices and knowledge in the program.
The humanities and social sciences represent some of the oldest and broadest academic disciplines that continue to provide us with insights about humanity. The study of economics, art, history, law, philosophy, religion, among many others, represents both of our innate curiosity about the past as well as our reflective look to the future, and how we progress and address challenges.