New initiatives at Dalhousie University and the University of Calgary are putting community voices at the heart of academic research. At Dal, the Community-Oriented Coastal Observatory is training Nova Scotians to collect seawater samples for eDNA analysis. This in turn will help researchers monitor how marine species are shifting in response to climate change. “We can track these shifts together and make sure local voices are part of the conversation,” said Dal PhD candidate and project lead Samantha Beal. Meanwhile, UCalgary’s Precision Health Program is training healthcare professionals to design care strategies that reflect patients’ lived experiences and priorities, working directly with local organizations to address real-world challenges. Recent graduates worked on challenges ranging from vaccine delivery to curriculum development for health-sector innovation.
