Shaping the Future of Research: A perspective from early career researchers in Vancouver, Canada

Abstract

Future of Research is an organization dedicated to championing, engaging, and empowering early career researchers (ECRs). The organization was founded in 2014 and has since inspired other groups to advocate for a more equitable and sustainable research enterprise. Here we report the findings of the Future of Research Vancouver Symposium. The goals of the Vancouver symposium were to ascertain the perspective of ECRs in Canada and to outline pathways to a sustainable future for Canadian research. The symposium had two sessions. The first session was a series of talks that were intended to prepare attendees with an informed understanding of several perspectives in the science enterprise, with a particular focus on the Canadian system. The second session was a series of interactive workshops to identify the greatest challenges facing ECRs in Canada and to propose solutions.  The results of the workshops illuminated three main themes for the challenges facing Canadian ECRs: funding, mentorship, and the divide between academia and other sectors. These themes are similar to those discussed at the Future of Research symposiums in the United States, emphasizing that these issues are not isolated to Canada; however, Canadian policies are trailing behind the progress being made in other countries.