CIMVHR ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS
Each year, CIMVHR takes the opportunity to engage with communities where CIMVHR Forum will be held or where we have a need to engage based on our research priorities. In 2024, we held two engagement sessions, one in our home base of Kingston, Ontario and a second that brought us to western Canada, where we hosted CIMVHR Forum 2024 - Manitoba's capital, Winnipeg. In 2025, we went to Montreal, Quebec to connect with the French community of researchers and find out how we can advance French research. In addition, we went to the nation’s capital where CIMVHR Forum 2025 will be held.
These engagement sessions are a way for CIMVHR to engage with these communities to network, connect and collaborate on advancing the health research and well-being of our military personnel, Veterans and their families. They foster a sense of unity and shared purpose, showcasing what's already being done in these fields right in their own backyard. Participants from academia, government, military, philanthropy and industry joined the events, taking the opportunity to learn, connect and engage with members of their community. CIMVHR took the opportunity to inform this audience about our Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health (JMVFH) and abstract submission details for Forum, scholarship and award opportunities for students, and the constant need for peer-reviewers, which allow CIMVHR to ensure the quality of the research being delivered is always present. Furthermore, these sessions allowed the CIMVHR network to strengthen their relationships and discuss ways they can collaborate in the future.
Kingston Engagement Session
March 20, 2024
CIMVHR hosted a Research Engagement Session in Kingston, Ontario that featured six researchers from the greater Kingston area who spoke on a diverse range of topics, including Psychedelics, Blood Transfusion Trials, Military Culture Change, Aging Veterans, Chronic Pain and Military Families. This diverse range of topics was designed to inform and engage the audience, providing a comprehensive overview of the current research landscape in military and Veteran health. At the event Dr. Ron Shore, a Research Scientist at Queen's Health Sciences in the Department of Psychiatry (currently, CIMVHR Interim Assistant Scientific Director), presented details on Developing a Coordinated Psychedelics Research Framework for Canadian Veteran Health: A Proposed Framework. Dr. Shore was also the guest editor of the Special Edition of CIMVHR’s Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health on Psychedelics. Learn more about the special edition and hear from Ron at JMVFH article
Winnipeg Engagement Session
April 3, 2024
The Winnipeg Engagement Session was a dynamic event that encouraged active participation and collaboration. Six researchers from the greater Winnipeg area presented their work on an RCMP Study, Child abuse among Canadian Armed Forces Personnel and Veterans, Housing Veterans, a Manitoba Longitudinal Study, Outcomes and Treatment Needs of Vulnerable Canadians, and military transition. Hosting an event in Manitoba was a first for CIMVHR. It served as an opportunity to connect with individuals from the local MFRC, meet new researchers from The University of Winnipeg, who committed to co-hosting CIMVHR Forum 2024 along with the University of Manitoba and allowed us to meet with new organizations in the area who were learning about CIMVHR for the first time. The event concluded with a lively discussion that fostered insight into the needs and gaps in the military and Veteran health community.
Montreal Engagement Session
March 28, 2025
The session featured distinguished researchers from the Montreal area, each contributing unique insights into current studies and priorities within the community. The event opened with Dr. Stéphanie Bélanger, CIMVHR's Associate Scientific Director, who emphasized the importance of abstract submissions for the upcoming CIMVHR Forum. Her remarks underlined the critical role of knowledge sharing and collaboration in advancing the field.
Following this, a diverse lineup of researchers presented their work on key topics ranging from psychological resilience and suicide prevention to military health systems and transitional support for Veterans and their families. A highlight for CIMVHR was hearing the 2024 recipient of The Dr. Mark Zamorski Award, Jessica Dekker, present their research for the first time. Jessica is a student at McGill University whose research focuses on Positive Epidemiology – Pre and Peri-Pandemic Psychological Resilience in Older Veterans in Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. We look forward to following Jessica's research progress.
The session concluded with a dynamic and engaging group discussion, where attendees explored community needs and research gaps within the military, Veteran and family health domains.
Ottawa Engagement Session
April 1, 2025
The event served as a platform to encourage abstract submissions for CIMVHR Forum 2025, submitting research to JMVFH and the importance of peer reviewers. Dr. Nicholas Held, CIMVHR's Interim Scientific Director, underscored the significance of community engagement and knowledge dissemination, highlighting the crucial role of the audience in shaping the future of military health research. He particularly emphasized the value of peer reviewers, acknowledging their integral role in the research process and the importance of their contributions.
Presentations focused on moral injury, Veteran's mental health, building resilience in military personnel, prehospital blood transfusion practices, and family violence and breakdown within Canadian military families. A highlight for CIMVHR was hearing from the 2024 recipient of The Legion National Foundations Scholarship Recipient, Capt. (Ret'd) SueEllen MacGowan, who presented findings on neurofeedback's impact on PTSD symptoms and brain connectivity. Her research revealed promising advancements in therapeutic approaches, instilling a sense of hope and optimism in the audience about the future of PTSD treatment.
The session concluded with a dynamic and engaging discussion that surfaced valuable insights into community needs, service gaps and opportunities for collaborative research. Participants emphasized the importance of evidence-informed approaches to enhance the well-being of military members, Veterans and their families, reinforcing the collaborative and supportive nature of the community.
