CIMVHR Student and Postdoctoral Engagement Community (SPEC) Events
The CIMVHR SPEC proudly hosted a variety of successful events throughout the 2023 – 2025 reporting period, which included:
Breaking into Publishing and Reviewing
The CIMVHR SPEC hosted a fantastic professional development evening on November 23, 2023, called Breaking into Publishing and Reviewing. The session featured a presentation by Lacey Cranston, former JMVFH Managing Editor, and Dr. Kerry Sudom, a JMVFH Peer Reviewer. This event provided a fantastic opportunity for excellent discussion and conversations with SPEC members across Canada. As one of the most well attended virtual events, students from fifteen different institutions connected to CIMVHR participated. Students left with a greater understanding of applying to journals and armed with resources. SPEC Co-Chairs Ashley Williams and Shannon Hill hosted the event, and Nicholas Held, CIMVHR's Assistant Scientific Director, provided words of welcome to attendees.
2024 CIMVHR Forum Abstract Workshop
On April 9, 2024, the CIMVHR SPEC hosted a workshop for all trainees interested in submitting an abstract for CIMVHR Forum 2024. Attendees received an overview of the CIMVHR Forum and personalized feedback from qualitative and quantitative subject matter experts, including Dr. Leslie Anne Keown from the Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment and Nicholas Held from CIMVHR. Following the presentations, trainees could share their abstracts and receive feedback from the experts and their peers. This provided a positive dialogue and discussion, which led to strengthening trainees' abstracts.
2024 Know Your Research Population: Insights and Strategies for Military and Veteran Research – the CAF
The Know Your Research Population: Insights and Strategies for Military and Veteran Research event was held virtually on November 19, 2024 to provided student researchers with valuable insights into working with Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and Veterans. Major (Ret'd) Paul Hook and Chief Warrant Officer Paul Albertson were in attendance to answer questions from the students. The session featured amazing discussions, networking opportunities, and access to resources tailored to military-focused research. Participants gained a deeper understanding of the unique experiences, challenges, and needs of military and Veteran populations, while also connecting with professionals in the field to foster future collaboration and informed research practices.
See what you missed at: youtube.com/watch?v=WKV3xr5Kxvk&t=18s
CIMVHR Forum 2024- Student Workshop - Building your Career Toolbox
On Tuesday, October 22, SPEC hosted an in-person workshop for all students in attendance at Forum. The workshop had a World Café format in which participants and researchers engaged in multiple smaller collaborative discussions covering relevant questions and topics related to developing a high-impact research career.
2025 SPEC Event: Breaking into Publishing with JMVFH
At this professional development webinar on February 27, 2025, SPEC partnered again with CIMVHR's Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health (JMVFH) to provide an overview of how to publish in academic journals. Sonya Walton, JMVFH Managing Editor and Maxime Valsamas, Publications Coordinator, used JMVFH as an example to provide attendees with best practices for submitting articles and the common reasons papers are rejected.
Learn about publishing at: youtube.com/watch?v=TKqAXrE1EXY
2025 SPEC Event- CIMVHR Forum Abstract Workshop
In the third annual SPEC Forum Abstract Workshop hosted on April 3, 2025, participants learned from qualitative and quantitation experts Dr. Leslie Anne Keown, CIPSRT and Dr. Kim Ritchie, Trent University. Participants receive personalized feedback on their abstracts from subject matters experts. While also learning about CIMVHR’s submission process from Michelle Daigle, CIMVHR’s Data and Research Coordinator.