As a doctoral student who has been lucky enough to receive SSHRC funding at both the master’s and PhD level, I am very aware of how much thanks I owe to the people of Canada who support my research through these governmental programs. I often worry about the divide that exists between those funding the research and those doing it, because if we, as academics, don’t make sure that Canadians understand the importance of what we are doing, then it would be easy to see how research could become less of a priority when economic times are tight. Plus, if we are making all sorts of interesting discoveries, does it not seem logical for us to report back to those who funded the research in the first place?

So how do we go about bridging this gap? How do we ensure that people outside of our institutions understand the value of what we do, and why it is important to fund all types of scientific research? The last part of that question seems especially relevant to my field – I am an archaeologist who studies rock art from the Ice Age, so the work I do is not going to cure cancer or solve the problems of global warming. But, my research is trying to answer questions such as “when did early humans become us?” and “where does our capacity for symbolic communication come from?”, and when I do take my work outside of the “ivory tower,” I am always surprised to see how eager people are to learn more about my studies.

I was an MA student the first time I went into a school and shared my research with a class of Grade 7 students, and from that moment on, I realized I had found a solution to bridging the gap that was perfect for me. Working with the Canadian community outreach organization Let’s Talk Science, I have given dozens of presentations in classrooms and to adult community groups in the past four years. This experience has not only been beneficial to those who have the opportunity to learn about my research, but has also helped me hone my presentation skills, and has given me a place to remember why it is I love what I do so much (something that can sometimes get lost in the pressure cooker that is graduate school!).

I would like to encourage other graduate students and faculty to think about stepping outside of the ivory tower more often. Community outreach is a simple and rewarding way to engage with the largest group of people who support our studies, and making academic research accessible to the Canadian public is also a great way to ensure that our funding will remain intact for many years to come.

by Genevieve von Petzinger

PhD student, Dept. of Anthropology, University of Victoria

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