Young researcher honoured
She’s only 24, but she’s already an award-winning researcher.
Emily Giroux from UBC Okanagan’s School of Health and Exercise Sciences recently picked up the Mitacs Award for Outstanding Innovation in the master’s student category at a ceremony in Ottawa.
Minister of Science and Sport Kirsty Duncan and Kelowna-Lake Country MP Stephen Fuhr attended the event, congratulated Giroux and posed for photos with her.
Working under the supervision of assistant professor Heather Gainforth, Giroux developed what’s called integrated knowledge translation methods to engage people living with spinal cord injuries in research decisions.
Giroux’s survey was sent out to 2,500 people with spinal cord injuries, as well as researchers, clinicians, policy-makers, support staff and funders.
“Remarkably, 75 per cent of respondents to our survey were people with lived experience (spinal cord injury), which is rare in this field of study,” said Giroux.
“Ultimately, we reached consensus about what people wanted to see moving forward and we used that information to ensure the Ontario Spinal Cord Injury Alliance is on the right track, directing resources where they’re needed most.”
Usually, it takes up to 20 years for research to be implemented in practice.
However, using the integrated knowledge translation methods, survey findings were gathered quickly and forwarded to the alliance in September.
The alliance almost immediately used the information for its three-year strategic plan.
The plan prioritizes the delivery of medical services in four key areas (primary care, community support, neuropathic plan, bladder management and pressure injuries), new community support programs and education and training services.
Giroux’s work is considered a major achievement by Mitacs and the academic community because it means people living with spinal cord injury will benefit from research findings more quickly.
Giroux’s findings are also being shared with other spinal cord injury communities across Canada.
Mitacs is a not-for-profit organization funded by government, university and industry partners that fosters growth and innovation in Canada for business and academia.
It also funds research projects and hands out awards annually to the best of the best researchers involved in Mitacs-funded projects.
Giroux was one of only six Mitacs award winners this year.
Other award categories included innovation by someone other than a master’s student, leadership and commercialization.