Our Work
Our research program aims to improve the contributions that research makes to social change processes. The program recognizes that contemporary sustainability challenges are complex and require innovative solutions. It appreciates that dedicated researchers are experimenting with new ways to design and implement research that is more engaged, pluralistic, and democratic in order to be more effective. This creates a great opportunity and a need to analyze and learn from experience.
Our program has developed a conceptual framework, tools, and methods to assess the quality and effectiveness of change-oriented research. By applying this approach to evaluate, analyse, and compare a series of completed research projects, we learn what works and what does not work in specific contexts and generate lessons for researchers, research managers, research funders, and society more broadly.
Resources
The results of our work are available in peer-reviewed publications, case reports, and have been presented at numerous conferences, invited talks, and events. We have additional resources for those interested in applying our concepts, methods, and tools to their own work.
Our Team
We are an interdisciplinary team with diverse expertise based at Royal Roads University in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The Sustainability Research Effectiveness team works in collaboration with a number of partnering organizations and students.
Our Projects
In our program, we:
- Explore theories of social change as they apply to sustainability research and knowledge translation;
- Develop and refine concepts of effective research design and implementation; and
- Conduct case studies and comparative analyses of completed research projects and programs.
Get in Touch
Supporters
Our work is made possible through Ashoka Canada, the Canada Research Chair Program (CRCP) of the Social Studies and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), and the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF).
