Graduate students and postdoctoral scholars from The University of Western Ontario will come together this weekend to explore how they can take their innovative ideas and “put them into practice” in our community and our world.
The first-ever Put It Into Practice Conference, which is also open to prospective graduate students, is scheduled for Saturday, November 13 and runs from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Western’s North Campus Building, Room 101.
The students and scholars will have the opportunity to hear from a number of key note speakers, including Munir Sheikh, the former Chief Statistician of Canada, who will present on the importance of applying one’s knowledge, being effective leaders and changing our world.
“This conference will address the gap that currently exists between what is accomplished and learned in an academic setting and how to bring that out into society,” explains Clare Tattersall, Manager of Recruitment, Retention and Communications for the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.
“Outstanding research spanning all disciplines is being produced, turned into academic papers and publications, but not necessarily making the leap from the shelves of labs and pages of textbooks to the world outside of academia.”
Tattersall says the idea for the conference grew from the notion that the dramatic increase in enrolment in graduate education in Ontario is at least partially tied to the realization that in order for Canada to be competitive in a global market, research and innovation must be at the forefront of new industry development.
“It’s imperative that we prepare our graduate students and postdoctoral scholars with the expertise needed to take their ideas and put them into practice,” says Tattersall.