Education & Training
Active Participation Expected
Education and training sessions within PREP emphasize collaboration, discussion, and peer learning. Participants joining via Teams should be prepared to have their camera on and actively contribute to conversations and activities. Your engagement helps foster a dynamic learning environment and supports meaningful connections with fellow trainees and facilitators.
Registration Tips
- Registration for each session is required to receive the meeting link.
- Meeting links will be distributed by the Faculty of Graduate Studies the day before the event.
- Ensure you block the time on your calendar!
Finding and Securing Research Funding Opportunities (PivotRP)
Facilitated by Jocelyn Rankin, MES, CResearch Facilitator
Wednesday September 23, 2026 - 10:30am-12:00pm
Finding the right funding opportunity can be key to advancing your research. This session will guide you through claiming your profile, setting up alerts, and customizing your funding opportunities.
Pivot-RP is a powerful tool for discovering research funding, managing opportunities, and building collaborations. Once your profile and alerts are set, Pivot RP will do the work for you, delivering relevant funding opportunities straight to your inbox.
Whether you're new to Pivot-RP or looking to optimize your use, this session will provide practical tips to streamline your research funding journey.
Writing Successful Funding Applications
Facilitated by Dr. Leah Cahill, RD, PhD, Principal Investigator, Nourish Research Group; Howard Webster Research Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, QEII Health Sciences Centre, Nova Scotia Health
Wednesday October 7, 2026 - 10:30am-12:00pm
Securing research funding is a critical skill for researchers at all stages of their careers. This session will explore the key elements of a strong funding application, including understanding review criteria, developing a compelling research narrative, articulating significance and impact, and presenting a feasible research plan.
Participants will gain practical strategies for strengthening their applications, avoiding common pitfalls, and communicating their research effectively to reviewers. Whether preparing for graduate studentships, trainee awards, or future grant competitions, attendees will leave with tools and insights to support their funding success.
This session will be hybrid.
Welcome & Responsible Conduct of Research
Facilitated by Dr. Eileen Denovan-Wright, Associate Dean Research
Wednesday October 14, 2026 - 10:30am-12:00pm
Responsible conduct of research training is mandated by the tri-council funding agencies for all new researchers. This 1.5-hour workshop will use small-group discussions of cases relevant to current research issues, such as authorship, data management, and
conflict of interest.
Research Data Management
Facilitated by Erin MacPherson, Dalhousie Libraries
Wednesday November 18, 2026 - 10:30am-12:00pm
Good research data management supports research integrity, reproducibility, and long-term impact. This session will provide an introduction to key research data management principles and best practices, including data planning, storage, documentation, security, sharing, and preservation. Participants will explore available tools, resources, and supports to help them manage research data effectively throughout the research lifecycle.
Finding and Using Health Data & Statistics
Facilitated by Shelley McKibbon, Dalhousie Libraries
Wednesday December 2, 2026 - 10:30am-12:00pm
Dal has some great resources to help you find those numbers, statistics, and datasets you need for your projects. This workshop provides a gentle introduction to finding Canadian statistics available through a wide variety of sources. Will include quick overviews of Stat Can health indicators and microdata, the Canadian Census Analyzer, data available through CIHI, and more.
Critical Appraisal of Literature
Facilitated by Jackie Phinney, Dalhousie Libraries
Wednesday December 16, 2026 - 10:30am-12:00pm
This session will provide an overview of critical appraisal in the context of research literature with a focus on core principles. We will present some tools and approaches to apply in your own context and discuss the implications of critical appraisal on the research and writing processes.
Peer Review: Receiving, Responding to, and Providing Peer Review
Facilitated by Melissa Rothfus, Dalhousie Libraries
Wednesday January 6, 2027 - 10:30am-12:00pm
This session will focus on guided peer review techniques that focus on the classroom situation but includes take-away skills that are transferrable to other review situations. Engaging in effective peer review provides value not only to the work being reviewed, but to the reviewer.
Welcome & Responsible Conduct of Research
Facilitated by Dr. Eileen Denovan-Wright, Associate Dean Research
Wednesday January 20, 2027 - 10:30am-12:00pm
Responsible conduct of research training is mandated by the tri-council funding agencies for all new researchers. This 1.5-hour workshop will use small-group discussions of cases relevant to current research issues, such as authorship, data management, and
conflict of interest.
Research Ethics Series (with health focus): Clinical ethics, REB nuances, patient/population considerations, animal ethics
Facilitated by Hillary Ferguson, Manager, Research Ethics (Health Sciences)
Wednesday February 10, 2027 - 10:30am-12:00pm
A refresher on research ethics in the historical context, as well as information on how research ethics are handled nationally and locally. It is also intended to prepare students for conducting more ethically minded research and for navigating REB systems.
Presenting with Purpose (Oral & Poster Communication)
Facilitated by Dr. Stephen Bearne, Professor
Wednesday February 24, 2027 - 10:30am-12:00pm
Effectively communicating research is an essential skill for researchers. This session will explore strategies for designing and delivering engaging oral and poster presentations, with a focus on clear messaging, audience engagement, visual design, and confident delivery. Participants will learn practical techniques for communicating their research effectively in conference, academic, and professional settings.
Communicating Research to Non‑Academic Audiences
Facilitated by Cathrine Yuill, Executive Director of Development, Health Faculties
Wednesday March 17, 2027 - 10:30am-12:00pm
Effectively communicating research is an essential skill for researchers. This session will explore strategies for designing and delivering engaging oral and poster presentations, with a focus on clear messaging, audience engagement, visual design, and confident delivery. Participants will learn practical techniques for communicating their research effectively in conference, academic, and professional settings.
Writing Effective Research & Personal Statements for CV/Employment
Facilitated by Miriam Mutale Simmonds, Director, Human Resources, Faculty of Medicine
Wednesday March 31, 2027 - 10:30am-12:00pm
Learn how to craft compelling research and personal statements that effectively communicate your experience, skills, achievements, and career goals. This session will provide practical strategies for tailoring statements to academic, research, and non-academic opportunities.
Partnering with Communities and People with Lived and Living Experience in Research
Facilitated by Dr. Stephana Moss, PhD, Assistant Professor and Research Chair in Community-Based Research and Health Equity, Director of Research in Medicine
Wednesday April 14, 2027 - 10:30am-12:00pm
Meaningful engagement with communities and people with lived and living experience can strengthen the relevance, equity, and impact of research, but doing it well requires more than consultation. This interactive session will explore practical approaches to building authentic and reciprocal research partnerships, navigating power and trust, avoiding tokenistic engagement, and recognizing lived experience as expertise. Participants will consider how communities can be meaningfully involved throughout the research process, from identifying priorities and shaping research questions through study design, implementation, interpretation, and knowledge sharing.
Graduate and medical students who attend seven PREP sessions are eligible for a transcript notation. After completing seven sessions, email prep@dal.ca with a list of the sessions attended and the corresponding dates.
We are also open to exploring other possible offerings – if you have a suggestion for an education session, please contact us.
