A Community of Research that Grows: Saskatchewan’s Patient-Oriented Research Leaders mark official launch of SCPOR’s Affiliated Researcher Alliance

By Farha Akhtar. Photos by Chris Plishka

When it was first created in February of 2019, SCPOR’s Affiliated Researcher Alliance – or ARA – had less than a dozen members. Today that membership has grown to more than 70 researchers from a variety of research fields across Saskatchewan.

On October 3rd, the ARA held its official launch at the University Club with forty people in attendance. It was a way to commemorate the success of this growing community of research, and an opportunity for ARA members to network and form new research collaborations to conduct patient-oriented research.

Charlene Haver, SCPOR Methods Platform Lead and event organizer, says the event was a great display of engaging discussions between researchers and proved a rewarding opportunity for researchers to form new research collaborations.

Dr. Nate Osgood, SCPOR Lead Research Advisor, developed a special computer program that was used at the launch to match people based on their research interests.

Dr. Haver says SCPOR was pleased with the turnout, and said feedback from the event has been enormously positive. A survey following the event indicated 83% of attendees made a connection that could lead to a new research collaboration.

On the heels of this successful event, the Methods Platform will be hosting a session called Workshops in POR Methodologies 2019 on November 14th.