Mobilizing Research

Knowledge mobilization is an intentional approach to enhance the real-world impact of research through knowledge exchange between researchers and end-users, collaboratively building research, sharing findings, and engaging with research outputs and products.

The following resources were developed with and by SFU mobilizers and SFU's Knowledge Mobilization Hub. They are organized by overarching knowledge mobilization activities of dissemination, implementation, and partnering with an additional category of planning because it is so important. Resource types include recorded webinars, summary explainers, blog posts and tools.

Before you start mobilizing, do some knowledge mobilization planning, the SFU Knowledge Mobilization Hub can work with you to develop a strategic knowledge mobilization plan that is manageable and effective.

SFU Knowledge Mobilization Hub

The Knowledge Mobilization (KM) Hub is a centralized resource for all SFU faculty, students, and staff to do more with what they know. The KM Hub seeks to maximize the positive environmental, social and economic through supporting and inspiring the research community to collaborate and mobilize. 

The KM Hub provides expert consultations to develop KM for grant proposals, post-award KM strategic plans and guidance, training programs, tailored workshops, guest lectures, and more. See here for more details. 

The key to a good knowledge mobilization plan is a clear knowledge mobilization goal, identifying and understanding your primary and secondary audience(s), and identifying what you are sharing and/or your key messages.

Disseminating your research

Sometimes knowledge mobilization is considered to be synonymous with dissemination or communication outputs. It is more than that! In fact, many would argue that good knowledge mobilization starts with engaged scholarship. However, all knowledge mobilization will require some dissemination or communication outputs.  When thinking about how to disseminate your work be sure to consider the right output and channel with the right content for the specific audience you are aiming to reach. 

Learn more about specific strategies and tips for communicating your research in formats other than traditional academic approaches here: 

Engagement and co-production

Working with the community is an essential aspect of good knowledge mobilization—get started here. For engaged scholarship and co-production to be successful and impactful researchers need to establish health partnerships, integrate partners effectively and in alignment with their preferences throughout the research cycle, and create different opportunities for authentic engagement.

• Establishing healthy partnerships Webinar with Rachel Nelson. Hosted by the SFU Knowledge Mobilization Hub, November 18, 2022.
• Indigenous partnerships and OCAP Webinar with Lyana Patrick. Hosted by the SFU Knowledge Mobilization Hub, October 7, 2022.
• Engaging community events Webinar with Janet Webber and Seth Erais. Hosted by the SFU Knowledge Mobilization Hub, February 20, 2022.
• Integrated knowledge mobilization toolkit Eight knowledge briefs. Developed by the University of Dundee Open Research working group and the SFU Knowledge Mobilization Hub.
• Tools for doing integrated knowledge translation Webinar with Mei Lan Fang and Lupin Battersby. Hosted by the SFU Knowledge Mobilization Hub, April 12, 2023.

Implementation

Understand how to apply your research in real-world settings through strategies for effective implementation.

If you hope to see your evidence-based innovation (e.g. practice, process) in use then you need to employ effective, evidence-informed implementation approaches. Some researchers focus on implementation science, the study of effective implementation approaches. A key element of implementation practice and science is considering context. These resources introduce some of these concepts. 

• What is Implementation Science? Explainer video.
• Knowledge mobilization in the context of complexity Webinar with Diane Finegood. Hosted by the SFU Knowledge Mobilization Hub, February 15, 2023.
• Implementation Science 101 Webinar with Lindsay Nettlefold, Sarah Munro, and Sonia Singh. Hosted by Michael Smith Health Research BC, February 3, 2023.

Contact

Learn more and connect with the KM Hub team at https://www.sfu.ca/research/knowledge-mobilization.html 

If you need a consultation or have any questions, please email Lupin Battersby at lupin_battersby@sfu.ca

For more tools and resources see Research Impact Canada.