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Sparking Innovation Symposium

Message from the Provost

Innovation doesn’t just happen, it requires thoughtful support and strategic investment.

At McMaster, we recognize that bold ideas and transformative projects need a strong foundation to thrive. One of the ways we provide that foundation is through the University Fund, a resource we use to support excellence, innovation and renewal across all areas of the university.

Over the past few years, the University Fund has helped advance key initiatives through programs such as the Strategic Alignment Funds (SAF), the Strategic Excellence and Equity in Recruitment and Retention (STEER/R) Program, and other funding mechanisms administered through the Office of the Provost.

Below are presentations from across McMaster highlighting some of the initiatives made possible through this support.

2025 Sparking Innovation Symposium Presentations

The Sparking Innovation Symposium was structured into four thematic sessions, each highlighting a critical area of focus for our university: (1) Student Success, (2) Operational Excellence, (3) Inclusive Excellence, and (4) Engaged Communities.

1. Student Success

Graduate Student Career Support Career Support

  • More than 5,168 student touchpoints across six Faculties and 15 programs over three years.
  • Individualized student approach.

Students With Disabilities in Health Professions Disabilities in Health Professions

  • Improved inclusion by educating faculty, enhancing support,  intersectionality.
  • Improved fieldwork opportunities.

Advancing Tomorrow's Science Careers Science Careers

  • Students graduate with proficiency in eight competencies related to their careers.
  • Strengthened reputation with employers.

MacISTEP: Sparking Innovation in STEM Outreach Mac ISTEP

  • Hands-on STEM enrichment and leadership program for Black high school students.
  • Partnership between Science and Engineering.

2. Operational Excellence

Bertrand Russell Archives Archives

  • More than 1,000 books and manuscripts.
  • Open to McMaster students, faculty, and staff, external researchers, and the public!

Digital Research Infrastructure Digital Research

  • Connecting researchers with digital research support.
  • Improving researchers’ access to essential services, resources, and expertise.

Hamilton Academy of Medicine Archive Archives

  • Archives collect, preserve, and make available records documenting the history, life, and people of McMaster University’s Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton Health Sciences, and predecessor institutions.

3. Inclusive Excellence

Teaching and Learning Accessibility Roadmap Accessibility Roadmap

  • More than 220 stakeholders engaged, 150 consultations.
  • Integration of lived experience of disability in project and activities design, as well as in analysis.

Anti-Black Racism and Critical Race Education Anti-Racism Training

  • Nine online learning modules explore historical, sociological and ideological factors.
  • Empower learners to cultivate greater compassion.

Gaodadeihwahni:ya:s Student Bursary Learn more

  • Gaodadeihwahni:ya:s – They are strengthening their knowledge.
  • Two-week Summer Transition Program for incoming Indigenous learners.

Black Student Recruitment and Career Advisor Black Recruitment

  • More than 3,000 participants since launch in 2023.
  • 161% increase of Black student confirmation from Fall 2023 to Fall 2024.

4. Engaged Communities

Latin American Network at McMaster University (LANMU) LANMU

  • Hub for research related to or performed by researchers from Latin America and its diasporas.
  • Mentorship program, community building.

Improving Access to Mental Health Services Among Black Youth Improving Access

  • Black youth in Hamilton face greater barriers to mental health access.
  • Youth engaged as co-researchers, partnered with Black-led organizations.

Community-Engaged Research Graduate Student Internship Program Community Engaged Research

  • Interns work on research projects that address organizational needs and have tangible community benefits & social impact.
  • Bolster research capacity of faculty members, increased student research funding.

2024 SAF Symposium Presentations

The SAF Symposium was structured into four thematic sessions, each highlighting a critical area of focus for our university: (1) Student Success, (2) Future Readiness, (3) Inclusive Excellence, and (4) Collaboration and Interdisciplinarity.

1. Student Success

International Student Engagement and Success International Students

  • McMaster welcomes
    students from 120+ countries.
  • International students face unique barriers.

Financial Education and Empowerment Student Finances

  • Finances are a top three stressor for students.
  • Open to students, alumni and low-income community members.

Graduate Supports: Career and Writing Graduate Students

  • Helps transition to professional and academic ventures.
  • Available to graduate students across all Faculties.

TalkSpot: Student Mental Health Support Student Mental Health

  • Potential for localized, embedded mental health supports.
  • Accessible services tailored to specific student groups.

2. Future Readiness

Co-Op Program in Social Sciences Co-op Program Develoment

  • Announced in 2023 with first Level II cohort now heading on Work Term in Summer 2024.

Skills Curriculum in Humanities Skills Curriculum

  • 68% of applicants say “career” a major reason for applying to postsecondary education.

Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) More about OUR

  • Make research an integrated component of undergraduate experience in Science.

3. Inclusive Excellence

McMaster's Hidden Special Collections Open the collections

  • More than 100,000 books and manuscripts.
  • Open to students, faculty, staff, researchers, public.

CoDesign Hub: Equity-Based Co-Creation Co-Design Hub

  • Equity-Deserving Groups involved in co-creation to recognize, overcome barriers to their participation in public services.

Outreach to improve EDGs Graduation Rates Outreach Program

  • SAF supports coordinating efforts around access and outreach to Equity-Deserving Groups in Science.

Indigenous Health Learning Lodge Indigenous Health

  • Address barriers and improve FHS Indigenous health education
    services/programs for students.
  • Support for FHS faculty and staff.

4. Collaboration & Interdisciplinarity

STEM Innovation Agenda: Science & Engineering STEM Agenda

  • Aim is to advance priorities, increase Science and Engineering research revenue.
  • Partnerships with other national labs, government, municipalities, industry associations.

INSPIRE Office of Flexible Learning INSPIRE Spring Intersession

  • Create a fulsome spring semester with novel interdisciplinary and experiential learning opportunities (Spring Intersession).
  • Micro-courses open to students in levels II-IV.

Experiential & Interdisciplinary Learning Experiential and Interdisciplinary

  • Experiential learning is embedded into McMaster’s renowned culture of teaching and learning.
  • Interdisciplinary programming plays a key role in future of higher education.