Sept. 17 - Scientists as advocates: What is our role?

In today’s socio‑cultural and political climate, marked by growing misinformation and disinformation, many researchers are grappling with the tension between expectations of neutrality and the practical realities of communicating science and advocating for evidence‑informed practice and policy. This seminar session aims to spark a pragmatic discussion about how researchers can navigate these roles responsibly and effectively. Panel Dr. Lorian Hardcastle is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Calgary, with a joint appointment to the Department of Community Health Sciences in the Cumming School of Medicine. Lorian obtained her JD with Health Law and Policy Specialization Certificate from Dalhousie University, and her LLM and SJD from the University of Toronto. She also completed a fellowship at the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University Law Center. Lorian’s work has been published in numerous legal and health policy journals including the Canadian Medical Association Journal, University of Pennsylvania Law Review, Healthcare Policy, Alberta Law Review, Queen’s Law Journal, and Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics. Lorian is a frequent contributor to health policy debates in the media. Her writing has appeared in several Canadian newspapers including the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, and Ottawa Citizen. Dr. Braden Manns is the Associate Vice President (Health Research), University of Calgary, a Professor in Health Economics and a Kidney Specialist at the University of Calgary. He has expertise in Applied Health Economics, and his current research interests include assessing the impact of health system structure, and health care policies on the health of Canadians. He holds a CIHR Foundation award in health system funding and was the co-PI of a $60M CIHR-funded patient-oriented research network in chronic disease (www.Cansolveckd.ca). He has served as Associate Chief Medical Officer and lead for Alberta’s Strategic Clinical networks, and Interim Vice President for two different Alberta Health Services portfolios. For his contributions, he has received numerous awards, including the 2024 Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada Mentorship Award and the 2025 Kidney Foundation of Canada – King Charles III Coronation Medal. Dr. Jennifer Zwicker is Director of Social Policy and Health at the School of Public Policy and an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Calgary. She holds a Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Disability Policy for Children and Youth and serves as Chief Scientist for the Kids Brain Health Network. Her research program evaluates interventions and informs policy related to the allocation of funding, services, and supports for children and youth with disabilities and/ or mental health concerns and their families. Central to her work is strong collaboration with interest holders and governments, enabling the translation of peer-reviewed research into policy papers, op-eds, and briefing notes for provincial and federal ministries and Senate committees. Dr. Zwicker’s research has informed national initiatives, including the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences National Autism Strategy Working Group and the Royal Society of Canada Expert Working Group on disability-inclusive policy during the COVID-19 pandemic. She has been recognized for her policy leadership as an Action Canada alumna, Governor General Leadership Forum participant, Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 recipient, and Killam Emerging Scholar. Moderator Dr. Katie Birnie is the Associate Scientific Director, Population Health at the O’Brien Institute for Public Health. She is a Clinical Psychologist and Associate Professor in the Departments of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine, and Community Health Sciences, as well as Adjunct Faculty in the Department of Psychology. She is also the Associate Scientific Director of Solutions for Kids in Pain, a research program striving towards quality equitable pain management for children through partnerships with youth, families, health professionals, policymakers, hospitals, and community organizations. She is a passionate advocate for integrating individuals, families, and communities into the heart of health research, healthcare delivery, and health systems design.