Canadian Association of Postdoctoral Scholars

Canadian Association of Postdoctoral Scholars
Name	Canadian Association of Postdoctoral Scholars
Abbreviation	CAPS
Formation	2008
Type	Non-profit organization
Headquarters	Ottawa, Ontario
Region served	Canada
Membership	Postdoctoral scholars

Canadian Association of Postdoctoral Scholars is a national advocacy and professional development organization representing postdoctoral researchers across Canada. The association engages with institutions such as University of Toronto, McGill University, University of British Columbia, Université de Montréal, and McMaster University to advance postdoctoral working conditions, funding, and career transitions. Through collaborations with funders like the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the organization influences policy discussions involving federal actors such as Parliament of Canada and agencies including the Council of Canadian Academies.

History

The association emerged amid efforts at universities including University of Alberta, University of Calgary, Queen's University, Dalhousie University, and Western University to formalize postdoctoral representation. Founders included postdoctoral scholars formerly affiliated with institutions such as Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Oxford, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and University of Cambridge who engaged with national bodies like the Association of Canadian Universities for Northern Studies and the Canadian Association of University Teachers. Early milestones involved dialogues with funders including Canada Foundation for Innovation and policy reports by organizations such as the Institute for Research on Public Policy and the Canadian Federation of Students.

Mission and Objectives

The association's mission emphasizes equitable working conditions at employers such as Hospital for Sick Children, BC Cancer Agency, Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Alberta Health Services, and Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. Objectives include improving contracts influenced by documents from Canadian Labour Congress, aligning benefits with standards from Ontario Ministry of Labour and Service Canada, and promoting career pathways similar to programs at National Institutes of Health, European Research Council, Wellcome Trust, and Australian Research Council.

Organization and Governance

Governance structures reflect models used by organizations such as the Canadian Association of Graduate Studies, Canadian Association of Research Administrators, Canadian Association of University Teachers, Royal Society of Canada, and Canadian Commission for UNESCO. The board typically comprises representatives elected from chapters at institutions including Simon Fraser University, Concordia University, University of Ottawa, Université Laval, and Université de Sherbrooke, and interacts with oversight entities such as Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and provincial ministries including Ministry of Colleges and Universities (Ontario).

Programs and Services

Programs mirror professional development offerings at organizations such as Career Development Centre (University of Toronto), Mitacs, Toronto Metropolitan University Career Centre, University of Waterloo Stratford School, and Western University's Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women & Children. Services include workshops on grant writing similar to webinars by Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, mentorship schemes inspired by Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, and training on intellectual property aligned with guidance from Canadian Intellectual Property Office and World Intellectual Property Organization.

Advocacy and Policy Initiatives

Advocacy campaigns have engaged with federal and provincial policymakers in venues such as House of Commons of Canada, Senate of Canada, Ontario Legislature, Quebec National Assembly, and stakeholder consultations run by entities like Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Tri-Agency Institutional Programs Secretariat. Policy initiatives addressed compensation benchmarks comparable to reports from OECD, diversity goals resonant with directives from Employment and Social Development Canada, and research integrity practices paralleling guidance from National Research Council (Canada) and Committee on Publication Ethics.

Membership and Chapters

Membership draws postdoctoral scholars from campuses and research centers including Institut Pasteur, Canadian Light Source, TRIUMF, Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. Chapters operate at universities such as University of Windsor, Lakehead University, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Brock University, and Université du Québec à Montréal, and coordinate events with student associations like the Graduate Students' Association (University of Alberta) and professional networks such as Canadian Medical Association.

Partnerships and Funding Sources

Partnerships include collaborations with funders and organizations such as Mitacs, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and philanthropic institutions like the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Additional support has come through institutional agreements with universities including University of Toronto, McGill University, University of British Columbia, Université de Montréal, and provincial research bodies such as Alberta Innovates and Research Manitoba.

Category:Academic organisations based in Canada