The Digital Research Alliance of Canada (the Alliance) is pleased to award a total of $2.87 million in funding to 82 early-stage researchers through the DRI EDIA Champions Pilot Program. This initiative is part of the Alliance’s DRI Investments for 2023-25, and will benefit researchers by supporting equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility (EDIA) in digital research infrastructure (DRI).
Through the program, the 82 recipients will serve as DRI EDIA Champions and receive up to $35,000 in funding. The funds will be used to support projects designed to advance local and inclusive awareness and uptake of national Alliance DRI services within the research community in Canada, specifically with members of equity-deserving groups. The full list of recipients can be found on the DRI Investments for 2023-25 webpage, under “Funding for a more Equitable, Diverse, Inclusive and Accessible DRI Community”.
Examples of activities to be led by DRI EDIA Champions include:
- Training and mentoring
- Promoting research data management (RDM)
- Addressing discipline-specific challenges
- Driving culture change
- Informing future initiatives
Equitable access to DRI can empower more researchers to lead, share knowledge and drive discovery—strengthening the Canadian research ecosystem and paving the way for future researchers to follow.
“There is a critical need to remove systemic barriers and ensure equitable access to DRI. With initiatives such as the DRI EDIA Champions Pilot Program, our vision is for all researchers to have the tools and supports they need to pursue their areas of focus to their full potential.” — David Tweddell, Interim Vice President, Strategy and Planning
For more information about this initiative, please contact programs-programmes@alliancecan.ca.
ABOUT THE DIGITAL RESEARCH ALLIANCE OF CANADA
The Digital Research Alliance of Canada (the Alliance) advances and maintains digital research infrastructure (DRI) to support the management, storage and use of national research computing, data and research software. A non-profit organization funded by the Government of Canada, the Alliance serves researchers by improving data access, collaborating with DRI partners, nurturing the DRI workforce, integrating services and enhancing security. DRI is a critical national asset, and the Alliance leverages its capacities to support cutting-edge research and innovation across all disciplines — propelling Canadian research forward now and into the future.