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Save the Date for Consultations on the Data Research Infrastructure (DRI) Contribution Program

Note: Please help us get the word out and share the following with your institutional colleagues, constituents and communities.

Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the applicant board for the Digital Research Infrastructure (DRI) Contribution program, I am pleased to announce that the Applicant Board will be conducting national consultation sessions. Community consultations are necessary and important to address a number of outstanding governance issues prior to the establishment of the inaugural board for the new organization early in the 2020. In-person consultations will start as early as next week to be able to hit important milestones in forming the full governance structure of the organization.

These consultations are the next step towards implementation of the DRI Contribution program with approved funding from the federal Minister of Science of up to $375 million. This program will be governed by a not for profit organization that will coordinate funding and strategic directions for national activities related to: research data management; advanced research computing, and research software.

These consultations will build on the feedback received during the development of the proposal in the spring and address governance issues including membership and board composition for the new organization.

Please save the date in your region for the following face-to-face consultation sessions. All sessions will start in the morning at 9:30 and run until 12 noon. Venue details as well as agendas and supporting materials will be communicated shortly.

  • Toronto - Tuesday September 24
  • Montreal – Friday, September 27
  • Ottawa – Tuesday, October 1
  • Halifax – Thursday, October 3
  • Saskatoon – Monday, October 7
  • Vancouver – Friday, October 11

If you are unable to attend the face-to-face session, you can still provide participate by attending one of several online sessions we will schedule at the completion of the face-to-face meetings. You can also provide comments and input to the process by email to NDRIO-NOIRN@engagedri.ca or stay informed by visiting engagedri.ca for further information and updates on the implementation of this initiative.

Community engagement is critical for the successful implementation of a researcher-focused DRI ecosystem in Canada. We look forward to your participation and input in this important engagement process.

Yours sincerely,

Lori MacMullen

Chair, Applicant Board (NDRIO) and Executive Director, Canadian University Council of Chief Information Officers (CUCCIO)