Robert G. May has spent several years sifting through pages and pages of poet F.R. Scott’s typescripts and manuscripts housed at the W.D. Jordan Special Collections and Music Library. Dr. May and his colleague Dean Irvine at Dalhousie University intend to post the material online and publish an authoritative edition of works by Scott, a seminal figure in modern Canadian poetry.

Dr. May will share the unique challenges that arise when working with such a vast and rich archive during Data Day on Monday, May 11.

“Digitizing four archive boxes of material is a painstaking, page-by-page process,” says Dr. May (English Language and Literature). “During Data Day, I am interested to see what researchers in other disciplines are doing with archival research and data in their fields.”

Scott Lougheed, another panelist at Data Day, has some advice for fellow researchers looking to improve their data management practices.

“I recommend researchers pick a “New Year’s resolution project” where they go to Data Services in Queen’s University Library (QUL) at the outset and develop a data management plan,” says the doctoral candidate in the School of Environmental Studies.  “I have found that researchers frequently encounter challenges with their data at the end of the project. By that time, though, they have moved on to another project and it’s too late to make the necessary changes.”

Mr. Lougheed is one of several presenters at this year’s Data Day, an annual event where researchers and service providers share their expertise and experiences working with diverse data sets.

During the panel discussion, Mr. Lougheed will make the case that having a well-defined plan in place at the start of the project is worth the time and effort.

“Working with QUL early on can streamline the research process,” he says. “With a plan, you can avoid getting halfway through your project and realizing that you haven’t properly stored your interview transcripts or data sets, for example.”

Karina McInnis, Executive Director, University Research Services (URS), notes that the tri-council funding agencies will require researchers to submit a data management plan with their proposals in the future.  Jeff Moon, QUL Data Librarian, will provide an introduction to data management plans during his Data Day session (Graham George Seminar Room, second floor of Douglas Library, 10:45 am).

Ms. McInnis, along with Sharon Murphy, Head of Academic Services, QUL, Bo Wandschneider, Associate Vice-Principal (Information Technology Services) and Chief Information Officer, and Ted Hewitt, President, SSHRC, recently shared the tri-council and university perspective on data management planning at a conference hosted by the Consortia Advancing Standards in Research Administration Information (CASRAI). The Queen’s group won best presentation at the conference.

“Data Day allows us to highlight the ways URS, the library and ITS have partnered to raise awareness and advance the services Queen’s offers to researchers to manage their data and make it accessible and reusable by the wider research community for years to come,” Ms. Murphy says.

Visit the Data Day 2015 website to view the complete program and register.

For more than 40 years, the Ban Righ Centre (BRC) has served as an on-campus resource for women, especially mature women returning to Queen’s.

Students don’t necessarily have to visit the brown brick building on Bader Lane to access the centre’s services, though. In recent years, the centre has increased its efforts to support women who are completing their Queen’s degree online while juggling multiple responsibilities such as work and children.

“I am so fortunate that I found the Ban Righ Centre, which recognizes the hardships we have to battle against when we are down,” says Andrea Bennett, who is completing the Aboriginal Teacher Education Program while living on Manitoulin Island. “Ban Righ Centre staff are always there for me and seem to say the right thing even when I am in despair.”

Following the death of her husband, Ms. Bennett faced the challenge of raising four children along with work and school. She struggled financially because student aid wasn’t an option and she wasn’t eligible for government funding as a non-status Indian.

She never lost sight of her dream of becoming a teacher. The centre recently supported Ms. Bennett’s goal by presenting her with the Dorothy Matheson Parnell Bursary, which is awarded on the basis of financial need with a preference given to single mothers.

Drawing strength from other women

Like Ms. Bennett, Carrie Dean encountered obstacles that nearly derailed her post-secondary education dreams. Seventeen years after completing one year at Brock University, Ms. Dean resumed her studies and is currently completing her Queen’s psychology degree by distance.

Ms. Dean says she draws strength from the centre as she and her husband raise four children and she works full time as a clinical team secretary with the Royal Ottawa Health Care Group.

“The Ban Righ Centre has reminded me that I am by no means alone in my pursuits,” says Ms. Dean, who received the Elizabeth Wallace Bursary from the Queen’s Women’s Association. “Simply knowing there are other women experiencing similar situations is comforting.”

Accessing education can be a real challenge for women with multiple responsibilities, says Ms. Morrison. While students on campus have more opportunities to learn about resources from their peers, women taking online courses may struggle to find the right service at the right time.

“To help bridge any existing gaps, the Ban Righ Centre is reaching out to women who are accessing online learning,” Ms. Morrison says. “In some cases, the centre has been able to provide over-the-phone advice and support as well as emergency bursaries.”

Ms. Bennett and Ms. Dean were recognized along with many other women at the centre’s spring celebration held May 2. The annual event celebrates the perseverance, courage and dedication of mature women at Queen’s who overcome barriers and juggle multiple roles while pursuing their education.

Visit the Ban Righ Centre website to learn more about the organization and the services it provides.