About Us

Illustration of many brightly coloured hands raised into the air

Table of Contents

What do we mean by KMb?

Knowledge mobilization (KMb) is a term used to describe various activities that help to share knowledge between those who create it (often, but not always, academic researchers) and those who could use it (individuals in government, industry or civil society, among others).

Also called knowledge translation, transfer, or exchange, KMb can consist of various activities, including knowledge synthesis, dissemination, co-creation, and evaluation of impact, and can include reciprocal exchange of knowledge as well as one-way transfer of knowledge between groups. The goal of KMb is usually to create positive impacts (for the environment, economy, or society) by informing research, programs, policies, behaviors, attitudes or decisions.

For other definitions, see:

Our commitments and practices

Land acknowledgment

The lands on which we live and work today in Wellington and Waterloo are the ancestral homes and traditional territories of many First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. Our ability to live, work and gather on these lands is a direct result of policies that have displaced and harmed Indigenous peoples. As such, we need to acknowledge this history and recognize our responsibility to steward the land, understand the history and experiences of Indigenous peoples, and work to repair the damages of colonialism.

The land now known as Kitchener/Waterloo has been the traditional home of the Neutral, Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples, and is situated on the Haldimand Tract, land that was granted to the Haudenosaunee of the Six Nations of the Grand River.

The City of Guelph and the County of Wellington reside on the treaty lands and territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, and we recognize the long-standing relationships between this land and the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee and Attawandaron nations.

This acknowledgement is one small step in our collective responsibility to work towards reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Through this community of practice we will continue to share the principles and best practices of knowledge exchange that support respectful and reciprocal dialogue with Indigenous communities.

Anti-oppression statement

The Waterloo Wellington Knowledge Mobilization Community commits to anti-oppressive practice in the way we organize and gather. We recognize that members of our community of practice have different experiences and backgrounds which shape forms of power and privilege. As such, we commit to open our minds, engage and challenge our own and others’ biased or discriminatory behaviours and comments.

What this means in practice

  • We aim to create spaces of co-learning that encourage conversations about justice, equity and diversity.
  • We encourage all members to make an effort to learn about the experiences and backgrounds of one another. 
  • We commit to creating a positive space for gatherings where all can participate meaningfully regardless of race, gender, class, sexuality, age or ability. 
  • We will strive to create a collaborative space free from discrimination and microaggressions. Any and all sexist, racist, homophobic, ableist, ageist, transphobic or otherwise oppressive language or behaviour will not be tolerated.

Accessibility

The Waterloo Wellington KMb Community is committed to providing online and in-person spaces that are accessible to a wide audience, regardless of technology or ability. While we are a small network, with a limited budget, we aim to do our best to meet the accessibility and accommodation needs of our members and local community.

Website Accessibility

We are actively working to improve the accessibility and usability of our website, while adhering to the available accessibility standards and guides (e.g., WCAG 2.0 AA).

In-Person or Online Events

The Waterloo Wellington KMb Community aims to host accessible events where all can participate meaningfully.

Our in-person events:

  • are easily accessible by public transit
  • are fully accessible by people using mobility devices
  • are scent-free.

Our online events:

  • offer closed captioning/live transcription

We will ask about accessibility needs or accommodations with registration of all of our events, which we use to work to meet the accessibility and accommodation needs of people attending. 

Language

We aim to use clear, professional, language. Given that the Waterloo Wellington KMb Community focuses on knowledge mobilization, there is jargon from this area of work. We strive to define jargon terms when they are used. We are open to being told when jargon isn’t explained.


Our organizing committee

The Waterloo Wellington Knowledge Mobilization Community is led by a group of enthusiastic practitioners. We are:

  • Caroline Duvieusart-Déry (she/her), Knowledge Mobilization Coordinator, Community Engaged Scholarship Institute, University of Guelph
  • Elizabeth Shantz (she/her), Knowledge Mobilization Manager, Research Innovation Office, University of Guelph
  • Hilda Smith (they/them), Knowledge Mobilization Specialist, AcTinSite Research Project, York University
  • Nancy Goucher (she/her), Knowledge Mobilization Specialist, Water Institute, University of Waterloo
  • Anne Bergen (she/her), Director at Knowledge to Action Consulting

The community is supported in-kind and financially by the institutions we are affiliated with.

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