The Office of Academic Research recently hosted its inaugural Research Café, an informal yet purposeful space designed to foster collegial dialogue, reflection, and community-building around research and scholarly activity at Yorkville University.
This first session invited faculty and staff to step back from the pace of academic work and reflect collectively on their research journeys in 2025, while also envisioning priorities and possibilities for 2026. Participants represented a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds and research experiences—from early-stage researchers exploring their first projects to seasoned scholars engaged in funded, community-based, and interdisciplinary work.
Key Themes from the Conversation
Across breakout discussions and whole-group reflection, several shared themes emerged:
- Research as a collaborative practice: Participants emphasized the value of relational, dialogic, and interdisciplinary approaches to research, including mentoring, co-inquiry, and community partnerships.
- Diverse research methodologies: Conversations highlighted qualitative, arts-based, participatory, Indigenous, and design-based approaches, alongside more traditional methods.
- Common challenges: Time constraints, navigating research methods, scope creep, writing, and uncertainty around institutional processes were frequently identified as barriers.
- Support structures matter: Faculty expressed appreciation for institutional supports such as SSAF, SoTL Scholars, the Research Ethics Board, library services, and informal peer mentoring.
- Looking ahead to 2026: Goals included initiating new projects, disseminating findings, developing methodological expertise, seeking funding, and strengthening research cultures across the institution.
We look forward to continuing these conversations and welcoming more colleagues into future Research Café sessions.
