Through the Betty Havens Award for Knowledge Translation in Aging, the CIHR Institute of Aging will recognize individual(s), team(s) or organization(s) that have advanced the translation of research in aging at a local or regional level.

Betty Havens was a leading gerontologist committed to improving the lives of senior citizens, with notable achievements in health services research on the aging process. She created one of the world's richest research infrastructures - the Aging in Manitoba Study (AIM) - which is used both across Canada and internationally. Betty Havens carried out her research while she was a full-time policy maker, acting as a research director, provincial gerontologist, and, ultimately, assistant deputy minister of community and long-term care in Manitoba. Her research continues to influence the creation of policy today.

Throughout her 30-year career Betty Havens made real achievements and accomplishments as a decision maker, researcher, communicator, supporter of students, and mentor of young scholars.

The aim of the CIHR-Institute of Aging Betty Havens Award for Knowledge Translation in Aging is to recognize outstanding achievements and excellence in knowledge translation in aging at a local or regional level, and to provide financial support to further foster excellence and innovation in knowledge translation activities.

The achievements of the individual, team or organization that is the recipient of the CIHR-Institute of Aging Betty Havens Award for Knowledge Translation in Aging will be celebrated at the Canadian Association on Gerontology Annual Scientific and Education Meeting (another relevant venue is possible). Recipients will also be highlighted in CIHR communication materials, including the CIHR website.

The CIHR Knowledge Translation Award 2010 honours and supports the exemplary knowledge translation efforts and activities of an exceptional individual, team or organization that has made an outstanding contribution to improving the health of individuals, providing more effective health services and products and strengthening the health care system at a national or international level. To nominate an individual, team or organization for this award please refer to the following opportunity.

Relevance Review

Relevant KT activities must be clearly related to healthy and successful aging, and/or improving the well-being and quality of life of current and future older Canadians. The underpinning research should have addressed issues of aging and/or the aged as essential elements of the objectives, hypotheses and analyses (e.g., dynamics of aging, age-relevant models and/or aged subjects; uniqueness of aging or aged population).

Award Nomination

Nominations for the Betty Havens Award for Knowledge Translation in Aging ($50,000) must demonstrate that the nominee has:

• contributed significantly to moving research findings into practice or policy by facilitating the synthesis, dissemination, exchange and ethically sound application of knowledge at a local or regional level;
• KT activities that are specifically related/targeted to a community and/or region and are aimed at bridging the gap between knowledge and practice/policy and facilitating the dissemination, uptake and application of knowledge in this context;
• linked research/researchers with decision makers/knowledge users locally and/or regionally in order to improve the health of Canadians and/or health services/products and/or the Canadian health care system (policy or practice).
• KT efforts and strategies that have been successful in influencing or changing local, regional or provincial policy or practice.
• formed strong partnerships with other local/regional organizations.

Eligibility

CIHR welcomes nominations from individuals, teams or organizations working in Canada in the health field, including:

• health planners, managers, policy makers and administrators;
• health practitioners;
• health researchers;
• not-for-profit organizations with a research or knowledge translation mandate including professional associations;
• public health or public policy workers;
• groups representing survivors of, or patients with, a specific health problem.

While CIHR funding is not a pre-requisite for eligibility, CIHR expects that the exemplary knowledge translation activities of eligible individuals, teams or organizations will normally have attracted external merit-based funding.

Members of the CIHR Governing Council, CIHR Scientific Directors and CIHR staff are not eligible for this award. Candidates may be nominated on more than one occasion provided that they continue to meet the eligibility requirements. The award can be received by an individual, team or organization only once. Applicants who have received the award in the past may apply as part of a different team or organization.

How to Apply

Anyone with direct knowledge of the contribution of the nominee(s) can nominate the individual, team or organization. Nominators can be colleagues or any organizations or individuals who have benefited from the nominee's activities. Self-nominations will not be accepted. The nomination package must include the following items.

1. A summary description (prepared by the nominee) of the knowledge translation activities (no more than three single-spaced, one-sided pages of text, Times New Roman 12 pt font). The summary must include the following sub-sections:
   1. Knowledge Translation Activities:
      Describe the knowledge translation activities with reference to how they influenced the adoption of knowledge in terms of synthesis, dissemination, exchange and ethically-sound application. Include the strength of the evidence supporting the knowledge that was applied. If applicable, include a description of the nature of the interactions between researchers and knowledge-users as part of the knowledge translation process.
   2. Impact:
      Describe the impact of the knowledge translation activities (and how the impact was measured) in terms of improving the health of individuals, providing more effective health services and products and strengthening the health care system locally and/or regionally. Please also detail how previous CIHR funding, if applicable, has contributed to the nominee's knowledge translation activities/research (include grant and/or award FRN numbers).
   3. Up to five supporting documents that demonstrate knowledge translation activities and/or impact (such as clippings, testimonials, workshop materials, posters, journal articles, reports, technical reports, policies).
2. Two letters of support: One letter from the nominator and one letter from an individual/organization that has direct knowledge of the nominee's contributions in knowledge translation. The letters should serve to endorse the summary description provided by the nominee.
3. Short biography of nominee(s) (maximum 2 pages per biography; Times New Roman 12pt font). For organizations that are nominated, no more than six team member biographies should be included. Please do not include any personal contact information in the biographies.

Please submit the original of the complete nomination package to the following address:

KT Award Selection Committee, Research Capacity Development
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Room 97, 160 Elgin Street
Address locator: 4809A
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0W9

Review Process and Evaluation

Prior to the KT Award Committee review, the CIHR Institute of Aging will be given access to anonymized summary descriptions for the purposes of its evaluation of alignment of nominees with the eligibility criteria and relevant research areas described above. This Institute of Aging review is separate from and will have no impact on the KT Award Committee review process.

Nominations for the CIHR-Institute of Aging Betty Havens Award for Knowledge Translation in Aging will be reviewed by the Knowledge Translation Award Committee, which includes Canadian and international researchers with expertise in knowledge translation, CIHR Scientific Directors and representatives from other agencies.

Nominations will be assessed against the following criteria:

• Impact at the local or regional level in research on aging and its translation.
• The importance of the area of focus to, and the significant improvement of, the health of Canadians, providing more effective health services and products and strengthening the health system.
• The strength of the evidence supporting the knowledge being translated into practice or policy, as well as the sustainability of this change.
• Evidence of influence of the synthesis, dissemination, exchange and ethically sound application of knowledge at local or regional level
• The strength of the letters of support for the nominee(s).

For questions on CIHR funding guidelines, how to apply, and the peer review process contact:

Aaron Jackson
Team Lead, Program Delivery
Research Capacity Development
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 613-954-1960
Fax: 613-954-1800
Email: aaron.jackson@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

For more information about this award, please contact:

Sharon Nadeau
Associate, Strategic Initiatives, Institute of Aging
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 613-946-1270
Fax: 613-954-1800
E-mail: sharon.nadeau@cihr-irsc.gc.ca