(Currently closed) CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity: Call for Members for the Community Advisory Committee

Invitations for Expressions of Interest

III is seeking a diversity of experiences within its Advisory Committee to build inclusive representation of individuals who live with, or represent conditions, related to infectious diseases and conditions of the body's immune system. III commits to authentically engage those who have historically been excluded from participating as research partners, by ensuring equity, diversity and inclusion are of central focus. To this end, we are seeking members who reflect the breadth of diversity of the communities with which III does research (e.g. geographic region, age, race, ethnicity, culture, religion, Indigenous peoples, language, sex and gender, sexual identity, gender identity, disability/ability, type of disease, more common and less common diseases). In addition, III seeks to develop meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities across Canada. As such, we are seeking Advisory Committee members who would be interested in helping III understand the perspective of Indigenous peoples with conditions that fall under the III mandate. We value working with Indigenous partners and commit to ensuring that the unique rights, interests and circumstances of Indigenous Peoples are acknowledged, affirmed and actioned.

Advisory Committee members will be provided with compensation (should they wish) for their participation and will receive support to help them fulfill their role on the Committee. Advisory Committee members will be invited to serve an initial term of up to two (2) years, and may be reappointed for a second term of up to one (1) year to ensure continuity; this may represent, in all, three (3) consecutive years.

Expectations of Advisory Committee Members

Advisory Committee members are expected to add value to III from a person with lived and living experience perspective. This may include:

• Attending 2-3 meetings annually that may be in person or virtual
• Arriving for meetings prepared and ready to participate (meetings may be in person or virtual) and provide III with reasonable notice if unable to make a meeting (if possible)
• Being open and collaborative when participating in discussions, providing feedback, raising issues, and solving problems
• Providing perspective and wisdom by sharing knowledge and experience while considering the knowledge and comments shared by others
• Respecting all opinions, even if disagreeing
• Promoting and contributing to an environment that is free of personal interests beyond the specific community or group a member may represent
• Providing insights and perspectives from their own lived experiences as well as those drawn from engaging their own communities
• Providing input and criticism in a constructive way
• Drawing on knowledge, personal and professional networks, and experience to provide input into discussions and decisions
• Sharing relevant learning and information and III initiatives with their own organizations, networks and communities
• Contributing to ongoing dialogue and project work between formal meetings as needed
• Acting as a champion for further engagement in research and research in general
• Treating information with appropriate confidentiality
• Declaring all actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest. 

If you are interested in this opportunity, or have any questions, please email III-IMII@cihr-irsc.gc.ca with some information about yourself, including: 

• Why you're interested in this role
• Your preferred spoken language
• How you see yourself contributing to this Advisory Committee (for example, by sharing any of your skills, experience, or perspectives that you are comfortable with highlighting)
• Any involvement with patient organizations or communities (this is an asset, but is not a requirement)
• Where you live in Canada
• Language(s) spoken
• Anything else you think III should know about yourself with respect to this opportunity.

After receiving expressions of interest, selected applicants will be contacted for further discussion. From here, some individuals will be invited to join the Advisory Committee. If you submit an expression of interest, you will be informed about your application status. On behalf of the CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity, we thank you for your interest.

Date modified:

2023-09-05