Making Research Matter: Translating Rural Research into Action

Rural communities, businesses, and organizations face increasing challenges that require evidence-informed solutions. As a leader in rural research, the University of Guelph is well-positioned to support these communities through knowledge mobilization. To better address emerging complex and multi-dimensional issues, the Connecting the Dots initiative has created strategic and intentional ‘bridges’ to enhance knowledge mobilization by translating leading rural research from the University of Guelph and partner universities into plain‐language summaries, research videos, infographics, and social media messages. The research focuses on rural people, places, and environments. The goal of this initiative has been to make knowledge more accessible to diverse rural audiences.

This workshop will share the processes in creating plain language summaries and their accompanying videos. We will also discuss how we have mobilized this knowledge through social media posts and newsletters. The workshop is designed for students, researchers, government staff, and rural organizations interested in approaches to amplify their knowledge mobilization. Participants will learn how to synthesize complex research into easily readable summaries, use online tools to create videos, and social media techniques. Participants are encouraged to bring a computer or tablet to walk through the tools. Participants will receive how-to guides containing the information presented during the workshop.

The workshop will take place on April 28, 2026, from 10 am to 12 pm. The workshop will take place both in Room 100 in the Landscape Architecture Building at the University of Guelph and online. When registering, please indicate if you will be attending in-person or online. All are welcome to participate in the workshop; however, registration is requested to facilitate planning. If you have any questions about the workshop, please contact Heather Douglas at [email protected].

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Host or Publisher School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, University of Guelph