Partnerships

Responsible research by design

A discussion at UM with Dr. Sam Weiss Evans about responsible research

Two speakers engaged in a fireside chat, seated in chairs before an audience.
Estimated Read Time:
5 minutes
Dr. Sam Weiss Evans (right) speaks with facilitator Dr. Loren Oschipok during a fireside chat on responsible research by design, hosted at IDEA START in Winnipeg.
Dr. Sam Weiss Evans (right) speaks with facilitator Dr. Loren Oschipok during a fireside chat on responsible research by design, hosted at IDEA START in Winnipeg.
Estimated Read Time:
5 minutes

As emerging technologies move rapidly from research laboratories into the real world, universities are increasingly grappling with an important question: how can innovation advance while remaining responsible, secure and aligned with societal needs?

That question was at the centre of a two-day series of discussions held at the University of Manitoba on March 11 and 12. The program was led by the University of Manitoba’s Office of Research Security, with support from the U.S. Consulate Winnipeg through Consul Rebecca Molinoff and Laura Pyles, Political & Economic Specialist and in collaboration with IDEA START. The initiative brought Dr. Sam Weiss Evans, an internationally recognized expert in research governance, innovation policy, and research security, to Manitoba as part of a broader national effort to strengthen responsible innovation.

Dr. Evans’ work focuses on how science is shaped and integrated into society from its earliest stages. He advances the concept of “responsible research by design,” embedding ethics, security, and societal impact at the start of the research process. With experience at institutions such as Harvard and MIT, he brings a systems-level perspective on how emerging technologies move from academia into broader societal systems.

The sessions, including a fireside chat, interactive policy exercise, and roundtable discussion, brought together students, researchers, and members of Manitoba’s innovation ecosystem to explore how governance frameworks, ethics, and collaboration must evolve alongside rapidly advancing science resulting in potentially disruptive innovations.

A conversation on the responsibilities of innovation

The program began on March 11 with a Fireside Chat hosted by IDEA START, in collaboration with the Office of Research Security and moderated by Dr. Loren Oschipok, Director, Partnership, Knowledge Mobilisation and Innovation (PKMI) where Dr. Evans, highlighted the important role that researchers play to ensure innovation is developed responsibly, with consideration for its broader societal and global impact.

The discussion explored research security, international collaboration and the broader societal responsibilities that accompany technological advancement. Participants were encouraged to think beyond traditional academic boundaries and consider how scientific work interacts with the world beyond the university.

Dr. Evans noted that initiatives like IDEA START help researchers and students think more intentionally about how their work can move from the lab into society and create meaningful impact.

“There’s so much energy in the room at IDEA START,” said Dr. Sam Weiss Evans. “I was able to share some of my passion for why thinking outside of the university halls can really drive your entire career.”

I think it’s amazing that something like IDEA START exists here at the University of Manitoba, because I didn’t have anything like that when I was going through university.

Dr. Sam Weiss Evans

Two speakers engaged in a fireside chat, standing before an audience.
Dr. Sam Weiss Evans addresses Dr. Loren Oschipok during the fireside chat
Applying science to real-world decisions

Following the fireside discussion, participants joined “Apply the Science,” an interactive session led by Daniel Heschuk, from the Science Innovation Hub, Faculty of Science where the conversation focused on the practical aspects of responsible innovation.

Using a collaborative whiteboarding exercise, participants were asked to imagine they were designing an IT policy for the University of Manitoba and to determine what activities should be allowed, regulated or restricted when it comes to emerging technologies, such as AI.

Working together around the whiteboard, students and researchers debated questions about how institutions should manage the use of artificial intelligence, protect personal and research data and balance academic openness with institutional responsibility.

Ideas quickly filled the board as participants discussed the trade-offs between enabling innovation and maintaining security and accountability.

The exercise demonstrated how governance decisions are rarely straightforward. Each choice involved balancing openness, protection and responsibility, highlighting how policies shape the way innovations move from experimentation into real-world use.

By placing participants directly in the role of decision-makers, the session encouraged critical thinking about how researchers, institutions and policymakers share responsibility in guiding emerging technologies.

A facilitator leads an interactive whiteboard session at IDEA START with participants seated nearby.
Daniel Heschuk facilitates the "Apply the Science" session, prompting participants to design an AI policy for the University of Manitoba.
A presenter shares AI policy findings with participants, with University of Manitoba, IDEA START, and U.S. Consulate Winnipeg banners displayed.
Daniel Heschuk shares group findings as Dr. Loren Oschipok and Dr. Sam Weiss Evans react during the "Apply the Science" policy exercise at IDEA START.
A deeper discussion on research governance

On March 12, the conversation continued with a roundtable led by Dr. Hans-Joachim Wieden, Associate Vice President, PKMI and organized by Dr. Deepa Sankaran, Director at the Office of Research Security and her team members Noel Galuschik, Sara Sambanthan and Myrna Dyrkacz, bringing together leaders from academia, policy and Manitoba’s broader innovation ecosystem. 

The discussion focused on a key tension facing research today in the context of a rapidly changing geopolitical environment. Current approaches to ethics, biosafety and research governance are often top-down, reactive and compliance-driven. 

As technological innovation accelerates, research security is essential to ensure that knowledge advances society without compromising our shared safety and values. it requires both strong policy frameworks and a collective commitment from the entire research community.

Rebecca Molinoff, US Consul to Winnipeg

As scientific fields evolve rapidly, policies can struggle to keep pace with new discoveries and technologies. At the same time, researchers may resist governance systems when the rationale behind them is not clearly understood.

Participants explored how governance frameworks could become more transparent, collaborative and proactive, enabling researchers from various fields and the general public to play a more active role in shaping policies that guide responsible innovation.

The roundtable created an open environment where participants could share perspectives from academia, policy and the broader innovation ecosystem.

Participants seated around tables engage with a panel during a roundtable discussion.
Researchers, policymakers, and innovators gather for the March 12 roundtable discussion on research governance, hosted by the University of Manitoba's Office of Research Security
A man in a dark suit gestures while speaking at a roundtable discussion, with a name placard, papers, and coffee visible on the table in front of him.
Dr. Sam Weiss Evans shares his perspective during the March 12 roundtable on research governance and security.
A small group engaged in roundtable discussion around a table.
Participants engage in open dialogue during the March 12 roundtable, exploring how research governance frameworks can become more transparent, collaborative, and proactive.
Strengthening Manitoba’s innovation ecosystem

The two-day program highlighted the importance of creating spaces where researchers, policymakers and innovators can engage in meaningful dialogue about the future of science and technology.

Innovation today does not happen in isolation. It requires collaboration between researchers, policymakers and society to ensure that new technologies deliver meaningful impact.

Dr. Hans-Joachim Wieden, Associate Vice President Partnership, Knowledge Mobilisation and Innovation

Alt text: Two men in suits share a conversation and laugh in front of a University of Manitoba Office of Research Security banner.
Dr. Sam Weiss Evans and Dr. Hans-Joachim Wieden share a lighthearted moment following the roundtable discussion on research governance and security.
Roundtable participants pose for a group photo following the discussion.
A group of approximately thirteen participants pose together in front of the University of Manitoba Office of Research Security banner following a roundtable discussion

By bringing together diverse perspectives, the initiative demonstrated how leadership from the Office of Research Security, combined with IDEA START’s platform for engagement, can create meaningful opportunities for dialogue and impact. 

As new technologies continue to reshape industries and societies, conversations like these help prepare the next generation of innovators and problem solvers to navigate both the opportunities and responsibilities that accompany scientific progress.

By

Poonam Chopra

For nearly 150 years, UM has transformed lives through groundbreaking research and homegrown innovation. We push the boundaries of knowledge and do the hard work here in Manitoba to move our community and the world forward. With a spirit of determination and discovery, we are shaping a better future for our province and beyond.