Institute of Indigenous Research and Studies

The Institute of Indigenous Research and Studies (IIRS) is uniquely positioned within the Faculty of Arts to serve as a hub for Indigenous-focused research at uOttawa conducted by Indigenous and non-Indigenous scholars with close ties to Indigenous communities. At the same time, IIRS offering an undergraduate program in Indigenous Studies and, several graduate level courses in the field in both French and English as well as Algonquin language courses. It has been home to the Chair in Métis Research as well as the Métis Family and Community Research Lab since 2010. 

Data Literacy Research Institute

The Data Literacy Research Institute at the University of Ottawa is an interdisciplinary, bilingual hub that unites experts from diverse fields across campus to address the challenges posed by insufficient data literacy. Data literacy is defined as the ability to collect, interpret, critically assess and effectively communicate information derived from statistics, text and probability. These skills are key to ensuring data quality, promoting informed decision-making, and fostering transparent communication. Without a solid foundation in data literacy, various sectors - including health care, sustainability, education, and ethics - are at risk of misinformation, poor decision-making and missed opportunities for growth and innovation.

The institute not only conducts cutting edge research, but also offers training programs aimed at addressing these critical issues. By leveraging the expertise already present within the University, the Institute develops innovative, interdisciplinary research projects and educational initiatives designed to enhance the data literacy skills of Canadians of all ages. These programs help close competency gaps, ensuring that more individuals and organization are equipped to navigate today's data-driven world.

In addition to identifying the current impacts of weak data literacy, the Institute works to pinpoint barriers to effective training and education in this field. It also devises practical interventions, develops best practices, and fosters collaborative approaches to improving data competencies. through these efforts, the Institute plays a key role in shaping a more informed, data savvy population capable of making responsible, evidence-based decisions.

Music and Health Research Institute

The Music and Health Research Institute supports fundamental, applied and clinical research to explore how music can improve health and well-being for individuals and communities.

The Institute will fulfill this vision by:

• amplifying the scope of a variety of research activities, capitalizing on ongoing projects in the various faculties and partner organizations, and developing several innovative initiatives around our research areas
• disseminating research outcomes through collaborations, conferences, colloquia, workshops, public events, media, and other forms of knowledge mobilization
• supporting the implementation of research findings into the creation of sustainable practices and interventions, the development of innovative technological tools, and the coordination of a musicians' wellness center
• offering leading training and mentoring programs, practical experiences for students, and professional development opportunities such as micro-programs and certifications
• encouraging and facilitating community engaged scholarship between members and partners both nationally and internationally

The success of the Institute's future directions and activities rests on the following core principles

• Interdisciplinarity - The way forward to solve complex problems: The Institute believes that solutions to complex challenges at the intersection of music and health require a broad range of ideas, approaches and perspectives that transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries and integrate a variety of knowledge, theories, and methods. 
• Actionable research - Research that can be converted into action: The Institute will adopt an actionable research approach that promotes innovation and adaptation of best practices, contributes to the process of finding solutions to critical problems by putting together diverse academic and non-academic perspectives, focuses on reducing inequalities and informs future actions
• Implementation - A focus on end-users and beneficiaries:  Knowledge implementation is a complex system of interactions between researchers and knowledge users; a dynamic exchange and collaboration towards the application of knowledge to improve health and well-being.
• Collaborations - A commitment to learn from and work with our partners: The development and expansion of inclusive collaborations with key end-users and beneficiaries (individuals with impairments, students living with disabilities or chronic conditions, patients in acute or long-term care, as well as their families and their support groups) and key partners (health care workers, clinical practitioners, as well as educators in special music education settings) will assure that each research team has members with first-hand knowledge and expertise to promote solutions relevant to the population's needs.
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity - The way research and training welcome and value different perspectives: We are committed to creating research environments in which everyone, regardless of their origins or conditions, can equally contribute to critical thinking, relevant knowledge and transformative innovations adapted to the needs of knowledge users.

• Audiovisual Media Lab for the study of cultures and societies
• Communication Marketing Research Laboratory
• CryoLab for Arctic, Antarctic and Planetary Studies (CLAAPS)
• CTI-Lab 
• Environment, Community and Health Laboratory 
• ERP Linguistics Lab
• The Humanities Data Lab  
• Laboratory for Applied Geomatics and GIS Science
• Laboratory for Cryospheric Research
• Laboratory for Environment, Society and Policy
• Laboratory for Paleontology and Climatology
• Language Acquisition Research Laboratory
• Métis Research Lab
• Piano Pedagogy Research Laboratory
• Pol Comm Tech Lab
• Sociolinguistics Laboratory
• Sound Patterns Laboratory
• Triple-I Lab
• uOttawa Living Lab

The Faculty of Arts is host to several Research Groups as diverse as the Faculty itself. The objectives of these groups is to create a place for exchanging ideas and an opportunity for interdisciplinary and collaborative research. The following groups have received research funding from the Faculty of Arts via its Interdisciplinary Research Group funding opportunity:

• Transfer of skills: From music to medicine
• Impacts of mindfulness on music performance anxiety
• Groupe de recherche interdisciplinaire en gestion des langues (GRIGL)
• Com & Tech innovation lab
• Studies in migration