Origins and purpose
The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA) was asked by the Addictions Research Centre, Correctional Service Canada (CSC) in 2001, to help create a fully browsable electronic inventory that could serve as a who's who of addictions researchers working in Canada. The resulting researcher database is proving to be a valuable tool for many groups and individuals interested in various aspects of addictions research. The database has many potential uses:
- Researchers can use this unique resource to locate colleagues with similar interests, to announce job postings, develop partnerships and explore new areas or opportunities for multi-disciplinary cooperation. The database also lists many organizations that have funded addictions research in the past five years.
- Funders, including charitable foundations, policy makers and programmers, can use the new database to identify experts working in specific addictions areas, or with special populations (e.g., youth).
- Journalists who track developments in science, medicine and social issues will find the new researcher database a rich source of story ideas and potential interview subjects.
Criteria and content
For the purposes of this database, a Canadian researcher is defined as an individual currently working primarily in Canada who has been listed as an author or co-author of a research publication in the addictions field (e.g., alcohol, tobacco, drugs or problem gambling) during the past five years and who self-identifies as an addictions researcher.
The database identifies such individuals and provides pertinent information about their focus of research, area of specialization, funding sources, and potential opportunities for co-operative work. The database uses key words and controlled terms in both French and English for searching, and also offers the opportunity for limited free-text descriptions that appear in the language in which they were received. Where applicable, the database also identifies organizations with whom the researchers have an affiliation.
Access and participation
You can search the Database of Addictions Researchers in Canada and you can complete a survey if you feel you fit the definition of a Canadian Addictions Researcher and would like to be included.
For more details, please contact the Database Coordinator.