The application for the 2026-2027 cohort will open in June 2026.
If you would like to be contacted when DEEP program applications are available, sign up for .
What is the Research-2-Impact (R2I) Scholars Program?
The R2I Scholars Program brings together emerging researchers, practitioners, and policy leaders who are committed to translating evidence into action on behalf of underserved communities.
This is closed seminar series that introduces an interdisciplinary cohort of graduate students united by a common focus area to the skills and background knowledge required to expand the policy impact of their research. Selected scholars attend twice-monthly seminars, write policy briefs for the DEEP Briefing series, and produce posters about their research and its avenues for impact. The program culminates in the scholars’ presentation of their work at the poster session of the DEEP R2I Conference in May.
This program is for graduate students who see research as a means to impact—not an end in itself. If your work speaks to the themes in the call below, and you are willing to sit with complexity and think rigorously about how evidence shapes policy and practice, we encourage you to apply.
Call for 2026-2027: Bioethics, Health Equity & Underserved Communities
Are you asking difficult questions about how we design health systems, allocate resources, and make decisions that affect vulnerable populations? Do you work in bioethics, health equity, policy analysis, or the social determinants of health—or are you curious about stepping into these spaces?
For the 2026-2027 academic year, we are convening scholars around bioethics and health equity in underserved communities, building toward our annual R2I Conference.
Topic areas of interest include, but are not limited to:
- Ethical frameworks for health access, resource allocation, and clinical decision-making
- Health inequities and structural barriers to care
- Real-world ethical tensions in public health, long-term care, mental health care, or social care
- Similar questions and concerns from adjacent disciplines (e.g., philosophy, sociology, public policy, law, global health)
Eligibility
Eligibility Criteria
- Candidates must be enrolled in a Master’s, PhD, or LLM program at ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï for the duration of the program (September to April).
- Candidates must have a major research or praxis project that fits with the R2I annual theme. As long as there is synergy with the theme, we accept candidates from any discipline.
- Candidates must be available to attend twice-monthly seminars on Thursdays from 11:30-1.
Qualities of an Ideal Candidate
- Motivated to develop practical skills to increase the policy relevance and impact of their academic work.
- Looking to expand the reach of their findings beyond academic networks.
- Able to articulate how engaging in cross-disciplinary discourse will be of great value to their academic work and professional trajectory.
- Participates in discussions in a dedicated, reliable, and enthusiastic way and keen to share ideas in group settings.
Program Requirements
- Attend biweekly seminars and workshops at the School of Population and Global Health (SPGH), located at 2001 ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï College. The series consists of three types of sessions:
- Talks by policy practitioners and academics that shed light on the relationship between evidence and policy and the realities of policymaking in the field.
- Trainings to learn how to write about your academic work for different audiences, including policymakers and the general public.
- Cohort discussions to synthesize these learnings and conceptualize applications to each scholar’s work.
- Complete assigned preparatory readings and prepare discussion questions for seminars.
- Supported by training sessions and resources offered by the department, produce:
- One policy brief, either about your own research or the research of a faculty member;
- One poster for presenting your research to the faculty, students, and broader intellectual community of the Department of Equity, Ethics and Policy.
- Present your poster at the DEEP R2I Conference poster session in May.
- Submit a program feedback form upon completion.
Award
- Selected R2I Scholars receive a $2,500 award for their participation.
- The award is disbursed in 3 instalments: September, January, and May. The final instalment is contingent on participation in the R2I Conference poster session, submission of completed policy brief, and completion of the program feedback form.
- There are 10 awards available for the 2026-2027 academic year.Ìý
Application
The application details will be updated shortly.
Equity and Diversity in Recruitment
The Department of Equity, Ethics and Policy is committed to equity and diversity in recruitment. We highly encourage applications from Indigenous peoples, visible minorities, women, people with disabilities, people of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, and those who are the first generation of their family to attend post-secondary studies. There is an optional question in the application form where applicants can feel free to include an EDI statement if they wish to make aspects of their identity that may not otherwise come through in their application known.
Selection Criteria
The application criteria will be updated shortly.
Questions?
If you have a question that isn't answered in the tabs above, you can email Kate, the Student Affairs Administrator: studentadmin.ihsp [at] mcgill.ca