Mobilizing transdisciplinary expertise to develop socially responsible technologies
Our Vision: New technologies are revolutionizing society, creating a 'techno-social collective' where humans and intelligent machines are deeply interconnected. While such advances present exciting opportunities, they also present significant risks, especially for vulnerable populations. Understanding and mitigating these risks will require a truly interdisciplinary team of researchers working together with industry, hospital, government, and community partners.
Our Approach: Based at York and Queen's Universities (Canada), the Connected Minds Program integrates three ‘pillars‘ of academic expertise (Society, Neuroscience & Behavior, Intelligent Technologies) and 50+ partner organizations , in order to 1) understand how the interplay of humans and intelligent technologies produces unexpected, emergent properties at the community/whole society levels, 2) predict how new technologies will disrupt our evolving techno-social collective, and 3) use these predictions to co-create new research and technology development.
Our Mission: We envision a world where breakthroughs in technology promote social health and justice for all, with special focus on the Indigenous Peoples of Canada. Supported by the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF), Connected Minds supports research and training programs, collaborations, and knowledge mobilization to create a global hub of critical transdisciplinary scholarship on the configuration of social power and systemic barriers that underpin advances in emerging technologies.
Further details can be found on our general information page.
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Our Goals
Goal 1: Achieve Global Research Excellence
Connected Minds will become an international hub of expertise in interdisciplinary, ethical, socially responsible research and technology.
Goal 2: Attract and Retain the Best Talent
Our competitive faculty recruitment plan and multi-institutional training program will recruit and train the next generation of top scholars with the knowledge/tools to sustain Connected Minds.
Goal 3: Amplify Knowledge Mobilization for Positive Social Impact
Connected Minds will engage partners and stakeholders at each level of the process to develop intelligent technologies and maximize the impact of our research outputs.
Goal 4: Promote Success of Indigenous and Other Equity-deserving Groups
Connected Minds will prioritize the needs of equity-deserving communities, including a research program that is co-created and co-led by Indigenous Peoples.
50+ Partners and Collaborators
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Philanthropic/not-for-profit organizations Partners and Collaborators:
Other research organizations (including research hospitals) Private sector organizations::
Academic institutions, including universities, colleges, polytechnics and institutes Partners and Collaborators:
