BIH Lecture | Tanja Tajmel "Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Research – Insights from the Canadian Research Ecosystem"

BIH Lecture

"Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Research – Insights from the Canadian Research Ecosystem"

The consideration of gender, diversity and inclusion in research design and research practices have become integral to advancing research excellence, innovation, and societal impact, particularly in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). As expectations from funders, institutions, and society continue to evolve, embedding diversity into research, teaching, training, and institutional practices is increasingly recognized as essential to fostering a vibrant and inclusive research culture. This lecture provides insights into Canadian approaches for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in Canada’s research landscape. Drawing on lessons learned from developing and implementing EDI initiatives across academia, it will explore successes, ongoing challenges, and practical strategies for integrating EDI throughout the research lifecycle, from funding, team and career development to research design, trainee mentorship, and knowledge mobilization.

About the Speaker

Tanja Tajmel

Tanja Tajmelis an Associate Professor at the Centre for Engineering in Society, Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science, Concordia University. She earned her Ph.D. in Didactics of Physics from Humboldt-University Berlin, Germany. She holds a BSc in Meteorology and Geophysics and a MSc in Physics and Philosophy from University of Graz, Austria. Before joining Concordia in 2018, she was a Professor at the University of Education Upper Austria. In 2019, Dr. Tajmel was Visiting Professor at the University of São Paulo. Internationally recognized for her leadership in developing frameworks for socially equitable research, development, and education in science and technology, she has led several inter- and transdisciplinary initiatives, including a think tank exploring STEM education as a human right. Since 2021, she has been Co-PI in the pan-Canadian NSERC CREATE program SE4AI, where she designed the graduate course Social Aspects of AI. Since 2024, she serves as Scientific Director, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, for Volt-Age, Concordia’s research program funded by a CA$123-million grant from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund.

Tanja Tajmel was an invited guest of the DiGENet of the Berlin University Alliance in 2025/2026 .