CALL FOR STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Online platforms and social media have dramatically changed how we communicate with each other. They have enabled billions of people to express their views online, build coalitions for social justice, and discuss their views. At the same time, the small number of dominant platforms also constrains how people can communicate and platforms’ algorithms incentivize the production of ever more extreme content. Platforms like Facebook or Twitter also generally ground their ideas around content moderation on US English and US values of free speech rather than considering other languages and linguistic contexts.

This challenge will bring together big data analysis, business, journalism, social justice, sociology, and policy to focus on how the online environment has changed language, how it has affected public discourse, and how online expression interacts with offline language, as well as (more broadly) on rethinking what we mean by public discourse, whose voices are amplified, how regulation of online platforms affects language, and whether online public discourse is undermining democracy.

• Ensuring that planned research activities within the established research challenges progress and reach key deliverable milestones.
• Providing advice and guidance in setting strategic priorities.
• Advising on the utilization of available resources (GREx funding; research seed funding; faculty and staff capacity). for planned research activities and making recommendations or leading applications for additional resources (Tri-council and other grants, charitable donations).
• Contributing to long-term planning for graduate and undergraduate training; equity, diversity, and inclusion; industry partnerships; community engagement; and knowledge mobilization.
• Assisting with resolving strategic-level issues and risks.
• Contributing to decision-making for the Institute (with ultimate decision-making authority resting with the director or co-directors).
• Approving or rejecting changes to planned research, training, knowledge mobilization, and community and industry partnerships with a high impact on timelines and budget.
• Assessing progress towards stated goals and assist in reporting on progress to Institute co-directors, the Deans’ Council, and VPRI through the development, tracking, and reporting of key metrics for academic and socioeconomic indicators as required by the UBC Research + Innovation Council.

• Attend quarterly meetings, plus (on rare occasions) ad hoc meetings as opportunities arise.
• Understand the goals, objectives, and desired outcomes of the Institute’s activities.
• Understand and represent the interests of Institute stakeholders.
• Actively participate in sub-committees and teams that contribute to Institute progress, including:
  • Serving on the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion sub-committee;
  • Serving on the member research funding proposal review sub-committee;
  • Leading or participating in research grant and project teams;
  • Leading or participating in community engagement, industry partnership, or other knowledge mobilization projects; and
  • Linking current research, teaching, and knowledge mobilization activities to Language Sciences
• Act on opportunities to communicate positively about the Institute and its planned research, training, knowledge exchange, equity/diversity/inclusion opportunities, and community and industry partnership activities.
• Monitor the Institute’s financial decisions – especially in procurement and in responding to issues, risks and proposed project changes.
• Ensure that the Institute’s activities are aligned with its organizational strategy as well as UBC’s strategic plan, policies, and directions.
• Actively participate in meetings through attendance, discussion, and review of minutes, papers and other Steering Committee documents.
• Support open discussion and debate, and encourage fellow Steering Committee members to voice their insights.

• Current CV
• A one-page statement describing:
  • Your current program of research and how it relates to the Reimagining Public Discourse research challenge
  • A brief overview of your ideas for furthering research, knowledge mobilization, or teaching activities within the research challenge area and in language sciences in general
  • A brief description of your commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion
  • Any relevant experience that may inform your term on the steering committee.