If you haven’t heard of Dr. Newhouse, allow us to introduce you. Professor Newhouse is not only an associate professor of Indigenous Studies and Business Administration, and the chair of Trent University’s Department of Indigenous Studies but he is also a member of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Aboriginal advisory committee.

As a member of SSHRC, Prof. Newhouse has been instrumental in helping to develop a definition of Aboriginal research and guidelines which was formally launched on May 27, 2015 at the Ojigkwanong Centre for Aboriginal Culture and Education at Carleton University.

Prof. Newhouse’s own research explores how Aboriginal people are building and living fulfilling lives in urban settings. As the lead researcher for Urban Aboriginal Knowledge Network (UAKN), a Trent led project which received $2.5 million over five years from SSHRC to fund the initiative in 2013, Dr. Newhouse understands the importance of an updated definition of Aboriginal research.  

Canada is the only country in the world where its national academic research granting council has given official research standing to traditional knowledge and traditional knowledge holders and where there is an official definition of Aboriginal research.

“It is a remarkable achievement that builds upon the foundational work started here at Trent University over the last 45 years in its recognition of elders and Indigenous knowledge as important aspects of the academy,” said Prof. Newhouse.

Learn more about the updated definition of Aboriginal research at SSHRC. 

Posted on Thursday, May 28, 2015.