HQPAC 2024

Call for new members

The HQPAC is dedicated to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for students and postdoctoral researchers in astroparticle physics in Canada. The committee works alongside the McDonald Institute and provides inputs on investments and program development for the HQP community through experience and peer recommendation, and has access to resources to support committee-led initiatives.

The Committee is open to all undergraduates, graduate students, postdocs, and early-career staff scientists, researchers, and professionals studying and working in astroparticle physics and related fields. We are hoping to have at least one member from each of the McDonald Institute partner Universities and Institutions on the committee. Other members of the astroparticle physics community are also encouraged to join. The committee will consist of HQP from across Canada, at various academic levels who wish to dedicate some of their valuable time towards benefiting the HQP community.

The current committee members are posted on the McDonald Institute Governance page.

If you are interested in joining the HQPAC or attending an committee meeting, contact the current committee at hqpac@mcdonaldinstitute.ca and CC Zac Kenny at communications@mcdonaldinstitute.ca.

 

• Identify ways the McDonald Institute can best support the Astroparticle Physics HQP Community in Canada
• Develop implementation strategies that would work to address and support pertinent issues as identified by the HQPAC
• Work with the McDonald Institute to affect long-term solutions and improvements identified by the HQPAC 
• Determine short term actions/programs that would be taken addressing pertinent issues. 
• Analyze and report on the effectiveness of program’s success in addressing issues to the McDonald Institute and help develop further action plans.
• Represent the interests of the HQP Community through:
  • Facilitating inter-institutional, peer-to-peer professional and scientific networking among members.
  • Regular consultation across the national McDonald Institute HQP network.
  • Advising the Institute’s efforts to serve the national HQP network.
  • Promote the engagement of HQP Community members in McDonald Institute programming.

 

The committee holds virtual meetings every month, and anyone from the community is invited and welcome to join. You can listen in, ask questions, and offer ideas or opinions. Joining the monthly meetings is a great way to get acquainted with the other committee members and their current initiatives. If you’d like to join the committee as an official member, you’ll participate in the planning and chairing of the meetings, committee voting, and the organization of projects, events, and initiatives.

A modest budget is at the disposal of the Committee to put ideas into action. The Committee determines an initiative as needing extra time and posts the opportunity to the community. Committee members are able to take on the position themselves if no suitable applications are received within a couple of weeks. This puts minimal demand on Committee members, and recognizes their valuable time when they are able to contribute towards implementation.

 

The HQPAC was first formed in 2021. The McDonald Institute analyzed the governing committees within the Canadian Networks of Centres of Excellence to understand models that supported effective community engagement. Based on this research, eight HQP formed the inaugural HQP advisory committee. Over the last few years, the committee has worked alongside the McDonald Institute to provide programming and training opportunities to the HQP community, such as MInteract and EIEIOO.

 

If you are interested in joining the HQPAC or attending an committee meeting, contact the current committee at hqpac@mcdonaldinstitute.ca and CC Zac Kenny at communications@mcdonaldinstitute.ca.