Context: Universities, governments, and industries co-operate to create technology-driven growth. Research is leveraged toward the generation of new ideas and the impact of research is typically the result of “commercialization”, “technology transfer” and similar activities that benefit from the support of industry liaisons and technology transfer offices who act as intermediaries to push out research and pull in investment partners. 

Proposed questions for the roundtable discussion:

1. How do SSHA contribute to research and technological innovation? Which disciplines are/should be involved and how?
2. What would it look like for SSHA to be fully integrated into the processes that lead to technological innovation and economic impact?

What would promote or bolster SSHA involvement? What are the barriers (within and outside of universities)?

The policy sector includes a diverse array of actors including universities and colleges, governments, think tanks, commissions, committees, and panels. Knowledge mobilized generally includes social, human, technological and community-based research and expertise. Here, research mobilization often takes the form of “evidence-support”. Successful impact occurs when evidence is used to make informed policy decisions.

Proposed questions for the roundtable discussion:

1. How do SSHA contribute to policy and policy innovation? Which disciplines are/should be involved and how?
2. What would it look like for SSHA to be fully integrated into the processes that lead to policy and decision making at all levels?
3. What would promote or bolster SSHA involvement? What are the barriers (within and outside universities)?
4. What skills would emerging SSHA researchers need to be in a better position to contribute?

Context: Businesses, government, nonprofits, and community organizations are the predominant organizations involved in the social sector. The types of research utilized by social sector stakeholders include social, ethical, cultural, legal, educational, and health research. Knowledge and research are mobilized in diverse ways, e.g. to support best practices for practitioners in the education and health field, support and serve communities through partnerships with social sector organizations and by promoting community-engagement in higher education and research institutions.

Proposed questions for the roundtable discussion:

1. How do SSHA contribute to the social sector and to community innovation and impact?
2. What would it look like for SSHA to be fully integrated into the processes that lead to supporting social sector practitioners, the creation of new programs and the bolstering of education systems?
3. What would promote or support SSHA involvement? What are the barriers to scholarly partnerships with non-profits and other community-based organizations? What would promote or strengthen SSHA involvement?
4. What skills would emerging SSHA researchers need to be in a better position to contribute?

Context: Complex societal challenges are not just complicated. Wicked problems and societal challenges require social systems adjustment that affect and involve many aspects of industry, society, economy and politics across different human-geographic configurations. Social transformation is an intentional process through which transformational change is effected across social systems to address emerging social crises and global challenges that invole actors across all systems. Social innovation happens as a result of coordinating the actions of multiple stakeholders in a system toward a collective goal. For this reason, social innovation revolves around processes that involve stakeholders in the co-design and co-creation of solutions and are often led within community-based “innovation labs”.

Proposed questions for the roundtable discussion:

1. How do SSHA contribute to addressing complex societal issues as part of social transformation effort?
2. What would it look like for SSHA to be fully integrated into the processes of social innovation?
3. What would promote or bolster SSHA involvement? What are the barriers to participation?
4. What skills would emerging SSHA researchers need to be in a better position to contribute?