The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is popping up on the media radar again. Because of this, I thought it timely to re-post some of old news to provide a bit more context to the new news. FOIA. For me, it’s personal. May, 2016. Several weeks ago, I was notified by my alma mater (the University of Saskatchewan) that the US Right to Know (USRTK) had submitted an Access To Information Act (ATIP) request seeking…

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We have an information banquet at our finger tips.  It’s a feast for the eyes and the ears; a smorgasbord of colour, content and a constant (sometimes annoying) presence in our lives.  Information has become the new flavourful, colourful commodity that dominates our lives and it’s shared on a fast-moving and highly-connected supply chain. Here are some statistical ‘appetizers’ for you: 3.5 Billion people use social media every dayFacebook is the most widely used platform…

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Hello Build Up Dietitians community! Thank you for inviting me into your virtual living room this Friday, July 24th at noon EST to chat about DISINFORMATION! To prepare for our lively discussion, feel free to check out the sources below… 1) blog post, 2) academic paper, 3) SciPod podcast, 4) twitter threads. 1) This blog post from LinkedIn The bad stuff is always easier to believe: disinformation, modern ag, and societies is a good introduction…

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I had the opportunity to spend a day at our Jerseyville R&D Farm with the #WiSE group. Here’s what I learned. https://camiryan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/24e08bef1f894268ab77c88e72e21173.mp4

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Here is a link to my latest post in LinkedIn. Excerpt: “What I have grown to understand is it is short-sighted for any of us to debate the outcomes of any case in any part of the world without first having a deeper discussion about litigation norms, cultures, and practices. Norms, cultures, and practices vary by country and jurisdiction.”

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Highlights: Transitioning from the public sector researcher into a new position in the private sector is challenging – both professionally and personally. Learnings: being different is an asset, being vulnerable can lift you up, asking for help is OK, and maintaining a sense of self in the face of adversity can come with great rewards. —— Four years ago today, I started my job as Social Sciences Lead with Monsanto. The decision to transition from…

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Last year, I was invited to share my science communication story at CropLife Canada’s Spring Dialogue Days. It was great to be standing in front of a crowd of 150+ of my peers, friends, and colleagues in the capitol of my homeland. I was home and all was right with the world. In the days leading up to the event, however, I struggled to find the right blend of life events and lessons-learned to share…

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32 years ago today, Blair and I were in a serious car accident. It was soon after we were (first) married and I was pregnant with our first son. You don’t know our son Abraham because Abraham didn’t survive. As I often do, I like to write my way through things. It helps me to understand myself and the world that I live in. I’ve always journaled. And some of my journal entries I’ve turned…

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Adrienne Rich (1929-2012) is one of my favorite writers. And while I can easily spend hours pouring over her thoughtful and creative prose and poetry, I also love this quote of hers: “Responsibility to yourself means refusing to let others do your thinking, talking, and naming for you; it means learning to respect and use your own brains and instincts; hence, grappling with hard work.” I ran across her quote today and it prompted me…

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This past weekend, for the umpteenth time, I cracked open Matthew Lieberman’s book Social: why our brains are wired to connect (2013). I skimmed through it like I normally do with these kinds of books; picking out bits and pieces like my uncle at a Sunday smorgasbord – finding things that I find intellectually appetizing (AKA things that confirm my bias). Credit: author Among the many gems outlined in this marvelous book, one passage in particular…

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