CHEER Webinar Series 2024-2025: Reimagining Indigenous Research Ethics in Canada: Charting a New Course with Dr. Sean Hillier.

Ethical research with and alongside Indigenous Peoples and communities has made significant progress over the past decades. However, many “well-intentioned” research projects still fall short by failing to respect Indigenous sovereignty, lived experiences, and cultural values. As scientific innovation advances, it becomes increasingly critical to develop and implement research ethics frameworks that prioritize Indigenous rights and community-defined goals.

This talk examines the urgent need for a paradigm shift in how academic institutions, industry leaders, and community partners collaborate with Indigenous Peoples and communities to address the complex challenges arising in our rapidly evolving world.

Dr. Sean Hillier

Dr. Sean Hillier is a Mi’kmaw scholar (Qalipu First Nation). He is theAssociate Dean, Research & Innovation and associate professor in theFaculty of Health at York University. His collaborative researchprogram spans the topics of aging, living with HIV and other infectiousdiseases, and One Health – all with a concerted focus on policyaffecting health care access for Indigenous Peoples. He is a member ofthe Interagency Panel on Research Ethics and is currently the Vice-Chair of the Indigenous Research Ethics Board at York University. Dr.Hillier has been successful in receiving funding from each of the threefederal granting agencies and is the current Inaugural AssociateDirector of the $318 million research project, Connected Minds: Neuraland Machine Systems for a Healthy Just Society.