Competition

* Unless explicitly noted, all times indicated for deadlines are for the appropriate NL timezone (NST or NDT)

• Information sessions:

  • Monday, October 19th @ 3 pm EDT (register here)

  • Thursday, October 22nd @ 12 pm EDT (register here)

CSA Group is pleased to announce the launch of a new research initiative within the Explore Research Program, a forward-looking research effort designed to support projects that help Canada anticipate and address emerging challenges. The new initiative, Preserving Human Skills and Agency in The Age of Intelligent Technologies, aims to understand how to identify and support the capabilities needed to preserve human expertise and autonomy as these technologies develop.

Proposals are welcome from any discipline, including cognitive and behavioural sciences, computer and information sciences, management studies, ethics and public policy, social sciences, engineering, and related fields. CSA Group will aim to fund projects from different disciplines because complex problems require cross-disciplinary solutions, but individual proposals are welcome to come from a single field.

Funded researchers will not only advance their own projects, but also join a virtual cohort, gaining opportunities to collaborate, exchange insights, and build a collective body of knowledge.

These shared insights can help identify emerging priorities and guide practical responses to Canada’s evolving challenges. Through CSA Group’s standards ecosystem and knowledge mobilization channels, researchers can contribute to guidance, uptake, and real-world implementation across government, industry, and community sectors.

Open Research Initiative:

Preserving Human Skills and Agency in The Age of Intelligent Technologies 

Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are changing how people learn, make decisions, communicate, and interact with the world around them. While these innovations can improve productivity and accessibility, they also raise important questions about human capabilities and meaningful control. As these technologies become more integrated into daily life, how can we identify and support the capabilities needed to preserve human expertise and autonomy?

About the Program:  

CSA Group’s Explore Research Program is an interdisciplinary, forward-looking research program, designed to respond to complex, emerging issues that transcend traditional boundaries. The CSA Explore Research Program convenes and supports experts from multiple disciplines to address systemic challenges on specific topics of relevance over the next decade and beyond. Individual research projects help advance discovery from the lens of their own disciplines. Together, their insights guide CSA Group’s proactive response to future needs.

Key Details:

• Funding per project: up to $150,000 over two years

• Deadline to apply: December 1, 2026

In addition to the external funding agency’s submission procedures, this opportunity must also be submitted for Departmental, HSS Faculty, and Research Initiatives and Services (RIS) institutional reviews and approvals via Memorial's Researcher Portal (RP). In order to facilitate the HSS Faculty’s administrative review, please ensure "Heather C. O'Brien (Grants Facilitator)" and “Matthew Milner (Grants Facilitator)” are added as "Team Members" on your RP file. 

In accordance with University-wide approval protocols, all tabs of the RP file must be completed, the completed application must be uploaded to the “Attachments” tab, all supporting documentation including support for cash and in-kind commitments and/or letters of support must also be uploaded, and “Submit” must be pressed prior to the HSS internal deadline listed below. HSS cannot guarantee completion of an administrative review for application files that are incomplete and/or are submitted after the HSS deadline. For more detailed RP submission instructions and information, please consult the "How Do I...?" page of HSS Research Support Services website.

If you plan to apply to this competition or other research funding opportunities (as either PI or CI), contact an HSS Grants Facilitation Officer (GFO), Heather C. O’Brien (HSSResearchAdmin@mun.ca, 864-8603) or Matthew Milner (HSSResearchGrants@mun.ca, 864-8050), to notify the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) of your intent to apply. Informing HSS of youir intent to apply early, may make it possible for you to avail of HSS's proposal development supports and will help facilitate an efficient final review. A GFO can also answer any questions you may have about internal or external submission procedures.