SAC Meeting Minutes - April 25, 2022

PIPSC Science Advisory Committee

25 April 2022

Invited: Waheed Khan (Chair), Michael Pauley, David Li Tang, Simon Zhou, Joseph Paquette, Sung Joon Kim, Georgine Pastershank, Eleanor McGrath (staff resource), Marielle Nadon (staff support)

Regrets: none

1. Call to order (Waheed)

1. Waheed introduces himself and confirms that the virtual participants are correctly hearing the meeting.

2. Approval of Agenda

1. Agenda adopted

3. Introductions

1. Introduction of each participant, their locations and work positions/achievements.

4. Health Break
5. SAC mandate and role of Friends of SAC (Waheed)

1. Explanation of what a committee is, their purpose and how a committee links to the board of directors. 
2. Suggestion to apply to the AGM and meet a couple of days before.
3. Waheed goes through the policies of the board of directors about committees.
4. Friends of the committee aren’t allowed salary reimbursements or travel and accommodation expenses. However, they can attend all the meetings.
5. Waheed was hoping to have one friend of the committee for each region.
6. Issue from members: Scientific Integrity conference attendance was an issue from a finance point of view and also to be approved to attend from their manager.
7. Issue from members: not many promotions available. The subjects are really specific and can constraint people to get a promotion/other positions.
8. Issue from members: unstable position that doesn’t become “undetermined” automatically after X years. People looking for stability will apply elsewhere creating a shorting in staff.
9. Contracting out is an issue.

6. Q&A with Didier Paultre, Manager, Finance (travel, salary replacement, etc)
   1. Policy
   2. Questions (requests for electronic T4, etc): finance@pipsc.ca 
7. Lunch break
8. SAC mandate and role of Friends of SAC (continued)
9. Briefings from staff
   1. Scientific Integrity (Eleanor McGrath)
      1. Updates from SI Governance Committee Meeting (31 March 2022)
      2. SI Training (Eleanor McGrath)
   2. Women in Science (Sadi Pokharel)
10. Health break
11. SAC strategic goals 2022-2025

1. Mapping Women in Science project and upcoming events.
2. More support and engagement around Scientific Integrity.
3. More engagement from women in science toward the Science Advisory Committee.
4. Find data or make a survey on career development.
5. Increase engagement with members.

12. Other updates/roundtable/next meeting

1. Next meeting will be held on June 27, 2022.
2. In-person meetings are more appreciated by members.
3. The meeting was really productive.

13. Adjournment

Action items:

1. Eleanor to get budget for public science.
2. Everyone to share ideas (if some) with the Committee before the next meeting.
3. Marielle to take minutes of the meeting and share with Waheed for approval.