My Body, My Brain, My Choices: Science Communication Hackathon

about this event

Help us turn women's health research into resources that empower. Research should not stay behind journal paywalls or within academic conferences. Join us in transforming women's health research into practical, evidence-based resources that improve understanding and help people navigate conversations about their health and the healthcare system with greater confidence and agency.

Have you wondered… Why am I feeling this way during my menstrual cycle? Are these changes related to menopause? How might hormonal contraception be affecting me? Why can't I find clear, trustworthy answers? How do I explain my symptoms to my healthcare provider?

These questions are often met with conflicting information or a lack of research, leading people to turn to misinformation. When interacting with the healthcare system, many leave appointments feeling unheard or unsure how to advocate for themselves.

We entered women's health research because of personal experiences—our own, those of our families, patients, friends, or communities. We encountered unanswered questions, unmet needs, and research gaps that motivated us to pursue this work. By bringing together our overlapping identities as researchers, clinicians, and people with lived experience, we can create resources that are scientifically rigorous, meaningful, and genuinely useful to the public.

Who: We welcome participants from all career stages. As the workshop focuses on identifying and addressing gaps in women's brain health research and healthcare, please draw on your experience as individuals in research, healthcare, and/or lived experience navigating these systems. This event is planned as a pre-conference event to the CAMH womenmind ™ conference in Toronto, Ontario, though you are welcome to attend even if you are not registered for the CAMH womenmind ™ conference.

What we'll do: During this hackathon, participants will co-design a new public-facing science communication initiative that will become part of the Women's Health Cluster website. Working in interdisciplinary teams, we will: Identify the most pressing gaps in public understanding of women's health. Design accessible, engaging, evidence-based resources for the public. Create strategies for translating complex women's health research into clear, trustworthy, and actionable information. Explore innovative approaches to science communication that improve public understanding and agency.

The resources developed during the hackathon will contribute to a new public engagement initiative jointly led by the Women's Health Cluster and the Cognitive Neuroendocrinology Lab as part of the VW Stiftung-funded My Body, My Brain, My Choices: De-tabooing Science and Research project.

The CAMH womenmind Conference brings together an international and interdisciplinary community of researchers, clinicians, trainees, advocates, funders, industry partners and people with lived experience to examine how biological and social experiences across the lifespan can shape women's health outcomes. Through collaboration and knowledge exchange, the conference aims to strengthen the evidence base, support emerging research, and provide an inclusive platform that amplifies diverse voices to help accelerate progress toward more timely, effective and equitable care.

This is an 8-hour in-person event.

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