mCDR COMPASS
Converging community, marine policy, applied science, and strategy
The heart and engine of the mCDR COMPASS will be a cohort of five Highly Entrepreneurial Research Operators (HEROs) working across science, data, policy, community engagement and business strategy. Unlike traditional postdoctoral fellowships, the COMPASS HERO cohort will be early-career researchers* with a drive and commitment to bring expertise from their research and work collaboratively with new people and across new organizations to advance the responsible and equitable mCDR sector in Canada.
The HEROs will possess ‘Entrepreneurial DNA’ and wake up each morning motivated to harness their deep expertise and work innovatively across disciplines to deliver value to COMPASS partners, the community, policymakers, and the sector.
HEROs will learn new skills, broadening their networks, and engage in diverse professional development opportunities. The HERO postdoctoral experience is akin to the prestigious interdisciplinary fellowships such as the Knauss Fellowship, the Schmidt Science Fellowship, and the Stanford Doerr School Sustainability Accelerator Fellowship.
The cohort of early-career HEROs of today will become the leaders of tomorrow within their communities and in their selected academic, government, or industry organizations.
* COMPASS HEROs shall be postdoctoral scholars within two years of completing their PhD.
The cohort of COMPASS HEROs will have the opportunity to participate in a range of professional development opportunities and training in topics such as:
Are comfortable with ambiguity – Radical collaborations often involve open-ended questions, evolving goals, and interdisciplinary problem-solving. They thrive in dynamic, less-structured environments.
Value diverse perspectives – They work with experts from different fields (e.g., ocean scientists, economists, policymakers, engineers, community leaders), which means embracing different ways of thinking, even when they challenge their assumptions.
Are willing to share credit and ideas – Unlike traditional academia, where individual contributions are emphasized, radical collaboration requires collective ownership of ideas, findings, and success.
Can adapt to new communication styles – Working across disciplines means learning to translate research into language that policy makers, community leaders, and other scientists can understand.
Are open to fast-paced, cross-sector work – Unlike long-term, single-discipline projects, radical collaboration often involves rapid experimentation, feedback loops, and pivoting based on new insights.
Dalhousie University operates in the unceded territories of the Mi’kmaw, Wolastoqey, and Peskotomuhkati Peoples. These sovereign nations hold inherent rights as the original peoples of these lands, and we each carry collective obligations under the Peace and Friendship Treaties. Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 recognizes and affirms Aboriginal and Treaty rights in Canada.
We acknowledge that the lands on which Memorial University’s campuses are situated are in the traditional territories of diverse Indigenous groups, and we acknowledge with respect the diverse histories and cultures of the Beothuk, Mi’kmaq, Innu, and Inuit of this province.
