Pleased to be asked to jury the Geography Panel and Science @ Work Panel for Misinformation: Rogue Inquiries, Inquiry@Queen’s 17th Annual Research Conference, Kingston, ON

The I@Q theme for 2023 is Misinformation: Rogue Inquiries. In today’s social media, news-on-demand driven world, misinformation is rampant. The spread of incorrect and misleading information by political and non-political players alike wreaks havoc on society’s ability to make informed, critical, evidence-based decisions. Misinformation and disinformation are so prevalent that the question needs to be asked whether it is in fact now the norm, while truth and facts are the rogue actors.

I@Q is more than a conference; it is an approach to learning where the teacher and the learner reside in the same person. It is a natural extension of a university that prides itself on the quality of undergraduate education and its scholarship and research. It is the signature learning experience at Queen's University.

In a world of ubiquitous and competing information, the ability to pose critical questions and forge a path to answer them has never been more important. Students who engage in inquiry projects are better able to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information; develop discipline-specific research skills; persist and make intellectual and personal gains; demonstrate greater problem-solving and research skills; and are more satisfied with their overall educational experience.