MUC Professor Receives SSHRC Insight Grant for Indigenous Health Research
March 20, 2025 · Research Office
Nationally Funded Research with Local Impact
Dr. Marie Amara, Associate Professor of Health Policy in MUC's Faculty of Health Sciences, has been awarded a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Insight Grant valued at $285,000 over three years.
The project, titled Bridging the Gap: Social Determinants of Health Among Wolastoqiyik and Mi'kmaq Communities in New Brunswick, will examine the structural, economic, and cultural factors driving health outcome disparities among Indigenous communities in the province — with the goal of informing evidence-based policy recommendations for the provincial health authority.
Community-Led Research Design
"This research cannot be done without Indigenous communities at the table — not as subjects, but as co-investigators and knowledge holders," said Dr. Amara. "We are committed to a research design that prioritizes community sovereignty, cultural safety, and the practical application of findings."
The project has been developed in collaboration with Wolastoq Grand Council representatives and will involve community-based participatory research methods. A community advisory committee will oversee research governance throughout the project lifecycle.
Implications for Health Policy
Findings will be shared directly with the New Brunswick Department of Health and the First Nations and Métis Health Branch, with the aim of influencing the province's next Indigenous Health Action Plan. Dr. Amara will also supervise two graduate students through the project.