Proposal

Actual

Actual

2. Ensure all fume hoods have a functioning alarm

3. Set up 3yr service contract for PCR system

2. Total 7 external alarms installed.  All fume hoods now have working alarm.

3. Service contract purchased with expiry February 23 2027.

AND

Upgrading the airflow system in the lab of the CVSRI Building to reduce annual maintenance costs

Airflow system: Reduction in deferred maintenance. Observed that maintenance costs have reduced by approximately 50%.

Airflow system: The improved airflow system for the CVSRI labs reduces the annual maintenance costs, allowing for a reduction in overall operation costs. The staff are provided with stability in the lab usage as the new system has reduced the amount of times the labs need to be closed due to the former air flow system. This helps build the reputation of faculties operating out of the CVSRI Building.

In Progress

Airflow System:

Complete

The system to be purchased will allow us to:
1.  recreate all of our documents into an easily editable interface which thereby minimizes change.
2.  offer a unique search function that incorporates the use of key words which would allow access to specific information quickly
3.  synthesizes amendments to the original document, reducing the need to search through dozens of PDFs to make sense of how the protocol has changed over time
4.  advanced colour-based tracking of edits in the review process allows for easy comparison of versions over time and ensures requested revisions are properly made before approval.
5.  provides a training database within the program to identify users who have or lack training aspects required for their protocol and eliminates the need to cross-reference this information separately.
6.  Reports can be easily generated and configured to what will be required by the applicable regulatory bodies and are not limited to what the company offers as a default. This complements nicely with the ability to also track animal census information within the program rather than needing to use a separate one.

Integrate the Funding Opportunities Database (FOD) with the centralized, digitized grant approval platform to streamline the internal administrative processes.

Design the FOD dashboard as the first landing page of the grant approval platform that end users will see.

The different administrative approval forms have been amalgamated into a single master form. This is currently being implemented in the new platform.

Design of the FOD dashboard is currently undergoing User Acceptance Testing

• Dashboard enhancements
• MacID integration
• Invoice functions
• API calls for financial systems integration
• Data reporting capabilities

Observed result: New service contracts entered into increased to 8 vs. 1 in the prior year.

• Architectural Design finalized Jan 2020
• Feb 2020 electrical plan prepared
• in the process of applying for a build permit from the City of Hamilton

There will also other expenses to meet OMAFRA and CCAC requirements as we complete the renovations.

https://research.stjoes.ca/news-events/news/~1668-Bienvenue-St-Joe-s-Neuroscience-Researchers-Hosting-International-Symposium-including-French-Delegation

Proposal

$  1,022,080

Actual

Actual

Education and Awareness

Increased co-ordination with other services across campus

Hired 2 FTEs that report to the Director, Research Security Risk

Developed guidelines and resources to support research administrators in their roles in order to be aware of and respond to research security requirements both federally and provincially.

Developed resources and self-assessment tools to support research community and administrators navigate STRAC policy and NSGRP forms and requirements.

Increased coordination with other services across campus (e.g. Telecommunications and IT;

Privacy office; Academic and Research Integrity Office, Research Services and Administration; International Affairs, Campus Safety Services)

Established protocol to support screening of graduate students for eligibility to engage in government funded research per STRAC Policy and Provincial Mitigating Economic and Geopolitical Risk (MEGR) Guidelines

Development of travel security briefing and protocols in collaboration with Information Security Services (ISS)

Supporting core facilities in the developing security protocols and updating user access policies to address current government policies and geopolitical risk.

Increased coordination with government agencies (Research Security Centre, CBSA, ISED) to facilitate two-way communication and information sharing

Strengthen information security culture by providing training modules

Information Security Sessions planned and delivery commencing by IT partners within Faculties that are expanding deployment and reach of awareness and education program.

Increase in requests for Information and Security review of Research grants, partnership agreements, labs and facilities.

Increased deployment and active use of Information Security resources such as MFA, Extended Detection and Response (Cortex), Vulnerability Scanning (Tenable).

Engagement between RHPCS and UTS in IT Security project

Delivered a suite of workshops related to research data security and shared them as asynchronous learning modules (1, 2)

Developed and published an Open Educational Resource: Basic Security for Web Development

Conducted over 200 research data management consultations related to aspects of research data security.

Upgrading information technology as per recommendations made in the FY2022/23 information technology infrastructure and data security audit.

• Ongoing support for 1.0 FTE hired to provide dedicated support to the research community and secure access to data within research systems. Support through a pilot to a small number of researchers was finalized and will expand across the entire organization in the next fiscal year.
• RFP for research management software is complete and implementation initiated.
• Information technology project management support hired to support implementation and information technology security management.

Put in place the necessary pieces to improve monitoring of McMaster’s core digital research infrastructure allowing McMaster to be more proactive and effective and responding to potential threats and risks which will greatly improve the security of our research enterprise.

2.  Expand the number of users and as such, expanded server capacity.

2)In the process of onboarding – first users in January.

3) This process unearthed gaps in decision making that has been resolved.

4)training material for security and lab usage completed – to be uploaded

– 1.0 FTE hired to provide dedicated support to the research community and secure access to research data in Epic.

– 0.5 FTE hired to provide dedicated support to the RFP process and implementation of the research management software.

– Timelines for the RFP process for the research management software system were longer than anticipated to ensure alignment with the broader public sector accountability act; two vendors have been identified and demonstrations will be completed by Nov 28, followed by the selection of the software system.

– Potential vendors have described capability of integrating with hospital systems; once the system has been chosen, integration activities can begin

In-Progress