Training

On this page you will find different training webinars and other events either offered by the Hubs or through external organizations that are relevant to CSAFS initiative projects. All events listed here are recommendations for our ICT members to consider.

From the Hubs

CS-DCC: We’re continuing on the training programs with our third training focusing on Github.

Date & Time: September 23rd, 2025 1 – 2pm EDT.

Location: Online via Teams using registration link https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/1cb28c4c-1c83-4191-a1db-72756107fe12@be62a12b-2cad-49a1-a5fa-85f4f3156a7d

Github

  • Live demo/workshop of each of these resources and what each platform provides. Session will be recorded. Links will be uploaded on our website, discussion forum, and other platforms.

  • Structure:

    o Introduction (who you are, what you do, and why GitHub is important)

    o Purpose of GitHub and how to apply it to your group

    o Invite Carly and Jerome to be guest speakers

    o Features

    o Conclusion

    o Survey will be sent out shortly following the webinar

Learning Objectives

  1. Attendees will gain a basic understanding of Github

  2. Attendees will learn to navigate Github for support

  3. Attendees will feel comfortable enough to use Github tools for group projects

Introduction

  • Who we are:

    o Jaber Husiny: CS-DCC

    o Data Training Task Force: Mixed group

  • What we do:

    o Provide data training and resources to the 9 ICTs

    o Be a support for ICTs to ask questions

Github

  • What is it?

    o Github is a web-based platform that allows for storage and management of info/data, track changes, collaborate with others, and archive info/data

    o Free (mostly)

  • How does it apply?

    o Provides a free web-based platform for communication, file sharing, and storage for ICTs

    o Easy to communicate within or outside of your organization

Guest speakers

  • Dr. Carly Huitema

    o Manager, Agri-food Data Strategy & part of the CS-DCC Guelph group

  • Dr. Jérôme Laroche

    o Project Administrator (Université Laval) & part of the CS-DCC group & Data Training Task Force

How is Github relevant to the portfolio?

  • Provides open access data training and data sharing for ICTs

  • Allows for sharing of data to the public

Questions?

  • Contacts: Jaber Husiny (jhusiny@uoguelph.ca), Carly Huitema (huitemac@uoguelph.ca)

CS-DCC: We’re continuing on the training programs with our second training focused on data schemas. Data schemas help document and log data. There is already an abundance of training and resources available for data schemas so this communication will serve as a reminder of where to find the available resources.

  • Carly Huitema from the University of Guelph CS-DCC provides training. Below is a link to the Semantic Engine, Climate Smart Agriculture Github, and Carly’s contact information.

    o Semantic Engine

    o Schemas ClimateSmartAg Learning

    o Carly’s email: huitemac@uoguelph.ca

Questions?

  • Please reach out to Jaber Husiny (jhusiny@uoguelph.ca) as he is the main point of contact.

CS-DCC: We’re kicking off the training programs with our first training focused on data curation and storage. We’ve all been collecting data, so now what? The next logical step is to figure out how to safely store the data so it is preserved and easily accessible for the future and that it meets the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) principles. Below are links to resources to fit your data storage needs:

  • ADC (Agri-Food Data Canada)

    o Training videos and resources exist for how to properly format and curate data files up to 5GB onto Borealis.

    o Great for formatting and standardizing.

  • Borealis (for 5 GB or less)

    o Borealis is a great resource for institutional ingestion of data and licensing

    o Great for data storage & curation.

  • Federal Research Data Repository (FRDR)

    o Great for data storage for larger data sets and not limited to just academic institutions.

  • Tripal

    o Great for biological (genetics, genomics, breeding) community database.

  • Other resources

    o Bento

    o Gen3

Additional Resources from University of Guelph (U of G) and the Digital Resource Alliance of Canada (DRAC):

  • Lucia Costanzo from the U of G Library (lcostanz@uoguelph.ca)

  • Catherine Di Vita from the DRAC (Catherine.divita@alliancecan.ca)

Questions?

  • Please reach out to Jaber Husiny (jhusiny@uoguelph.ca) as he is the main point of contact

AG-ACt is pleased to be hosting an Indigenous Engagement Training Session on June 25 from 1:00 - 2:30pm EST. This session will be held virtually over zoom and recorded for your convenience.
Please register here

This training session is designed specifically for agricultural researchers in Canada—especially those supported by the Agricultural Genomics Action Center (AG-ACt).
The session offers practical, research-focused guidance on how, when, and why to engage Indigenous Peoples throughout your research process. Unlike broad EDI or health-focused trainings, this content is tailored to the realities of agri-food research. This training provides essential tools for inclusive, impactful research.

You’ll gain insights into: Building respectful, reciprocal relationships; Navigating ethical frameworks such as OCAP and UNDRIP; Aligning research approaches with Indigenous values and priorities; and Enhancing your grant proposals and knowledge mobilization plans.

Who is this for: Members of the ICT teams, hubs, and partners who are interested in learning more about respectful and reciprocal Indigenous engagement for your research. We welcome PIs, staff, project leads, HQPs (students, post-docs), and any project partners.
This session will be facilitated by Emily Nanne, Indigenous Engagement Advisor, and hosted by AG-ACt.

External organizations

  • Digital Research Alliance of Canada - DRAC has introduced their search engine Explora. Users can search Explora for workshops, webinars, bootcamps, and other training events across Canada designed to help researchers at any career stage develop skills in advanced research computing, research data management, and research software.

  • The FRDR curation services team at the Digital Research Alliance of Canada is pleased to invite you to participate in The Curation Clinic: Essentials for depositing research data. We will discuss how to collaborate with researchers on the essential components of well-documented data deposits, such as titles, descriptions, keywords, READMEs, and codebooks.

    What to expect:

    • Experiences and discussions about improving dataset metadata
    • Sharing suitable tools to streamline dataset descriptions
    • Examples of key elements in titles, descriptions, and README files
    • Community members’ questions and exchanges with curator peers.

    We want these sessions to be engaging, collaborative and, most importantly, useful for your professional role. Whether you’re just curious or actively working through a tricky dataset, we welcome your participation.

    Session details Date: Wednesday 1st October 2025 Time: 10 AM (Pacific) / 11 am (Mountain) / 1 PM (Eastern) / 2 PM (Atlantic) via Zoom Click here to register

  • Athabasca University is hosting an Intro to Research Data Management course. The course is FREE, but due to platform/website limitations it will prompt you to to pay/buy the course so enter the coupon code ‘researchfree’ to bypass payment.

  • Government of Canada has updated their website pertaining to Research Data Management. Look through the webpage to see updates on Research Data Management policy, funding opportunities and FAQ.

  • Digital Research Alliance of Canada - DRAC are hosting a FREE virtual town hall on Canada’s sovereign AI compute strategy. The townhall will take place on August 7, 2025, from 12:00pm to 1:00pm EDT. Registration is required so please click the link embedded in this communication and then click the [Register] tab.

  • Digital Research Alliance of Canada - DRAC and the RDM National Training Expert Group are excited to invite you to join us for the upcoming presentation, “Laying the Foundation: The Pilot National Research Data Management Jumpstart”. The webinar will take place on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, from 1:00pm to 2:00pm ET. Please register in advance using this link: Register here.

  • Statistics Canada offers several data training courses both paid and free. For the free courses scroll down to [Take our free online self-paced courses].

  • Compute Ontario Summer school runs from June 2-20,2025. The Compute Ontario Summer School offers a comprehensive curriculum packed with over 40 courses. Delivered by experts in the field, these sessions cover a wide range of topics including Advanced Research Computing (ARC), High Performance Computing (HPC), Research Data Management (RDM), and Research Software (RS). With presentations and workshops available at introductory to intermediate levels, there is something for everyone.

  • Bioinformatics.ca hosts several training workshops on data analysis. The course listing and registration for part 1 of 2025 workshops has been posted. Check the Current Workshops webpage for information on the application process and travel bursaries. Recordings and presentations from previous workshops are freely available and can be accessed from Workshops Archive.

  • Calcul Québec offers a wide range of computer-related training courses, including programming, analysis and supercomputer use. Visit their page web to find out more about their training courses.

  • Physalia Courses is hosting several courses and workshops on coding in R, Python and other coding languages, data management and analyses for various data types. Click the Courses & Workshops webpage for information on registration and the dates that courses and workshops are being offered.

  • University of Guelph Library is hosting several workshops on data analyses and offers a ‘Data Skills Immersion Program’. Check out the webpage for more details.

  • Univeristy of Waterloo offers courses and programs for data science, data analytics, and AI. Click the Upcoming Workshops webpage for information about upcoming events.

  • University of Toronto Library is hosting several workshops on data management, data science, AI, and more. Check out the webpage for more details.

  • University of British Columbia is hosting several workshops on data management, data science, AI, and more. Check out the webpage for more details.

  • Digital Research Alliance of Canada - DRAC offers training resources on research data management and navigating data repositories. Check out the webpage for more details.

  • Digital Research Alliance of Canada - DRAC is hosting a FREE research data management course online May 12-16. Check out the webpage for registration details.