Bobbi Symes

I have several years of hands on experience leading, coordinating and facilitating face to face and virtual communities in an academic setting. I have a Master's degree in Integrated Studies with a specialization in Governance and Organizational Leadership. As part of my graduate degree I have research online tools as a means to further research collaborations.

For the past decade of I lead and managed large research teams and networks. Part of this leadership includes using technologies to increase collaboration where teams area geographically disbursed.

I have several years of experience leading community groups (local and international) in a virtual environment. Programs that I am familiar with include Skype, Goto Meeting, Dim Dim and Webex.

Of specific note, I have a great deal of experience with web hosting and facilitating. In my role as Research Network Coordinator with the BC Network for Aging Research one of my key roles is the organization and facilitation of virtual meetings for various researchers, government and community members to interact. This program has grown under my direction over the past 8 years from an online system used as a meetings space to an interactive tool to facilitate research. We now use our system for international collaboration, grants facilitation, training, and mentoring. It has become a core capacity building tool for our Network.

Please see link to conference abstract for your review that I presented on using web collaboration to facilitate research.

http://www.athabascau.ca/CNIE-RCIE/sess/pres_en.php?presentation_id=103