Brock University researchers will have a new space for digital exploration this September.

The Brock LINC has announced the launch of the Digital Collaboratory, an environment where researchers can experiment with and learn to use digital tools for research and knowledge mobilization, while also communicating with others.

Located in Rankin Family Pavilion 216, the multi-use space will host events, workshops and training that supports researchers. It will also be a bookable space for lab groups, researchers and classes who are interested in using the space and technology.

“Brock has great strengths in digital research, distributed across the range of disciplines and kinds of researchers found at the University,” says Tim Kenyon, Vice-President, Research. “The Digital Collaboratory aims to help integrate and deepen those strengths, through knowledge sharing and access to new tools and teams.”

Rankin Family Pavilion 216 was previously home to the Brock University Library’s Digital Scholarship Lab (DSL), which will continue to grow and develop its innovative programming and services. The DSL will be one of the Digital Collaboratory’s partners, contributing to events, training and resources that will be available in the space.

“Naming this space the Digital Collaboratory is fitting as it highlights the collaborative vision for its use,” says Nicole Nolan, Acting University Librarian. “More than just a room, this space is an environment designed to bring researchers and collaborators together in ways that foster conversation and creativity around digital initiatives.”

Other partners across the University include the Centre for Digital Humanities and Centre for Business Analytics as well as partners from Computer Science, Engineering and Advanced Research Computing. The space has been collectively re-envisioned as an open, inclusive and welcoming collaboratory for digital research undertakings.

The Digital Collaboratory includes a data visualization wall, workshop space for up to 12 people, and seven high-performance computers where researchers can work with specialized software, large data sets or other digital tools.

Ultimately, the Digital Collaboratory is intended to be a place where researchers can wade into unfamiliar territory, explore concepts or technology they may not be familiar with, seek support for experimentation and work through different solutions to their digital research questions in a collaborative setting.

Upcoming events will include workshops on digital knowledge mobilization and introduction to data visualization, with additional opportunities for hackathons, contests and lab critiques. More information on events will be shared on the Brock LINC website as it becomes available.

Questions about the Digital Collaboratory can be directed to Kait Kribs, Digital Research Communications Officer, Brock LINC, at kkribs@brocku.ca