The Conversation Canada is seeking academics who can write articles for the general public

Are you a PhD candidate or postdoc who might be interested in writing an article for the general public in The Conversation Canada? Check out the list of callouts below to see if there is a topic in your area of expertise.

The Conversation asks authors to please sign up and then pitch an article idea, rather than email a fully written article to the editors.

The Media Relations team at the University of Waterloo would be grateful if you would let them know when you are pitching an idea by emailing media.relations@uwaterloo.ca and they would also be happy to help you edit your pitch or article. Anyone with questions about The Conversation can contact Pamela Smyth in media relations.

Callout requests

Cost of Living:

The Conversation Canada is looking for stories that tackles perceptions of the current economic crisis within Canada, but written for a global audience, including the following ideas:  

Parental leave: How is the affordability crisis affecting people on parental leave? Are the current parental supports in Canada adequate?

Deadline: ASAP

Editor: Eleni Vlahiotis, eleni.vlahiotis@theconversation.com

Is the high cost of gasoline pushing consumers faster to EVs and hybrids? If so, what does that mean for charging infrastructure and range concerns? Is it prompting consumers to sell their cars and use car-sharing services? Looking for an academic to delve into any or all of gasoline’s impact on car-buying/selling habits.

Deadline: ASAP

Editor: Lee-Anne Goodman, lee-anne.goodman@theconversation.com

How are people approaching retirement age (or who are already retired) dealing with the affordability crisis? How will it affect retirement plans?

Deadline: ASAP

Editor: Eleni Vlahiotis, eleni.vlahiotis@theconversation.com

‘Don’t Call Me Resilient’ podcast:

Labour, Rest & Resilience: Looking for academics that can speak to unequal distribution of physical and emotional labour among marginalized communities. How do they/can they centre rest in their lives? How do they build up resilience to the microaggressions they experience daily?

Host/Producer: Vinita Srivastava, vinita.srivastava@theconversation.com

Business:

Are we in a recession? Are we heading towards one? Looking for a piece on whether we are already in a recession or are headed towards one, how we'll know when we are, and what it means.

Deadline: ASAP

Looking for an article that dispels the myth that increasing wages will increase inflation. It’s a common refrain in the news lately. Where does this idea comes from and what does the research really say?

Deadline: ASAP

The art market is soaring right now, with record-breaking art sales making news headlines. In the midst of sky-high inflation and an affordability crisis, what is fuelling these sales? Looking for a piece explaining why art sales are surging despite current financial volatility.

Deadline: ASAP

Editor: Eleni Vlahiotis, eleni.vlahiotis@theconversation.com

Health/Medicine: 

Omicron BA.5: Looking for an explainer about the COVID-19 Omicron variant that is gaining ground, how it differs from earlier Omicron variants and how it might change risks.

Deadline: ASAP

Giant hogweed, poison ivy and other dangerous plants: Why they’re dangerous, how to identify them and what to do if exposed.

Deadline: ASAP

Sun protection: Interested in seasonal stories about sun protection, skin damage and sun safety.

Deadline: ASAP

Editor: Patricia Nicholson, patricia.nicholson@theconversation.com

Energy + Environment:

Extremely low water levels in the St. Lawrence River are forcing marine shipping companies to lighten their loads. I’m looking for a short article that explains why water levels are low along the St. Lawrence and the surrounding areas and what the future might hold.

Deadline: ASAP

Canada will host NATO’s new climate change centre. I’m looking for data-rich or solutions-oriented pitches that tackle security and climate change; emissions from navies, air forces and armies; how military activities can be integrated into net-zero policies, how climate change threatens national security, and others.

Deadline: ASAP

Editor: Hannah Hoag, hannah.hoag@theconversation.com