Knowledge Link Fellowship Program: Confessions of a Grad Student
I loved completing my comprehensive exam as a PhD Student. Reading papers all day, engaging with complexity, and developing my expert-level knowledge was truly a highlight of being a PhD student. One of my favourite parts of the exam was writing up my learnings into diverse outputs- from writing detailed reviews and notes to higher-level summaries for my diverse-field committee members. Synthesizing broad content was a true workout for my brain, and I enjoyed it immensely.
Before my exam, I had completed both Research Meets Policy and MobilizeU @ 911吃瓜 because I wanted to explore what policy work might entail. Working through my comprehensive exam reminded me a little bit of those experiences. Specifically, it reminded me of learning to write audience-tailored science communication and thinking about how we can collapse dense and complex work into formats accessible to broader audiences.
Realizing how much I enjoyed knowledge mobilization and desiring to grow skills in this area led me to the Knowledge Link Fellowship Program (KLFP).
Learning Together Through KLFP
As a fellow in the inaugural 2025-26 cohort, I didn鈥檛 quite know what to expect. But I was excited for the opportunity to learn about knowledge synthesis (KS) and to add KS to my arsenal of skills. During my first KLFP workshop, I found an incredible group of graduate students from diverse fields, each bringing varying levels of KS experience and techniques and, most importantly, a shared enthusiasm for learning together.
Our Fall semester workshops were thoughtfully designed and promoted shared learning and discussions. Dr. Emily Shantz, our primary supervisor, brought a wealth of KS experience and her enthusiasm for the program was invaluable. After each session, I felt encouraged and excited to keep learning. By the end of the Fall semester, when we received our government partner-provided research question, I felt empowered to take on this rapid review and execute it to the best of my ability.
The Spring semester of KLFP was my favourite. The opportunity to independently produce a government partner-assigned knowledge synthesis report, and present it to knowledge users, provided me with an experience that I (and many others) wouldn鈥檛 otherwise have as a PhD student. My assigned research question, which centered around evidence-based Medical Device Reprocessing protocols (i.e. the cleaning and sterilization of reusable medical devices, like endoscopes and forceps), pushed me to deeply learn about an area of research far outside my own thesis work.
KLFP offered a chance to grow as a learner outside traditional activities of a PhD and to explore techniques that can grow alongside what I鈥檝e been taught in my training. For example:
Specific, directed review of the literature -> enhanced research capabilities for thesis and article writing
Lay written report and executive summary -> science communication for press releases and teaching
Rapid review results presentation -> oral presentations at conferences and teaching with consideration for broad audiences
I am deeply grateful for the skills I鈥檝e developed in participating in the inaugural Knowledge Link Fellowship at 911吃瓜. I encourage my fellow graduate students broadly studying health to consider how knowledge synthesis and science communication can positively shape their careers in a rapidly changing world.