Greyson to Receive Inaugural 2024 Impact Award
The Association for Information Science & Technology (ASIS&T) is delighted to announce that Devon Greyson of the University of British Columbia will receive the 2024 ASIS&T Research Impact Award sponsored by Rutgers University. The award makes more visible the dimensions of the societal contribution of Information Science and provides role models and examples for new scholars wishing to translate research into practical benefits for others. The award shapes and nourishes information science as a discipline by encouraging future research that has important impact. This, in turn, supports researchers’ career development, as impact is highly valued by academic institutions and governments when assessing research contributions and research quality.
Greyson’s research focuses on public health communication and the use of information by publics, clinicians, and health systems. Devon has a special interest in perinatal and pediatric health decision-making and experiences. Current work focuses on vaccine decision-making, use of cannabis during pregnancy and lactation, and mitigating the impacts of medical disinformation. Dr. Greyson is a qualitative and mixed methodologist with an interdisciplinary background that spans gender studies, information science, and public health.
The award recognizes Greyson’s “multifaceted knowledge translation and exchange practices to impact both research and practical outcomes. As an information scientist cross-trained in population health, a highly cited and productive mid-career health information scientist, and an active teacher and practitioner of knowledge translation strategies, [Greyson’s] knowledge mobilization demonstrates important ways information science can make contributions within our own field and in addressing broader societal challenges.
In assessing Greyson’s work, one reviewer wrote, “Dr. Greyson's research is ground-breaking and sweeping in the insights it offers on the problem of mis- and dis-information, especially in health contexts. Their work is integrally linked to community health concerns, while also reaching influential policy makers and government officials. The work relating to vaccines has been award-winning. The connections and sensitivity to DEI concerns is explicit, manifest and suffused throughout all efforts.”
Upon learning of their selection as winner of the 2024 Research Impact Award, Greyson responded, "I am honoured to be the inaugural recipient of this important new award that shines a spotlight on the myriad ways information science makes societal contributions. As an information scientist working in applied public health research, I work to improve the ways we use information to address health inequities, and engagement with decision-makers and communities is an important part of this work. I hope this award will stimulate further interest and excitement among information scientists who are partnering with or embedding in health research and other public interest domains.”
Greyson will receive the award during the 2024 meeting of the Association for Information Science & Technology (ASIS&T) which will be held 25-29 October, 2024 in Calgary, AB Canada.