Alanna Shwed

My research focuses on strengthening how institutions support meaningful research partnerships. During my PhD, I worked with the International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, a internationally recognized spinal cord injury research centre located in Vancouver, to understand barriers to engagement and co-develop practical tools and training. Our work brought together researchers, trainees, and people with lived experience to identify what meaningful partnership looks like and how it can be sustained. Now, as a postdoctoral fellow, we are building on this foundation by implementing and evaluating a structured learning system to embed engagement into institutional processes. Across projects, I have contributed to initiatives that centre equity, advance interdisciplinary collaboration, and support mentorship. This work is part of a broader effort to ensure research is guided by the people it is meant to benefit.