For more information, please contact Steven Reid at: steven.reid3@carleton.ca\
Updated June 5, 2025
Quarter Life: Series written for young people (20s-30s):
Summer sports: Looking for a story on new and/or unique sports people can try out this summer (e.g., pickleball, bouldering, padel), along with the social and physical health benefits of them.
Deadline: ASAP
Young adult gambling: Looking for an expert to write a story about the prevalence of gambling among people in their 20s and 30s, and research-backed strategies for how they can recognize and overcome it.
Deadline: ASAP
Arts:
The Québec-produced show ‘Empathie’ is attracting rave reviews. Seeking an exploration / explainer around aspects of the show or of Quebec’s original TV production and current relationships with big streamers.
Deadline: ASAP
Business/Economy:
Brands are scaling back Pride merch and campaigns this year. Looking for an expert to write about what’s driving this shift and what it says about the current cultural and political climate, particularly in light of anti-LGBTQ+ policies and corporate DEI rollbacks.
Deadline: ASAP
Income-boosting skills: Looking for a scholar to write a list-based article on unconventional or surprising skills that can help people increase their earnings according to research.
Deadline: ASAP
Summer tourism: What cities have the best culinary scenes in Canada? Looking for an expert in the food/tourism industry to write a listicle for us. This story will be aimed at both Canadian and international readers who may be trying to avoid the U.S. this summer.
Deadline: ASAP
Summer eco-tourism: What regions excel in eco-tourism, and what should people look for in an optimal eco-tourism vacation? Looking for an expert in tourism to write a listicle for us. This story will be aimed at both Canadian and international readers who may be trying to avoid the U.S. this summer.
Deadline: ASAP
Politics/Science-Tech:
Looking for a scholar to write about Marc Garneau’s legacy.
Deadline: ASAP
Politics:
Looking for scholars to write on the upcoming G7 summit in Alberta and what Canadians can expect with the presence of Donald Trump.
Deadline: ASAP
The federal government is reportedly expecting 4.9 million people with expiring visas to ‘voluntarily’ leave Canada in the next year. Looking for academics to delve into the likelihood of this and other implications.
Deadline: ASAP
Updated June 3, 2025
Quarter Life: Series written for young people (20s-30s):
Summer sports: Looking for a story on new and/or unique sports people can try out this summer (e.g., pickleball, bouldering, padel), along with the social and physical health benefits of them.
Deadline: Ongoing
Arts/Culture:
Migrant Domestic Labour (Secrets We Keep): A new Scandinavian series on Netflix, Secrets We Keep, about the residents of a wealthy Denmark neighbourhood — including a community of Filipino nannies (“au pairs”) — explores issues of class, racism, parenting and the precarity of migrant domestic labour. Looking for a scholar to pick up these issues, springboarding from this series.
Deadline: ASAP
Coming out, outsider themes on OverCompensating: On the theme of new series, OverCompensating focuses on two lead characters starting their college careers learning how to find their way to their authentic selves. The show humourously deals with the painful process of coming out as a gay man (protagonist 1) but also the struggles of being an outsider protagonist 2. Looking for a scholar who is watching this and wants to write about the show’s themes.
Deadline: ASAP
Business/Economy:
Brands are scaling back Pride merch and campaigns this year. Looking for an expert to write about what’s driving this shift and what it says about the current cultural and political climate, particularly in light of anti-LGBTQ+ policies and corporate DEI rollbacks.
Deadline: ASAP
Education:
Looking for research about children’s summer experiences from camps to family vacations and recreational programming.
Deadline: ASAP
Environment + Energy:
Looking for articles on prepping for wildfire season, tips for how to handle smoke and other hazards.; how to make buildings more resilient to extreme temperatures.
Deadline: ASAP
Health/Medicine:
Watercraft safety: An Ontario man was ticketed recently for not having a PFD on a paddleboard. Small watercraft – including inflatable paddleboards and river tubes – are extremely popular. Looking for an expert to write about the safety protocols that are not only needed for safety, but a legal requirement in many provinces.
Deadline: ASAP
Kids, summer swimming and water safety: Summer weather is around the corner and with it can come family outings or invitations to join other families for socializing involving waterfronts or swimming. What do parents need to know and do to promote and be vigilant about water safety?
Deadline: ASAP
Indoor air quality: Looking for an expert to write about indoor air quality issues during summer months.
Deadline: ASAP
Science + Tech:
The use of generative AI in miscommunication campaigns is well-documented (think deepfakes, propaganda videos, etc.) but how about its use in other types of campaigns? In Toronto, AI-generated people are part of a campaign against a proposed bus lane — what are the implications and ethics of this?
Deadline: ASAP
The increasing use of AI by professors and instructors to prepare teaching materials is causing students to protest its applications in the classroom. Looking for pieces that address the ethics of instructors using AI, and what the impact will be in for postsecondary institutions.
Deadline: ASAP
Updated May 13, 2025
Arts/Culture:
How do national or provincial parks engage visitors? Seeking research about interpretive and storytelling programs.
Deadline: ASAP
Summer reads: Seeking story pitches around the meaning of summer reading and trends in the publishing industry related to this, or books stories suited to these times.
Deadline: ASAP
Culture:
On Friday, the website of the Indian nonprofit news outlet The Wire was blocked at the request of the Indian government. The reason was a story about India’s ongoing conflict with Pakistan in Kashmir. We are looking for someone to explore this censorship within the context of themes of press freedom. The focus could be on South Asia or could be globalized and for example, connect the theme to Pope Leo XIV’s recent calls to safeguard “the precious gift of free speech and of the press.”
Deadline: ASAP
Politics:
Looking for stories on the current state of Canada’s Conservatives, incorporating any of the following angles:
- Can Pierre Poilievre change? He suggested this week he knows he needs to become more palatable to voters. Can he do it? How can he do it?
- Why didn’t the party choose a new face as interim leader instead of Andrew Scheer, who lost the 2019 election to Justin Trudeau?
- The open warfare between two of Canada’s successful Conservative premiers — Doug Ford and Tim Houston — and Team Poilievre. How can they come together?
- Does the party need to return to its more progressive roots? Or should it stay the course?
Deadline: Ongoing
Is the turmoil in the United States causing an increase in immigration to Canada from the U.S.? Looking for immigration scholars who might be able to acquire recent stats re: residency applications from the U.S.
Deadline: Any time
Science + Tech:
Looking for stories about puberty in non-human animals, and what researchers have learned from studying this maturation process from different angles.
Deadline: ASAP
Updated May 1, 2025
Arts/Culture:
The final season of The Handmaid’s Tale is currently airing, with the series finale slated for May 27. Looking for an academic to delve into how eerily prophetic both Margaret Atwood’s book and the series have been in terms of the current political turmoil in the United States.
Deadline: May 15, 2025
Sinners: Looking for someone to write a story analyzing this Southern horror film through a historical and race politics lens, preferably a scholar who studies the intersection of horror and race.
Deadline: ASAP
Business/Economy:
“Lazy girl” jobs: Looking for a feminist perspective on this supposed workplace trend; where did it come from, why has it arisen, what does it mean for women in the workforce today in the context of other work trends, like quiet quitting and the “I’m just a girl” rhetoric we have been seeing online?
Deadline: Ongoing
Culture + Society:
Who’s in the running to replace Pope Francis? Where do they stand on important issues? What happens in a conclave? Looking for a religious studies scholar or theologian to explain.
Deadline: ASAP
Cultural appropriation? A Reformer collaboration with the influencer Devon Lee Carlson looks a lot like a South Asian lehenga, joining a list of recent incidents that inspired questions about cultural appropriation.
Deadline: ASAP
Politics:
Looking for a scholar to write about the rise of “poor loser-ism.” Donald Trump has seemingly normalized the tendency of losing politicians, parties and their supporters accusing the other side or elections officials of cheating or rigging elections. We’re seeing this now re: Pierre Poilievre supporters. What are the dangers of this trend?
Deadline: ASAP
Science + Tech:
Looking for stories about puberty in non-human animals, and what researchers have learned from studying this maturation process from different angles.
Deadline: ASAP
Updated April 30, 2025
We’re looking for academics to pitch/ contribute stories about travel/staycations in Canada this summer. These are aimed not just at Canadian readers, but also at international readers who may be trying to avoid travel to the United States this summer.
Looking for contributions on the following topics:
- What are the best beaches in Canada in terms of sand quality, water temperature and clarity, swimmability? (Environment)
- What cities have the best culinary scenes in Canada? (Culture, Business)
- What regions excel in eco-tourism, and what should people look for in an optimal eco-tourism vacation? (Environment, Business)
- What are Canada’s most unspoiled and untouched/remote vacation spots? (Environment/Culture/Business)
- Newfoundland and Labrador has had a tourism boom in recent years, rebounding from a pandemic slump. What are the most scenic and historic destinations? (Environment/Culture)
- Arctic vacations: Where to stay, what to know/how to respect the environment and local customs. (Business/Culture)
- Adventure vacations: What are Canada’s hotspots in terms of adventure tourism, and how to ensure you stay safe on these types of vacations. (Culture, Health)
Updated April 24, 2025
Culture + Society:
Who’s in the running to replace Pope Francis? Where do they stand on important issues? Are there any serious Canadian candidates? What happens in a conclave? Looking for a religious studies scholar or theologian to explain.
Deadline: ASAP
Politics/Culture:
The Conservatives have updated their platform to include an omitted ‘anti-woke’ promise with just days til the election. Looking for a scholar to delve into what it means and why the Conservatives might have resurrected it.
Deadline: ASAP
Politics:
Looking for a scholar to write a post-election day story about voter turnout/advance polls. What did they tell us about how the election was going to go? Do advance polls affect campaign strategies if so many people vote more than a week before election day?
Deadline: Next week
Energy + Environment:
Spring is upon us and animals are on the move. Looking for pieces on spring-related migrations, emergences and other activities.
Deadline: ASAP
Why don’t we see dead animals often? Looking for stories on what happens to roadkill and other dead animals in the city and the wild.
Deadline: ASAP
Updated April 21, 2025
Politics:
The federal election is in a week. Voter turnout looks like it’s shaping up to be historical given the record turnout on the first day of advance polls. Could this signal a Liberal or Conservative win? Do advance polls affect campaign strategies if so many people vote more than a week before election day? Looking for an academic to delve into these and other issues re: voter turnout and advance polls.
Deadline: ASAP
If Pierre Poilievre loses to Mark Carney on Monday, he will be the fourth Conservative leader in 10 years to fall to the Liberals and the loss will represent a near-historic reversal of fortune in terms of the polls. Is it time for Conservatives to return to their Progressive Conservative roots? Canadians don’t seem to like the direction that party’s gone in over the past 10 years/its penchant for attack politics. What kind of reckoning should the party be having?
Deadline: After election depending on result
Looking for an explainer on Sudan’s case against the UAE at the International Court of Justice and the UAE’s role in the civil war in Sudan.
Deadline: ASAP
Energy + Environment:
Spring is upon us and animals are on the move. Looking for pieces on spring-related migrations, emergences and other activities.
Deadline: ASAP
Why don’t we see dead animals often? Looking for stories on what happens to roadkill and other dead animals in the city and the wild.
Deadline: ASAP
Science + Tech:
Looking for fun and/or serious pieces on Minecraft. Suggestions include gaming and world-building, fan service and what it takes to design and support the game for 15 years.
Deadline: ASAP
Updated April 15, 2025
Quarter Life: Series written for young people (20s-30s):
Dating and relationships: In the era of hookup apps, a growing political chasm between men and women, and changing attitudes towards marriage and monogamy, what does it mean to be a young person (20s-30s) looking for love today? Seeking any recent research/reports/data on this topic.
Deadline: Ongoing
Culture & Society:
As the official start of spring has arrived, a call-out for a story on gardening. Gardening has been shaped by colonial expansion — from botany as a science, to the spread of seeds, species and knowledge. Looking for scholars who can discuss gardening—from eco-implications to cultural norms and structural inequities. What kind of things should we plant? How do we/might we see the gardener’s role?
Deadline: Within 3 weeks
Cultural appropriation? A Reformer collaboration with the influencer Devon Lee Carlson looks a lot like a South Asian lehenga, joining a list of recent incidents that inspired questions about cultural appropriation.
Deadline: ASAP
Business/Economy:
Canadians are starting to plan their summer vacations. Due to tensions with the U.S., is Summer 2025 shaping up to be a boom season for the Canadian tourism industry? Looking for academics to provide an outlook.
Deadline: ASAP
Politics:
Will the turmoil in the United States cause an increase in immigration to Canada from the U.S.? Looking for immigration scholars who might be able to acquire recent stats re: residency applications from the U.S.
Deadline: Any time