Housed in the Faculty of Social Science, the overall goal of NEST is to use advanced data creation, management, and analytic techniques to conduct theoretically driven and evidenced-based research that will inform social and economic policy and practices in Canada and North America more broadly.

Its objectives are to:

• Facilitate and promote world-class, cross-disciplinary research and training relevant to social and economic policy and practice that address pressing issues facing modern societies
• Bring together researchers from all Western Research Centres housed in the Faculty of Social Science for collaborative research, and to share resources for the benefit of all
• Train the next generation of leaders for the academic world, for local, national and international government, and for the private and non-profit sectors
• Profile policy-and practice-relevant social science research being conducted at Western by disseminating our findings widely to policy-makers, practitioners, researchers, businesses and the general public
• Forge new, and strengthen established, links with the community, policy-makers, and practitioners for the purpose of supporting evidence-based decision-making
• Provide a home for international visitors conducting relevant research
• Mentor junior faculty working in policy-and practice-related areas and improve their ability to successfully apply for grants and contracts, and disseminate their research findings
• Facilitate applications for external grants and contracts that improve funding outcomes.

Click here to go to the NEST website