Subseries consists of Dr. Ainley's requests for funding for a variety of projects throughout her career. Most of Ainley's research was funded through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) grants but she also applied for funding from other sources. These research projects include "First Nations Women and Environmental Knowledge in Northern North America - A Preliminary Investigation," "Biographical Research on Women Scientists in Canada," "Women and Scientific Work in Canada, 1890-1960," "Engendering Science: Twelve Biographies," "Women and Scientific Work in Canada. III. "Women's Work in Government and Industry, 1890-1990," "Engendering Canadian Scientists," and her research on Mabel McIntosh. Not all of these projects were accepted and funded. Subseries predominately consists of grant application forms and correspondence with granting agencies.
Subseries contains materials relating to Dr. Ainley's research on women in the fields of science and engineering. Ainley dedicated much of her career to this topic, which resulted in a number of publications. Subseries includes material relating to the submission and editing of Ainley's chapter, "Marriage and Scientific Work in Twentieth-Century Canada: the Berkeleys in Marine Biology and the Hoggs in Astronomy" in "Creative Couples in the Sciences" about the experiences of two scientific couples: Edith and Cyril Berkeley and Frank and Helen Hogg. Materials for this publication include correspondence, edited manuscripts, permissions form templates and a call and instructions for submissions. This subseries also includes research material for a review of Margaret Gillett and Ann Beer's book, "Our Own Agendas: Autobiographical Essays by Women Associated with McGill University," including notes, correspondence and short biographies of women from McGill University. Subseries also contains research on Canadian women in science including photocopied archival materials from various Canadian universities. This subseries also contains materials relating to Ainley's book, "Creating complicated lives: women and science at English-Canadian universities, 1880-1980" and Ainley's chapter, "Soaring to New Heights: Changes in the Life Course of Mabel McIntosh" in "Great Danes." Subseries consists of research relating to women in the Royal Society of Canada and on individual women scientists and engineers. Research materials consist of photocopies of published and archival research materials, correspondence, and applications for grans and ethics reviews. This subseries also contains approximately 80 overhead transparencies from presentations.
Subseries reflects Dr. Ainley's extensive research on indigenous science and traditional knowledge and how it transferred to European settlers in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Much of this research culminated in Dr. Ainley's unfinished monograph project "Re-explorations: new perspectives on gender, environment and the transfer of knowledge in 19th and 20th century Canada and Australia." Material is, predominately, arranged by individual, with files largely consisting of bibliographies, articles and notes about and by the individual on topics related to the environment and interaction with indigenous peoples. Subseries also contains research notes, interviews, and correspondence. As much of Ainley's research focused on women, see subseries on women in science and engineering research (2002.14.1.5) for related materials.