Kinder, Jeff, 2020-2026
Executive-in-Residence
Jeff has almost 35 years of experience in government science, technology and innovation policy in the US and Canada. His US experience includes the National Science Foundation, the National Academies and the Naval Research Laboratory.
In Canada, Jeff has worked at Industry Canada, Natural Resources Canada and the Council of Science and Technology Advisors. In 2014, he supported the External Advisory Group on Government Science and Technology (the Knox Panel). More recently, he led the Federal S&T Secretariat supporting the Minister of Science, the Deputy Minister Champion for Federal S&T and related initiatives. From 2017-2022, he created and served as Executive Director of the science and innovation area of practice at the Institute on Governance. He is now at the Council of Canadian Academies directing an assessment on the state of science, technology, and innovation in Canada.
At the University of Ottawa, Jeff is Executive-in-Residence at the Institute for Science, Society and Policy (ISSP) and an adjunct at the Telfer School of Management. Jeff is a member of the board of the Canadian Science Policy Centre and advisor to the Ottawa Science Policy Network. He holds a PhD in public policy, a Master’s in science, technology and public policy, and a BS in physics.
[email protected]
El Harim Yasmina, 2023-2025
Research and Communications Intermediate Administrative Assistant
A graduate of the University of Ottawa (Telfer School of Management), Yasmina El Harim was the Institute's Research and Communications Administrative Assistant. She assists in the management of the ISSP and Positive Energy websites, social media, newsletters, and virtual and in-person events.
Yasmina is fluently trilingual and has extensive knowledge in social media marketing and event planning through her experience and involvement in campus marketing associations such as the Telfer Marketing Association.
Sandy Chung, 2021-2022
Research and Communications Administrative Assistant
Sandy Chung was an Administrative and Communications Assistant with the ISSP and a graduate of the University of Ottawa (Telfer School of Management).
She holds extensive knowledge in social media marketing and event planning through her involvement within marketing for campus clubs such as the Telfer Finance Society, Women in Management Network, and University of Ottawa Consulting Association.
Research Director
Dr. Beck joined the ISSP in March 2017 as a Postdoctoral Fellow with the Positive Energy research project. Marisa completed her PhD in Global Governance at the Balsillie School of International Affairs (University of Waterloo), where she held a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship.
In 2014-15, she was a Visiting Researcher at the Integrative Research Institute on Transformations of Human-Environment Systems (IRI THESys) at the Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany. Marisa's research focuses on the politics and processes of evidence-based decision-making in climate and energy policy, and she is particularly interested in understanding the drivers of policymakers’ demands for and use of evidence in decision-making.
She holds an MSc in Environmental Policy and Regulation from the London School of Economics, and a graduate degree in Business Administration from the University of Mannheim in Germany. Before coming to Canada in 2012 for her PhD, Marisa worked as an analyst for global carbon markets with a leading research and information provider for carbon and clean energy markets in London, UK.
Brendan Frank, 2020-2022
Brendan Frank was a Senior Research Associate with the ISSP and hosted the ISSP's podcast, Disruption Discovered. Mr. Frank came to the ISSP after three years as a Research Associate at Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission. His training is in science (Bachelor’s in Environmental Science, Queen’s University) and public policy (Master’s in Public Policy, University of Calgary), and he possesses strong research and knowledge mobilisation experience in the public, private and civic sectors. Brendan has worked previously with Natural Resources Canada and in Alberta's oil and gas sector, and is currently an Associate with Youth Climate Lab.
Rafael Dezordi, 2017-2022
Rafael was the Communications & Outreach Speciality at the ISSP. He is a communications professional, specialized in international communications and stakeholder management within the academic and scientific fields, to promote positive change and handle complex global information issues.
Heather Millar, 2019-2020
Heather was a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Postdoctoral Fellow with the Institute of Science, Society, and Policy at the University of Ottawa (2019-20)
Patricia Larkin, 2017-2019
Dr. Patricia Larkin began a postdoctoral fellowship at ISSP in June 2017 and eventually took on the role of Senior Research Associate. With a focus on the integration of health and environmental risk management in non-health sector policy and regulatory-based decision-making, Patricia completed her PhD Population Health at the University of Ottawa. Her thesis research resulted in the development of an integrated risk management framework for CCS in the Canadian context. Other research interests include health and environmental protection in hydraulic fracturing and best practice in CCS risk communication and public engagement as foundations of public acceptability. With respect to climate change adaptation, Patricia managed successful stakeholder engagement during a project with Agriculture and Agri-food Canada that resulted in a range of useful climate, agricultural, environmental, infrastructure, and health indicators to be used in a scenario-based risk assessment decision support tool for policy makers in agricultural and rural areas.
Stewart Fast, 2015-2018
Dr. Stewart fast was the ISSP Senior Research Associate and Research Director. He advanced strategic research directions of the ISSP, facilitated and managed several ongoing multidisciplinary research projects throughout research design, implementation, analysis and dissemination phases. He also developed new research focus areas, prepared grant applications and identified and advanced collaborations and partnerships with internal and external stakeholders.
Xavier Deschênes-Philion, 2017-2018
Xavier Deschênes-Philion was a research assistant for the @Risk and Positive Energy projects while also writing his PhD prospectus.
Sherry Wasilow, 2015-2017
Dr. Wasilow managed ISSP operations, communications and publications, administered outreach and research activities, and recruited and supervised graduate and undergraduate students for a variety of projects and activities.
Rachel So, 2014-2015
Rachel So helped with the development of the graduate program in Science, Society and Policy, and with ISSP outreach and network development.
Alin Charrière, 2013-2015
Alin Charrière provided support towards various ISSP activities. His projects included the creation of the Canadian Science Councils Archives and co-authoring timelines on nanotechnology and biofuels policy. He also coordinated, from inception to implementation, the ISSP's interdisciplinary symposium at Congress 2015 entitled Technological Unemployment and the Future of Work.
Sarah Farewell, 2013-2015
Sarah Farewell contributed administrative assistance to the ISSP. As the ISSP’s administrative assistant, Sarah contributed to the daily functioning of the Institute, including managing invoice accounts, contributing to event planning and promotion, updating website content, and maintaining a detailed archive of the ISSP’s activities. Sarah was also responsible for the production of the ISSP’s monthly newsletter, SSP News.
Marco Mueller, 2014-2015
Marco Mueller joined the ISSP in September 2014 as a student volunteer. He assisted with a digitization project for the Canadian Science Councils Archive.
Moxi Zhang, 2014-2015
Moxi Zhang assisted with the coordination of the 9th Annual Bromley Memorial Event at the University of Ottawa. She has also conducted research and published on science policy matters in China alongside Senior ISSP Fellow, Margaret McCuaig-Johnston.
Katherine Fafard, 2014
Katherine contributed her background in the design and management of university-based research institutes with mandates in public policy and science research. As an experienced consultant, she contributed to the development of ISSP communications strategies.
Michael Bordt, 2013-2014
Michael Bordt assisted with the planning and coordination of the Science Policy Roundtable workshops and contributed to a series of policy briefs dealing with current issues in science-policy integration.
Sasha Kebo, 2012-2013
Sasha Kebo helped in developing of the ISSP's education program by coordinating workshops, and contributed to a series of policy briefs dealing with current issues in science-policy integration.
Jeremy Geelen, 2011-2013
As Project and Public Affairs Manager, Jeremy Geelen worked with the Director and Core Group in developing and implementing ISSP strategy. He co-managed the Institute's activities, oversaw its day-to-day operations and contributed to the Institute's research mandate.
Dara Marcus, 2013
Dara Marcus assisted in organizing Science and Society 2013: Emerging Agendas for Citizens and the Sciences and drafting the results document from the symposium.
Matthew Gaudreau, 2012-2013
Matthew Gaudreau worked on a series of policy briefs dealing with current issues in science-policy integration. The policy briefs were a key component of a SSHRC Public Outreach Grant awarded to the ISSP for the 2012/13 year, and covered topics such as knowledge integration, the evaluation and communication of uncertainty, and collaboration between scientists and policy makers. He also provided assistance in organizing Science and Society 2013: Emerging Agendas for Citizens and the Sciences.
Monica Harvey, 2013
Monica Harvey assisted in organizing Science and Society 2013: Emerging Agendas for Citizens and the Sciences and provided communication and research support on various ISSP projects, including being co-author of The Future is History, published by Policy Horizons Canada.
Carin Christou, 2011-2012
Carin Christou conducted research on science policy integration, the science and technology landscape and assisted on various ISSP projects. She also helped with grant applications and is co-author of the ISSP publication Governance of Emerging Technologies: Scan of International Institutions.
Dara Jospe, 2011-2012
Dara Jospe provided support on various ISSP projects including helping to draft the symposium report, Synthetic Biology at the Interface of Science and Policy. She also worked as a research assistant to Jennifer Chandler, an ISSP Core Group member, where she investigated topics such as neuro-imaging, organ donation, emerging therapies for drug addiction and the mitigation of psychological injuries and memory.
Valerie Harbour, 2012
Valerie Harbour provided support on various ISSP projects including Science and Society 2013: Emerging Agendas for Citizens and the Sciences.
Lucas Jurkovic, 2011
Lucas Jurkovic provided support on various ISSP projects including helping to draft the symposium report, Synthetic Biology at the Interface of Science and Policy.
In-Leng Ng, 2011
In-Leng Ng advised the ISSP on web strategy and helped develop ISSP web content.
Eve Heafey, 2010-2011
Eve Heafey researched the regulatory framework surrounding emerging nanotechnologies and advised the Director on regulatory developments in the field. She also co-authored the ISSP publication A Primer on Nanomaterials Regulation.
Anna Stoklosa, 2010-2011
Anna Stoklosa provided support on various ISSP projects, including being co-author on Commercial, Societal and Administrative Benefits from the Analysis and Clarification of Definitions: The Case of Nanomaterials.
