Who we are
The Institute for Science, Society and Policy is a cross-faculty Institute at the University of Ottawa exploring the links between science, society and policy.
Our team
The ISSP Advisory Committee is a voluntary, engaged group of stakeholder representatives from the academic, public and private sectors working for the success of the new institute. The mandate of the Committee includes both a review and a challenge role in relation to the scope of ISSP activities.
Amyot, Denise
President and CEO
Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan)
Blackstock, Jason J
Head of Department
Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy
University College London (UCL)
Gingras, Yves
Canada Research Chair in History and Sociology of ScienceProfessor
Université du Québec à Montréal
Girling, Kimberly
Senior Research & Policy Analyst
Office of the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada
Heap, Ruby
Professor Emerita
Department of History
Faculty of Arts
University of Ottawa
Kenny, Brenda
Chair
Alberta Innovates
Lagacé, Martine
Full Professor
Communication
Faculty of Arts
University of Ottawa
Associate Vice-President, Research, Promotion and Development
University of Ottawa
Lendsay, Kelly J.
President and CEO
Indigenous Works
Marques, Teresa
President and CEO
Rideau Hall Foundation
McOuat, Gordon
Professor of Humanities
University of King’s College
Project Director
Situating Science
Mendes, Errol
Professor
Faculty of Law
University of Ottawa
Editor-in-Chief
The National Journal of Constitutional Law
Slater, Robert
Adjunct Professor, Environmental Policy
Carleton University
Stanton-Jean, Michèle
Guest Scholar, Law Faculty
Université de Montréal
Former Quebec representative within the Canadian permanent delegation to UNESCO
Tessier, Christina
President and CEO
Ingenium - Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation
The ISSP Core Group is a multidisciplinary team consisting of faculty from across the University of Ottawa. It participates in the planning and execution of Institute operations, including its education program, research agenda, and outreach and network activities.
Bronson, Kelly
Assistant Professor
Faculty of Social Sciences
School of Sociological and Anthropological Studies
University of Ottawa
Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Science and Society
Dawson, Jackie
Associate Professor
Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics
Faculty of Arts
University of Ottawa
Canada Research Chair in Environment, Society, and Policy
Fafard, Patrick
Associate Professor
Graduate School of Public and International Affairs
Faculty of Social Sciences
University of Ottawa
Findlay, C. Scott
Director
Graduate Studies, Institute of the Environment
Associate Professor
Department of Biology
Faculty of Science
University of Ottawa
Heap, Ruby
Professor Emerita
Department of History
Faculty of Arts
University of Ottawa
Jones, Gwynne
Full Professor
Department of Critical Care
Faculty of Medicine
University of Ottawa
Kassen, Rees
Professor
Department of Biology
Faculty of Science
University of Ottawa
University Research Chair in Experimental Evolution
Kerr, Jeremy
Professor
Department of Biology
Faculty of Sciences
University of Ottawa
University Research Chair in Macroecology and Conservation Biology
McCurdy, Patrick
Associate Professor
Department of Communication
Faculty of Arts
University of Ottawa
Millar, Jason
Assistant Professor
School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Faculty of Engineering
University of Ottawa
Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) in the Ethical Engineering of Robotics and AI
Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Research Cluster Lead
Paré, Daniel
President, Canadian Communication Association
Associate Professor
Department of Communication
Faculty of Arts
University of Ottawa
Salter, Mark B.
Professor
School of Political Studies
Faculty of Social Sciences
University of Ottawa
Risk, Technology and Security Research Cluster Lead
Saner, Marc
Professor and Chair
Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics
Faculty of Arts
University of Ottawa
Inaugural Director, ISSP
Science Advice Research Cluster Lead
Schillo, Sandra
Associate Professor
Telfer School of Management
University of Ottawa
ISSP Faculty Affiliates are University of Ottawa faculty who are authorized to supervise theses in subject matter covered by the Institute or who are principal investigators or co-investigators in ISSP research projects or research projects dealing with subject matter covered by the Institute. They provide support to the ISSP and take part in Institute activities.
Ahmed, Rukhsana
Associate Professor, Department of Communication
Faculty of Arts, University of Ottawa
Associate Professor, Department of Communication
University at Albany, State University of New York
Baker, R. Tom
Full Professor
Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences
Faculty of Science
University of Ottawa
Canada Research Chair in Catalysis Science for Energy Applications
Bennett, Steffany
Professor
Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology
Faculty of Medicine
University of Ottawa
Chan, Kin
Assistant Professor
Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology
Faculty of Medicine
University of Ottawa
Canada Research Chair in Molecular Basis of Cancer Mutagenesis
Erol-Kantarci, Melike
Associate Professor
School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
University of Ottawa
Director, Networked Systems and Communications Research (NETCORE) Lab
Etowa, Josephine
Full Professor
School of Nursing
Faculty of Health Sciences
University of Ottawa
Project lead & The Ontario HIV Treatment Network (OHTN) Chair in Black Women’s HIV Prevention and Care
Haustein, Stefanie
Assistant Professor
Department of Information Studies
Faculty of Arts
University of Ottawa
Hinzer, Karin
Vice-Dean, Research
Full Professor, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Faculty of Engineering
uOttawa
Humayun, Mariam
Assistant Professor
Marketing
Telfer School of Management
University of Ottawa
Jaclin, David
Assistant Professor
Sociological and Anthropological Studies
Faculty of Social Sciences
University of Ottawa
Katz-Rosene, Ryan
Assistant Professor
Political Studies
Faculty of Social Sciences
uOttawa
The Future of Protein Research Lead
Knaapen, Loes
Assistant Professor
Sociological and Anthropological Studies
Faculty of Social Sciences
University of Ottawa
Kranakis, Eda
Professor
Department of History
Faculty of Arts
University of Ottawa
Lagacé, Martine
Full Professor
Communication
Faculty of Arts
University of Ottawa
Associate Vice-President, Research, Promotion and Development
University of Ottawa
Laliberté, André
Full Professor
Political Studies
Faculty of Social Sciences
University of Ottawa
Leblond, Patrick
Associate Professor
Graduate School of Public and International Affairs
University of Ottawa
CN – Paul M. Tellier Chair on Business and Public Policy
Luppicini, Rocci
Associate Professor
Department of Communication
Faculty of Arts
University of Ottawa
Macchi, Arturo
Full Professor
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Faculty of Engineering
University of Ottawa
Massot, Pascale
Assistant Professor
Political Studies
Faculty of Social Sciences
University of Ottawa
Mavriplis, Catherine
Full Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering
University of Ottawa
NSERC Chair for Women in Science and Engineering
Orr, Kevin
Associate Professor
Department of Theatre
Faculty of Arts
University of Ottawa
Orsini, Michael
Full Professor
Feminist and Gender Studies and Political Studies
Faculty of Social Sciences
uOttawa
Pelling, Andrew
Full Professor
Department of Physics
Faculty of Science
University of Ottawa
Rioux-Beaulne, Mitia
Associate Professor
Department of Philosophy
Faculty of Arts
University of Ottawa
Robert, Dominique
Associate Professor
Criminology
Faculty of Social Sciences
University of Ottawa
Simard, Louis
Associate Professor
Political Studies
Faculty of Social Sciences
University of Ottawa
Smith, Stacey
Full Professor
Disease Modelling
Faculty of Science
University of Ottawa
Tezel, Handan
Full Professor
Department of Chemical and Biological Enginnering
Faculty of Enginnering
uOttawa
Udenigwe, Chibuike
Full Professor
School of Nutrition Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
University of Ottawa
University Research Chair in Food Properties and Nutrient Bioavailability
Vellino, André
Associate Professor
School of Information Studies
Faculty of Arts
University of Ottawa
Wolfson, Michael
Professor
School of Epidemiology, Public Health and Preventive Medicine
Faculty of Medicine
University of Ottawa
Canada Research Chair in Population Health Modelling/Populomics
Young, Nathan
Associate Professor
Department of Sociological and Anthropological Studies
Faculty of Social Sciences
University of Ottawa
ISSP Fellows are professors, researchers or professionals from organizations other than the University of Ottawa who work with the ISSP in various capacities, including consultation, strategic advice and collaboration on projects.
Blank, Stephen
Senior Fellow, ISSP, uOttawa
Stephen Blank’s career has spanned the academic, business and not-for-profit communities. His academic careers, at Harvard and Pitt and later at Pace University were bridged by work in The Conference Board and as a founding partner of MultiNational Strategies, an international management consulting firm. Blank’s research on infrastructure, economic integration and logistics is well recognized, as are his writings on British, Canadian and North American politics. He served as Bissell Visiting Professor at the University of Toronto and Ross Distinguished Visiting Professor at Western Washington University and was awarded three Fulbright Professorships. He was Managing Director of an alliance of four North American business schools, and directed the largest Canadian-North American focused public affairs program in the US. In a change of pace, Blank and his wife headed a major project looking at the impact of global change on arts and cultural institutions, leading to several conferences at MOMA. A long-time member of the Council on Foreign Relations, he was awarded L’Ordre National du Quebec by the Government of Quebec. He serves as Senior Fellow of the Institute for Science, Society and Policy at the University of Ottawa and continues to teach in the Osher program at Carnegie Mellon University. Blank was educated at Dartmouth, Cambridge and Harvard.
Cameron, Nigel
President Emeritus of the Center for Policy on Emerging Technologies, Washington, DC
Nigel Cameron is President Emeritus of the Center for Policy on Emerging Technologies in Washington, DC; in 2015-16 he was Fulbright Visiting Research Chair in Science and Society at the University of Ottawa’s Institute for Science, Society and Policy. He has written widely on technology, health, and ethics. In 2007 he was the U.S. Government’s (unsuccessful) nominee to be United Nations Special Rapporteur for the Right to Health. He is currently working on a biography of C. Everett Koop, U.S. Surgeon-General from 1981-89, who lead America’s response to the AIDS pandemic.
Dancause, Guy
Founder, Idea Connector Network
Co-creator, National Indigenous Women’s Entrepreneurship Ecosystem (NIWEE)
Guy Dancause is of mixed-heritage French, German and Algonquin. Before leaping into the world of new technologies, from 1977 to 2009 (32 years), Guy held senior positions at the Council for Canadian Unity, the Yorkminster Group, and Sharwood and Company. He was a management consultant for ten years. He led projects in process design, information management, project financing, marketing, and outreach. As a consultant, he provided services in Canada and overseas, primarily in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, and the Caribbean. He was also a Major in the Canadian Armed Forces. He has degrees from Sir George William University (commerce) and l’Universitė du Québec à Montréal.
In late 2010, Guy founded the Idea Connector Network, with a focus on Indigenous Entrepreneurship. He designed and produced numerous tailored programs, in-studio and on location, engaging targeted audiences through dialogue extension. He is presently co-leading the co-creation of a National Indigenous Women’s Entrepreneurship Ecosystem (NIWEE). It’s on track to launch in late spring 2022.
Douglas, Heather
Associate Professor
Michigan State University
Heather Douglas is a philosopher of science with a longstanding interest in science policy. Trained in the History and Philosophy of Science Department at the University of Pittsburgh, her work on science policy began in graduate school, where her dissertation on dioxin science explored the value judgments that prevented easy agreement among scientists doing work of central relevance to policy-making.
Her research concerns the moral responsibilities of scientists, the place of science in democratic societies, the nature of scientific objectivity and integrity, methods for weighing complex evidence, and the roles for values in scientific reasoning. Her book,Science, Policy, and the Value-Free Ideal (University of Pittsburgh Press 2009), argues that the value-free ideal is inadequate for policy-relevant science and offers an alternative ideal. She has argued that recognition of the importance of values in science, for both shaping research agendas and for setting sufficiency standards for evidential warrant, leads to the need for increased citizen participation in the policy process, alongside scientists, in carefully structured ways.
She has held previous appointments at the University of Puget Sound, the University of Tennessee, and the University of Waterloo. She was named a AAAS fellow in 2016.
Dufour, Paul
Adjunct Professor, ISSP
Principal, Paulicyworks
Paul Dufour has been senior adviser in science policy with several Canadian agencies and organizations over the course of the past 30 years. Among these: senior program specialist with the International Development Research Centre, and interim Executive Director at the former Office of the National Science Advisor to the Canadian Government advising on international S&T matters and broad questions of R&D policy directions for the country.
Born in Montreal, Mr. Dufour was educated at McGill, the Université de Montreal and Concordia University in the history of science and science policy, and has had practical S&T policy experience for over three decades having been with such bodies as the Science Council of Canada, Ministry of State for Science and Technology, Foreign Affairs, and special adviser to the Prime Minister's Advisory Council on S&T.
Dufour lectures regularly on science policy, has authored numerous articles on international S&T relations and Canadian innovation policy. He is series co-editor of the Cartermill Guides to World Science and is the author of the Canada chapter for the UNESCO 2010 Science Report released in November 2010.
Earl, Louise
Senior Fellow, ISSP, uOttawa
E. Louise Earl has extensive national and international experience in the measurement of science, technology and innovation (ST&I) and the development of related statistical indicators. She is best known for championing the measurement of innovation to all sectors of the economy and developing methods to measure knowledge management and other technology management and use practices. Ms. Earl has co-edited, authored and contributed to numerous chapters, volumes and classification manuals in the field of ST&I measurement. She was vice chair of the OECD’s Working Party of National Experts on Science and Technology Indicators from 2016 to 2018.
Gabriel, Kamiel S.
Professor, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science
Ontario Tech University
Dr. Kamiel Gabriel holds a Bachelor of Science (honors degree), and a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alexandria, Egypt and a Ph.D. degree from the University of Manitoba, Canada. He holds a diploma in Space Science from the International Space University (H/Q in Strasburg, France), and an M.B.A. from the International Business Centre at the University of Saskatchewan. He is the recipient of several national and international awards including the Society of Automotive Engineering’s Ralph Teetor Educational Award (Aerospace), the University of Saskatchewan’s Distinguished Research Supervisor Award, and the Durham Strategic Energy Alliance’s “Builder Award”. Dr. Gabriel is an elected fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (C.A.E.).
Dr. Gabriel is the founding Associate Provost of Research and Graduate Programs at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), and the co-founder and past president of the Durham Strategic Energy Alliance (DESA). He was DSEA’s president and Chair of the Board from 2007 to 2009. In 2009, Dr. Gabriel was seconded to the Ontario Ministry of Research & Innovation as the Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) of Research and its first ever Science Adviser. Most recently, Dr. Gabriel was invited by the government of Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. to assist with the creation of a Research Funding Agency to support competitive research efforts in the federal and private higher education institution in the United Arab Emirates.
Hariri, Mehrdad
President and CEO
Canadian Science Policy Centre
Dr. Mehrdad Hariri is the founder and CEO of the Canadian Science Policy Centre, the leading non-profit HUB for science, technology and innovation policy in Canada. A visionary in Canadian science policy, he founded the national annual Canadian Science Policy Conference (CSPC), a national multidisciplinary forum dedicated to discussions on pressing issues in Canadian science, technology and innovation policy. In 2020, he was selected as a member of the Governor-General Leadership Conference. He is the author of numerous publications and opinion pieces and regularly appears as a media commentator on science policy issues. He is a board member of the Journal of Science Policy and Governance, a member of the Innovation Leadership Council of the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance, and was a member of the first advisory committee to MITACS Science Policy Fellowship program.
Kinder, Jeff
Executive Director, Science and Innovation
Institute on Governance (IOG)
Jeff has 30 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). Most recently, he led the Federal S&T Secretariat supporting the Minister of Science, the Deputy Minister Champion for Federal S&T and related initiatives. He is now on interchange with the Institute on Governance where he leads the Science & Innovation business line and the ASPIRE Lab – an innovation collaboratory.
At the University of Ottawa, Jeff is a Senior Fellow of the ISSP and an Adjunct Professor at the Telfer School of Management where he co-teaches an executive-level Managing for Innovation course. Jeff is a member of the board of the Canadian Science Policy Centre, a member of the Mitacs Canadian Science Policy Fellows Advisory Committee, and a past co-chair of the Ottawa Science Policy Roundtable. He holds a PhD in public policy, a Master’s in science, technology and public policy, and a BS in physics.
McCuaig-Johnston, Margaret
International Relations Executive
Margaret McCuaig-Johnston is Senior Fellow at the Institute for Science, Society and Policy, Senior Fellow with the University of Alberta’s China Institute and Distinguished Fellow with the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. Formerly, she was Executive Vice-President at NSERC where she was responsible for strategic operations, including research policy and international relations. She was also a member for seven years of the Steering Committee for the Canada-China Science and Technology (S&T) Initiative.
From 1991 to 2009 Margaret held senior management positions in the federal government. She was the Assistant Deputy Minister of Energy Technology and Programs at Natural Resources Canada and was appointed to the Assistant Deputy Minister level as General Director in the Department of Finance. She also held the position of Director General, Manufacturing and Processing Technologies at Industry Canada and was Assistant Secretary of the Prime Minister’s National Advisory Board on Science and Technology. She was also Director of Science Strategy, in the (then) Department of Industry, Science and Technology and Senior Advisor in the Privy Council Office. In the Ontario government, Margaret held positions in federal-provincial relations, telecommunications and consumer/corporate affairs.
Margaret holds an MA in International Relations from York University with Majors in International Organizations and China, and an Honours BA in Political Economy from the University of Toronto. She speaks French and Mandarin. She is also working with the University of Ottawa’s Office of International Research on the university’s partnership with China, as well as writing on S&T in China.
[email protected]
Office: (613) 562-5800 ext. 1118
Cell: (613) 857-1493
Walker, Robert
Senior Executive
Retired
Dr. Robert Walker has had a distinguished career in public service in various domestic and international leadership roles. From 2010 until his retirement in 2015, Dr. Walker worked for Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, a federal Crown Corporation, first as Senior Vice President Nuclear Laboratories and later as President and CEO. From 2014, he was concurrently the first President and CEO of Canadian Nuclear Laboratories. Before joining AECL, Dr. Walker had a career of 33 years as scientist, manager and executive in research and development at the Department of National Defence, including as Assistant Deputy Minister and CEO for Defence R&D Canada. He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from McMaster University.
Wolbring, Gregor
Associate Professor
Faculty of Medicine
University of Calgary
Gregor Wolbring is a tenured Associate Professor at the University of Calgary (Canada), Cumming School of Medicine, Community Health Sciences, Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies.). He is presently a member of the Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS), Karlsruhe, Germany, and a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Science, Policy and Society, University of Ottawa, Canada. He is Past-President of the Canadian Disability Studies Association and he is also a former member of the executive committee of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO.
Some of his areas of engagement are: ability studies including governance of ability expectations, disability studies, governance of emerging and existing sciences and technologies (e.g. genetics, robotics, brain machine interfaces, artificial intelligence and machine learning, sensors), the governance of bodily enhancement, sustainability issues, EcoHealth, resilience, ethics issues, health policy issues, human rights and sport.
Some of his awards are: one of three finalist for the 2020 Sustainability Award University of Calgary category, Faculty Sustainability Research, Tanis Doe Award of the Canadian Disability Studies Association (2017) and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medial awarded by the government of Canada in recognition of the benefit of his academic work to the greater community (2013). As to teaching awards he received the Bachelor of Health Sciences Research Mentor Award in recognition of making undergraduate students succeed in research (2014, 2016 and 2018), the Faculty of Graduate Studies, “My SupervisorSkills, GREAT Supervisor Award!” (2015) and the Faculty of Medicine McLeod award for excellence in teaching (2011) and Council of Canadians with Disabilities, National Award (1998)
Gregor holds a diploma in Biochemistry from the University Tubingen, Germany and performed his diploma work at University College London, UK. He holds a PhD in biochemistry from University of Frankfurt, Max Planck Institute for Biophysics.
Aguirre, Rafael
Alex Trebek Postdoctoral Fellow
Changing Orders: Shaping the Future and Securing Rights in a World in Transformation
ISSP, uOttawa
Beattie, Meghan
Postdoctoral Fellow
School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Ottawa
Dr. Meghan Beattie is a postdoctoral fellow with the SUNLAB Solar Research Group in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Ottawa.
She holds a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Ottawa (2021) and a B.Sc. in Physics from Queen’s University (2015). Meghan joined the SUNLAB as a graduate student in 2015, where she studied semiconductor materials and devices for high-efficiency photovoltaic energy generation.
She began working with the ISSP’s Positive Energy program as a postdoctoral fellow in 2021, while continuing to work with the SUNLAB. She has a keen interest in the energy policy landscape in Canada and in bridging the gap between policymakers and the science & engineering community.
Gugganig, Mascha
Alex Trebek Postdoctoral Fellow
AI for Healthy Humans and Environments
ISSP, uOttawa
The arts can make an important contribution to understandings of the intersections between science, society and policy. The ISSP's Writer in Residence embodies this pivotal role that the arts can play.
Berkowitz, Jacob
Jacob Berkowitz is an author, science writer and performer who lives in Almonte, Ontario. His writing combines a life-long passion for exploring the intersection of science and narrative. His books, including the award-winning Jurassic Poop: What Dinosaurs (and Others) Left Behind, explore emerging, initially pooh-poohed, fields of science, including coprolites (fossil poop) and exoplanets. He's particularly interested in telling the story of science as a human endeavor -- of science as a verb, rather than a noun. In his latest book The Stardust Revolution: The New Story of Our Origin in the Stars, he tells the story of how stardust scientists have transformed our view of the cosmic nature of life.
In 2000 he founded Quantum Writing, a leading science writing boutique. He popularizes the work of leading scientists at major research-based organizations across Canada and the United States.
Berkowitz’ freelance journalism credits during the past 20 years include feature stories and op-eds in newspapers and magazines across Canada. His writing ranges from a first-person feature on social trends in vasectomy, to how our view of the universe is shaped by the way NASA colors images from the Hubble Space Telescope.
He’s written and performs two book-related kids' theatrical science shows that use "learning through laughing" to convey core science concepts. In The Mysterious Case of Who Dung It? he plays Chief Bottom, Dung Detective. In The Lost Alien Show he teams-up with a one-eyed alien puppet named Ambrosia. Both shows have toured across Canada to hundreds of schools, museums and libraries. He's presently writing a play about the relationship between Nobel Prize-winning quantum physicist Wolfgang Pauli and pioneering psychologist Carl Jung.
Trudel, Jean-Louis
Jean-Louis Trudel is an author and historian living in Quebec City. As an author, he has been writing and publishing science fiction stories since 1984. As a historian, he has focused on the place of science and technology in Western countries as well as the socio-cultural imaginaries underpinning their engagement with the same. His literary works include novels for young readers and for adults, numerous short stories, and translations. The award-winning novel Suprématie, co-authored with Yves Meynard under the name Laurent McAllister, includes several astronomical settings informed by his earlier studies in physics and astronomy. As early as 1992, he began incorporating in his fiction recent concerns over global warming. Several of his short stories that could now be described as climate fiction (cli fi) were gathered, in French, in his collection Les Marées à venir, as well as in The Snows of Yesteryear/Le Nevi del tempo che fu, in English and Italian.
A part-time professor at the University of Ottawa, Trudel has been investigating the history of science, technology, and science fiction in Canada and elsewhere for over twenty years. He has reported or written on the history of women and human computers in astronomy, engineering school for World War II veterans in Ajax, astronomical popularization, the influence of Jules Verne in Québec, and imaginary inventions. His research on the history of science-fiction in French-speaking Canada is presented in summary form in the recent Petit Guide de la science-fiction au Québec.
He is a reviewing editor of the only French-language journal on science fiction, ReS Futurae. His young adult books, numbering over twenty, were the subject of a pedagogical guide by Sophie Beaulé, Jean-Louis Trudel. A former president and vice-president of SF Canada, the Canadian association of science fiction writers and professionals, he is also active in the promotion of French-language science fiction in Canada. Since 1989, he has helped hold the Boréal convention, a gathering of writers and readers that is now one of the oldest yearly literary events in Québec.
Meet the staff of the University of Ottawa's Institute for Science, Society and Policy.
Gattinger, Monica
Director
Monica Gattinger is Director of the Institute for Science, Society and Policy, Full Professor at the School of Political Studies and Founder/Chair of Positive Energy at the University of Ottawa.
Dr. Gattinger is an award-winning researcher and highly sought-after speaker, adviser and media commentator in the energy and arts/cultural policy sectors. Her innovative research programme convenes business, government, Indigenous, civil society and academic leaders to address complex policy, regulatory and governance challenges. She has published widely in the energy and arts/cultural policy fields, with a focus on strengthening decision-making in the context of fast-past technological change and markets, changing social values, and lower levels of trust in governments, industry, science and expertise.
Gattinger is Fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, board member of the Clean Resource Innovation Network, and serves on advisory boards for the Institute on Governance, the National Research Council Canada, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization, Pollution Probe and the University of Calgary. She Chairs the Editorial Board of the University of Ottawa Press and is a columnist for JWN Energy’s Daily Oil Bulletin. Monica received the 2020 Clean50 Award for her thought leadership in the energy sector. She holds a Ph.D. in public policy from Carleton University.
Fafard, Katherine
Planning and Operations Advisor
An experienced public policy and public management professional, Katherine brings to the ISSP an extensive background in the design and management of university-based institutes with mandates in public policy and science research. Her previous work includes the development of networks among public sector organizations, university scholars and community groups, and strategies to enhance knowledge mobilization. Katherine is a graduate of Trinity College, University of Toronto (B.A. History) and Carleton University (M.A. Public Administration).
Dunn, Geneviève
Communications and Outreach Specialist
Geneviève Dunn is the Communications and Outreach Specialist at the Institute. She is responsible for the management of the ISSP's and Positive Energy's websites, social media channels, newsletters, virtual and in-person events, and member relations.
A graduate of the University of Ottawa (Telfer School of Management), Geneviève is fully bilingual and possesses extensive experience and expertise in communications and marketing, knowledge mobilization and event planning.
Chung, Sandy
Administrative and Communications Assistant
Sandy Chung is 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.
Former staff
Saner, Marc
Inaugural Director
Dr. Marc Saner was the inaugural Director of the Institute for Science, Society and Policy from 2010-2015. He is now Full Professor and Chair of the Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics at the University of Ottawa and appointed Adjunct Research Professor in Philosophy at Carleton University.
Prior to this appointment, he served as Executive Director, Regulatory Governance Initiative, School of Public Policy and Administration, at Carleton University, and Director of Assessments and Executive Vice-President of the Council of Canadian Academies. Previously, Dr. Saner was a Director at the Institute on Governance where he built the Ethics and Risk Management Sector and co-managed the Technology and Governance Program.
For the last decade, his primary interest has been multi-disciplinary work at the intersection of science, ethics and governance. He holds a PhD in Biology from the University of Basel, Switzerland (1991) as well as an MA in Philosophy from Carleton University (1999).
Dr. Saner publishes in peer-reviewed journals in the areas of science and technology studies, ethics, risk management, biotechnology and environment and has been invited to speak at seminars, workshops and international conferences around the world.
Email: [email protected]
Office: (613) 562-5704
Marisa Beck, 2017-2022
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.
- Justine Lallement, 2013
- Alysha Aziz, 2019
- Hodane Abdi, 2017
- Anne Gauthier, 2013
- Erika Decock, 2012-2013
- Sonia Pavez, 2012-2013
- Nasha Brownridge, 2012
- Maham Saeed, 2011-2012
- Fatima Alsalihiy, 2010-2011
- Damien Broomes, 2010-2011