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Dr. Jennifer Allen Simons, award-winning educator in peace, disarmament, international law and human security, is Founder and President of The Simons Foundation, a Senior Fellow and Dialogue Associate at the SFU Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue, and an Adjunct Professor at the SFU School for International Studies.
She is a former Director and Adjunct Professor at the Simons Centre for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Research, Liu Institute for Global Issues, University of British Columbia, which she established jointly with UBC. Dr. Simons is also a Founding Partner of Global Zero, an international initiative of 300 world leaders dedicated to achieving the phased, verified elimination of nuclear weapons by 2030, and a member of the International Advisory Board of the Centre for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament at the Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University.
Dr. Simons was appointed to the Order of Canada for her contributions to the promotion of peace and disarmament and has an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Northern British Columbia. She was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002 for her service to the global effort to eradicate landmines and in 2012 received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. She is also Executive Producer of a 4-hour documentary series on Human Security Issues, in partnership with Knowledge Network/Open Learning Agency, British Columbia, Canada.
Dr. Simons was a member of the Canadian Government Delegation to the UN 2000 Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference and the 2002 Non-Proliferation Treaty Conference, and is a member of the Steering Committee of the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs/Non-Governmental Organizations Consultations on Nuclear Issues. She served for six years as Order in Council appointee to the Board of Governors of Simon Fraser University and for three years as Order in Council appointee to the Board of Governors of the University of Northern British Columbia.
About Jennifer's Fellowship
Dr. Simons pioneers research, advocacy and action in advancing nuclear disarmament, peace, human security and global co-operation, and regularly speaks on nuclear disarmament issues at international conferences and other events.
The Simons Foundation initiates and participates in major worldwide peace projects, convenes global leaders for high-level strategic and policy dialogues, sponsors important academic research through fellowships and chairs, acts as a major convenor of academic and public events and partners on policy-driven publications.
Connection to Dialogue: "I view myself as a thought leader or influencer as well as a participant in dialogue because my major engagement is speaking at meetings and conferences on the issue of nuclear disarmament and catastrophic consequences of nuclear war."
Select Honours and Awards
- Jennifer Allen Simons Chair in Liberal Studies
- 1996 Chancellor's Distinguished Service Award
- Award for Contribution to Education by Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a House of Wisdom
- Charles University, Prague, 650th Anniversary Jubilee Medal Award of Highest Merit for Contribution to Development of Civil Society
- Canadian Peace Award for Peace Philanthropy
- 2006 Vancouver Citizens' Peace Award