Director's Message
I was tremendously honoured to join the SFU School of Public Policy in January 2022 and to take over as Director from Professor Olewiler.
It is an exciting time for the School. Over the past few years the School has welcomed brilliant new faculty members: Drs. Sophie Borwein, Yushu Zhu, Natahnee Winder, and Mohsen Javdani. The pandemic has made for a somewhat awkward arrival, but we are settling in now. Our physical space within Harbour Center is being renovated and upgraded this summer. The incoming class will enjoy a brand-new student lounge and meeting room. We have begun work to modernize our curriculum and ensure it remains cutting-edge. For instance, we recently made Indigenous Policy a required course for all Master’s in Public Policy students. Amidst relaxed public health restrictions, we’ve been able to resume in-person events and gatherings. We were delighted to hold a celebratory dinner for our students in May, which included inspiring and encouraging words from Chris (Syeta’xtn) Lewis and Andrew Petter and honoured the service of our student Mental Health Committee and student caucus co-chairs. You can read about other recent events in this magazine issue, including the Research Showcase and Convocation 2022.
Our faculty remain engaged in exciting and impactful research and policy roles. To name just a few examples, Dr.Kora DeBeck’s research is informing health and policy interventions to reduce health and social harms among vulnerable drug using populations. Dr. Yushu Zhu is investigating how housing vulnerability in British Columbia and how it is evolving during the Covid-19 pandemic. Dr. Sophie Borwein is researching political parties and the politicization of workplace technological change. I am researching forced labour in supply chains and working closely with governments, businesses, and international organizations to tackle it, such as in my capacity as a member of the United Kingdom Parliament’s Modern Slavery and the Supply Chain Advisory Group. Dr. Kennedy Stewart remains on political leave as the Mayor of Vancouver.
Our graduating students have already experienced amazing success. Erica McAdam (in collaboration with faculty member Dr. Kora DeBeck) has had her research around drug decriminalization and public health widely cited in the media and by policymakers as British Columbia decriminalizes drugs. Our recent graduates have begun important policy positions with a variety of government departments including City of Coquitlam, BC Ministry of Children and Family Development, Public Health Agency of Canada, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Transport Canada, and Global Affairs Canada.
Current MPP students are working in an impressive range of Co-op positions this summer, and will return to second year classes in September. One of them is Gabrielle Feldmann who was recently awarded the Alfred Hales Prize by the Parliamentary Internship Programme for a paper she wrote on political representation.
This Fall, the School will launch an equity, diversity, and inclusion committee comprised of faculty, staff, and students to chart out a path for the School to deliver upon the University’s aims.
As the School enters a new era, we warmly invite new partnerships and initiatives, and are grateful for the continued involvement of our alumni and long-time collaborators. Please get in touch any time with new ideas for collaborating or opportunities for our students.
- Genevieve LeBaron