Watch the CSPC 2021 Award Ceremony

Canadian Science Policy Centre (CSPC) recognizes individuals who exceptionally contribute to the fields of science policy and youth who show innovative evidence-based policy that positively impacts Canadians.

Image of a leaf-shaped trophy on a blue background

Lifetime Achievement Award Winners

The CSPC Science Policy Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes outstanding individuals who have made significant contributions to science policy, and throughout their career have championed and inspired the science policy community in Canada. This award recognizes the work of individuals who have worked in science policy over a period of many years and made a deep impact in Canadian science policy.

The Lifetime Achievement Award is nominated and selected by the CSPC Board of Directors. CSPC encourages all individuals and/or organizations to forward names of any persons who they believe might deserve to be nominated for this award to CSPC (info@sciencepolicy.ca). The CSPC is committed to the principles of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and encourages individuals from all groups to apply. An individual may win the CSPC award only once.

2022 – Lifetime Achievement Award Winner:

Sheila Watt-Cloutier

Citizen Advocate on Environmental, Cultural and Human Rights

Sheila Watt-Cloutier has been selected as a result of so many years of exceptional contribution and leadership over the course of her career in bringing Indigenous perspectives and knowledge to national and international policymaking, in particular on environmental health, sustainability and preservation.

She has raised awareness of the threat of climate change in the Arctic and its relationship to human rights and Indigenous rights in Canada, and globally, She has been clearly articulating the interconnectedness of Inuit culture, the environment, the economy, foreign policy, global health, and sustainability. Her work with the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment integrated traditional and western knowledge and evidence, bringing a human face to climate change in the Arctic. She has inspired the science policy community across Canada with her insights, courage, and voice.

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2021 – Lifetime Achievement Award Winner:

Peter Nicholson

Chair of the Board, Canadian Institute for Climate Choices

A picture of a man holding a leaf-shaped glass trophy

2020 – Lifetime Achievement Award Winner:

Robert Slater

Adjunct Professor in the School of Public Policy and Administration, Carleton University
Executive Director of the Regulatory Governance Initiative

presentor appreciation

2019 – Lifetime Achievement Award Winner:

Paul Dufour

Principal, Paulicy Works
Senior Fellow, Institute for Science, Society & Policy, University of Ottawa

The CSPC Science Policy Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes outstanding individuals who have made significant contributions to science policy, and throughout their career have championed and inspired the science policy community in Canada. This award recognizes the work of individuals who have worked in science policy over a period of many years and made a deep impact in Canadian science policy.

The Lifetime Achievement Award is nominated and selected by the CSPC Board of Directors. CSPC encourages all individuals and/or organizations to forward names of any persons who they believe might deserve to be nominated for this award to CSPC (info@sciencepolicy.ca). The CSPC is committed to the principles of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and encourages individuals from all groups to apply. An individual may win the CSPC award only once.

A headshot of an old, white man in glasses

2021 – Lifetime Achievement Award Winner: Peter Nicholson

Chair of the Board, Canadian Institute for Climate Choices

A picture of a man holding a leaf-shaped glass trophy

2020 – Lifetime Achievement Award Winner: Robert Slater

Adjunct Professor in the School of Public Policy and Administration at Carleton University

Executive Director of the Regulatory Governance Initiative

presentor appreciation

2019 – Winner: Paul Dufour

Principal, Paulicy Works

Senior Fellow, Institute for Science, Society & Policy, University of Ottawa

Trailblazer Award Winners

The CSPC Trailblazer Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated novelty and creativity through leadership, vision, courage, and commitment, and positively and significantly impacted the Canadian Science, Technology and Innovation ecosystem. These individuals have been instrumental in boldly spearheading change via one or more transformative initiatives, while blazing a trail and inspiring others to follow.

CSPC 2023 will present three Trailblazer Awards, one in each of the categories of Policy for Science, Science for Policy and Innovation Policy.

CSPC encourages nominations from all disciplines of policy and sciences (social and human sciences, mathematical, physical and life sciences, engineering and technology) and from all sectors (governments at all levels, academia, private and nonprofit sectors, media, and others). Please note that technological or scientific discoveries or inventions are not considered for this award.

2022 – Trailblazer Award Winner

Dr. Elicia Maine

Associate Vice-President, Knowledge Mobilization and Innovation, Simon Fraser University

Dr. Elicia Maine, Associate Vice-President, Knowledge Mobilization and Innovation at Simon Fraser University, was selected for her work on the i2I program, which was tailor-made to mobilize university research, teach science and technology commercialization, and develop an entrepreneurial mindset in graduate scientists and engineers. Dr. Maine recognized key gaps in our Canadian science innovation ecosystem: Canadian STEM researchers being underutilized, Canadian science breakthroughs being underdeveloped and scientists needing additional support to translate discoveries into value-creating products and companies. This program nurtures a pipeline of talent within the wider Canadian innovation ecosystem and is recognized globally because of its distinct approach to unleashing the innovation potential of STEM researchers.

2022 – Trailblazer Award Winner

Dr. Gregory J. Smallwood

Principal Research Officer, National Research Council of Canada

Dr. Gregory J. Smallwood, Principal Research Officer at the National Research Council of Canada, was selected for his work on international climate change-related policy, which comes at a critical time in efforts to achieve global policy agreements to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions. His science-to-policy advocacy has had a dramatically positive impact on reducing global transportation-related black carbon and other nvPM that are key drivers of climate change and adverse health effects. In particular, his sustained and creative policy advocacy has resulted in one of the most significant changes to global aircraft engine emission standards since the 1980s.

2022 – Trailblazer Award Winner

Dr. Imogen Coe

Professor, Toronto Metropolitan University

Dr. Imogen Coe, Professor, Toronto Metropolitan University, was selected for her work on integrating the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) into the research ecosystem of STEM including into the policies and practices of funding agencies and government, and into the workplaces of commerce and industry where scientific knowledge may be generated or applied. Long before EDI became street-talk within government and academia, she recognized a problem endemic to science. She has had significant influence on where, when, and how EDI has been – and is being – integrated into policy developed by government, funding agencies, scholarly societies, post-secondary institutions, health-care entities, and commercial and not-for-profit enterprises. Imogen Coe has inspired a generation with her championship work on EDI.

A photo of a black woman smiling in a yellow suit and zebra print shirt

2021 – Trailblazer Award Winner

Josephine Etowa

Professor, University of Ottawa
Senior Investigator, Centre for Research on Health and Nursing

a bald white man smirking at the camera

2021 – Trailblazer Award Winner

Category: Science Policy

Yann Joly

Research Director, Centre of Genomics and Policy

A picture of a woman with curly hair holding a leaf-shaped glass trophy

2020 – Trailblazer Award Winner

Dr. Cara Tannenbaum

Scientific Director, The Canadian Institutes of Health (CIHR’s) Institute of Gender and Health
Professor in the Faculties of Medicine and Pharmacy, The Université de Montréal

The CSPC Trailblazer Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated novelty and creativity through leadership, vision, courage, and commitment, and positively and significantly impacted the Canadian Science, Technology and Innovation ecosystem. These individuals have been instrumental in boldly spearheading change via one or more transformative initiatives, while blazing a trail and inspiring others to follow.

CSPC 2023 will present three Trailblazer Awards, one in each of the categories of Policy for Science, Science for Policy and Innovation Policy.

CSPC encourages nominations from all disciplines of policy and sciences (social and human sciences, mathematical, physical and life sciences, engineering and technology) and from all sectors (governments at all levels, academia, private and nonprofit sectors, media, and others). Please note that technological or scientific discoveries or inventions are not considered for this award.

A photo of a black woman smiling in a yellow suit and zebra print shirt

2021 – Trailblazer Award (Innovation Policy) Winner: Josephine Etowa

Professor, University of Ottawa

Senior Investigator, Centre for Research on Health and Nursing

a bald white man smirking at the camera

2021 – Trailblazer Award  (Science Policy) Winner: Yann Joly

Research Director, Centre of Genomics and Policy

A picture of a woman with curly hair holding a leaf-shaped glass trophy

2020 – Trailblazer Award Winner: Dr. Cara Tannenbaum

Scientific Director of the Canadian Institutes of Health (CIHR’s) Institute of Gender and Health

Professor in the Faculties of Medicine and Pharmacy at the Université de Montréal

Youth Award Winners

This award recognizes a young individual (student, postdoctoral fellow, researcher, entrepreneur, etc.) under the age of 35 who proposes an innovative and compelling evidence-based policy that will make a positive difference to Canadians. This award is designed not only to highlight innovative, evidence-driven policy ideas by policy students and young professionals, but also to encourage young people not currently studying, or working on, public policy to share their policy ideas.

Eligible recipients include all young Canadian residents under 35, regardless of their field of study or work.

2022 – Winner: Alex Young Soo Lee

Medical Student, University of Ottawa

Topic: Addressing the Homelessness Crisis through H.O.U.S.E. Approach

Runner Up:

Projected Product Lifespan, a labeling system encouraging long-lived portable electronics

Runner Up:

Projected Product Lifespan, a labeling system encouraging long-lived portable electronics

Featured Applicants:
– Improving Transparency & Accountability in Deployment of AI Systems
– A National Digital Literacy Strategy for Indigenous Communities
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2021 – Winner: Shaarika Sarasija

Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Ottawa

Topic: Step up: Finding respite care for persons living with dementia among students of Canadian health professions

Runners up:

  • Taylor Reidlinger – A Call to Modernize Canadian Fisheries Policy: for Better Community Well-being, Food Security, Climate Resilience, and Economic Prosperity
  • Hannah Rahim – The need for community-driven phenomenological research to address the suicide crisis among Indigenous peoples in Canada

Runners up:

  • Taylor Reidlinger – A Call to Modernize Canadian Fisheries Policy: for Better Community Well-being, Food Security, Climate Resilience, and Economic Prosperity
  • Hannah Rahim – The need for community-driven phenomenological research to address the suicide crisis among Indigenous peoples in Canada
A picture of a white woman holding a trophy

2020 – Winner: Hannah Harrison

Postdoctoral Scholar, Department of Geography, Environment & Geomatics, University of Guelph

Topic: Improving seafood direct-marketing for Canadian economic resilience and food security

Runners up:

  • Andrea ReidRestoring Canada’s Pacific Salmon for a Resilient, Socially Just Future
    Interview
  • Nadwa Elbadri – Evaluation of Microbial Health Risks Facing Migrant Workers in Canada’s Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP)
    Interview 

Runners up:

  • Andrea ReidRestoring Canada’s Pacific Salmon for a Resilient, Socially Just Future
    Interview
  • Nadwa Elbadri – Evaluation of Microbial Health Risks Facing Migrant Workers in Canada’s Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP)
    Interview 
award presentation

2019 – Winner: Emily De Sousa

Graduate, Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, University of Guelph

Topic: Eliminating Seafood Fraud: A Fishy Approach to Food Policy

conference speakers

2018 – Winner: Jessica Kolopenuk

PhD Candidate, Faculty of Native Studies, University of Alberta

Topic: An Indigenous Approach to Canada’s National Missing Persons DNA Program

conference plaque presentation

2017 – Winner: Sierra Clark

MSc Candidate, Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University

Topic: Residential Woodburning in Canada: Health and Climate Effects and Intervention Strategies

conference speakers

2016 – Winner: Amani Saini

Master of Public Administration, Dalhousie University and Bachelor’s of Political Science, University of British Columbia

Topic: Using Genetic Tests to Prevent Adverse Drug Reactions

This award recognizes a young individual (student, postdoctoral fellow, researcher, entrepreneur, etc.) under the age of 35 who proposes an innovative and compelling evidence-based policy that will make a positive difference to Canadians. This award is designed not only to highlight innovative, evidence-driven policy ideas by policy students and young professionals, but also to encourage young people not currently studying, or working on, public policy to share their policy ideas.

Eligible recipients include all young Canadian residents under 35, regardless of their field of study or work.

A headshot of an indian woman with long hair and a purple shirt

2021 – Winner: Shaarika Sarasija

Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Ottawa

Topic: Step up: Finding respite care for persons living with dementia among students of Canadian health professions

Runners up:

  • Taylor Reidlinger – A Call to Modernize Canadian Fisheries Policy: for Better Community Well-being, Food Security, Climate Resilience, and Economic Prosperity
  • Hannah Rahim – The need for community-driven phenomenological research to address the suicide crisis among Indigenous peoples in Canada
A picture of a white woman holding a trophy

2020 – Winner: Hannah Harrison

Postdoctoral Scholar, Department of Geography, Environment & Geomatics, University of Guelph

Topic: Improving seafood direct-marketing for Canadian economic resilience and food security

award presentation

2019 – Winner: Emily De Sousa

Graduate, Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, University of Guelph

Topic: Eliminating Seafood Fraud: A Fishy Approach to Food Policy

conference speakers

2018 – Winner: Jessica Kolopenuk

PhD Candidate, Faculty of Native Studies, University of Alberta

Topic: An Indigenous Approach to Canada’s National Missing Persons DNA Program

conference plaque presentation

2017 – Winner: Sierra Clark

MSc Candidate, Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University

Topic: Residential Woodburning in Canada: Health and Climate Effects and Intervention Strategies

conference speakers

2016 – Winner: Amani Saini

Master of Public Administration, Dalhousie University and Bachelor’s of Political Science, University of British Columbia

Topic: Using Genetic Tests to Prevent Adverse Drug Reactions