The Brian Mulroney Institute of Government at StFX is pleased to announce the addition of two new research chairs at the Institute, Dr. Rebecca Wallace, the Mila Mulroney Research Chair in Women, Policy, and Governance Leadership, and Dr. Dave Risk, Brian Mulroney Institute Research Chair in Climate Science and Policy.
“On behalf of the Brian Mulroney Institute of Government, I would like to welcome Dr. Dave Risk as our first Brian Mulroney Institute Research Chair in Climate Science and Policy, and Dr. Rebecca Wallace as our second appointee (in addition to Dr. Bailey Gerrits) as Mila Mulroney Research Chair in Women, Policy, and Governance Leadership,” says Dr. Richard Isnor, Associate Vice President, Research, Graduate and Professional Studies and Interim Director, Brian Mulroney Institute of Government.
“These two new research chair appointments will strengthen and diversify the internal research efforts of the Institute. The research work of both Dr. Risk and Dr. Wallace has profound implications for policy impact,” he says. “Their appointment as Institute Research Chairs reinforces the work of the Institute on environmental policy and policy related to women’s leadership in governance and public service. We are excited to have both of these exceptional scholars involved in Brian Mulroney Institute activities and look forward to communicating the impacts of their work via the Institute.”
At the event, Dr. Isnor also passed along personal remarks and congratulations to the new chairs from the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, Canada’s 18th Prime Minister.
During remarks, Dr. Wallace expressed her sincere gratitude for the opportunity to continue advancing her research agenda on issues related to gender equality in the Brian Mulroney Institute of Government. “It is a terrific honour to be named as a Mila Mulroney Research Chair, and I will work heartily to honour the Mulroney family in the years to come. StFX continues to offer high-quality research supports and a collegial environment for collaborative work with some of the best and brightest in public policy. I am immensely grateful to my colleagues in the Office of Research Services and the Departments of Political Science and Public Policy and Governance for their continued support and mentorship here at X. It is a privilege and a joy to work at StFX and in the Antigonish community.”
Dr. Risk echoed these sentiments as he shared a bit of background on his work as well as the StFX Flub Lab, which he leads. The lab numbers almost 30 students and professional researchers and his group uniquely works with government, industry and NGOs. From his early university days, Dr. Risk says he was always grounded in the belief that science is for society. He said he is very much looking forward to working within the Brian Mulroney Institute of Government on issues related to climate science and policy, and to collaborating with colleagues.
Dr. Rebecca Wallace
Dr. Rebecca Wallace is Mila Mulroney Research Chair in Women, Policy, and Governance Leadership in the Brian Mulroney Institute of Government, and an assistant professor in the Departments of Political Science and Public Policy and Governance at St. Francis Xavier University. She received her PhD from Queen’s University for her research on the news framing of and attitudes toward social assistance recipients in Canada. Her primary research interests include Canadian social policy, political behaviour, and political communication, with a focus on women, gender, and diversity. Prior to starting at StFX, Dr. Wallace was the John A. Sproul Research Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, and held postdoctoral research fellowships at the University of Toronto and Ryerson University. She was previously a doctoral fellow at the Institute of Intergovernmental Relations and held a Joseph-Armand Bombardier CGS Doctoral Fellowship from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council from 2016-2019. Her work has been published in the Canadian Journal of Political Science; Political Studies; Politics and Gender; Politics, Groups, and Identities; the Journal of Women, Politics, and Policy; and more. Dr. Wallace is currently the Primary Investigator on a project exploring women’s exits from political officeholding, entitled “A Leaky Pipeline? Examining Women’s Retention in and Exits from Political Officeholding in Canada.” The project, co-investigated with Elizabeth Goodyear-Grant, is funded by a SSHRC Insight Development Grant.
Dr. Dave Risk
Dr. Dave Risk, the Brian Mulroney Institute of Government Research Chair in Climate Science and Policy, is a specialist in gas emissions measurement and data processing techniques, to quantify emissions in natural and industrial settings. Dr. Risk’s Flux Lab team at StFX numbers almost 30 students and professional researchers. Dr. Risk is a prominent figure in the field of environmental science, research, regulation, and policy. His research focuses on developing innovative sensing technologies to monitor greenhouse gases, track environmental changes, and to understand the impact of industrial activities. He is also involved in developing data analysis techniques and mathematical models to interpret the large datasets generated by his sensor networks and provide insights into environmental patterns and trends. He has collaborated with researchers, government agencies, and organizations to address environmental issues and advance the field of environmental monitoring. His research group has been involved in ecological gas measurement projects from pole to pole, monitoring design for geological carbon dioxide storage sites. In recent years, most of his work has focused on quantifying methane emissions from Canadian industry. Dr. Risk is also known for his efforts in promoting environmental science education and outreach. He is called on frequently to advise governments, regulators, and industry associations. He has contributed to a significant number of research papers, conference presentations, and publications in peer-reviewed journals. His work has contributed to the advancement of environmental monitoring techniques and mitigation of methane in industry, and helps policymakers, regulators, and industry better understand and manage greenhouse gas emissions. Dr. Risk is co-founder of two successful Canadian-based companies, Arolytics, and Eosense.
