The Geoffrey F. Bruce Fellowship in Canadian Freshwater Policy 2022 recipients

Kristin Palilionis is a master’s candidate co-supervised by Dr. Carolyn Johns (Ryerson University) and Dr. Julia Baird (Brock University). She is completing a master’s of sustainability at Brock University and currently working as a research assistant with Dr. Johns and Dr. Baird focused on sustainable irrigation water governance in the Niagara Region. Water plays a central role in the Niagara Region for many sectors including agriculture, horticulture, viticulture, tourism, recreation, shipping, energy and many other industries. Kristin’s research focuses on a comprehensive review and evaluation of regional water and environmental policies using a set of resilience principles to assess the current state of water policies in the region and make recommendations to regional policymakers and policymakers in Ontario and Canada related to regional approaches to next generation, climate-based freshwater policies. Kristin completed her bachelor of environmental science at the University of Ottawa after completing a year of studies in the bachelor of science and environmental policy program at the University of Tulsa, Oklahoma while on an athletic scholarship for rowing.  She worked for two years at the Invasive Species Centre in Ontario as a policy and program coordinator and for three summers as an environmental technician with McIntosh Perry Consulting Engineers in Kingston, Ontario. Through the support of the Bruce Fellowship, Kristin will be able to focus on her research in collaboration with freshwater policy experts and gain access to invaluable professional networks that will prove beneficial to completing her master’s research project and achieving her career aspirations. Upon graduating, Kristin aspires to be working in the field of environmental sustainability in Canada with a focus on water.

Lana Marcy is a master’s candidate in the master’s of urban development program at Ryerson University. Her research focuses on policies that stimulate and support private sector leadership and engagement in water, stormwater and green infrastructure innovation.  Lana completed her undergraduate degree in environmental studies and business at the University of Waterloo. She has relevant employment experience as a sustainability services consultant with the consulting firm CD Souter, as a health and environment associate at Apotex Inc. and before coming to Ryerson was employed at the City of Richmond Hill as a project manager leading the development and implementation of the City’s Waste Contractor Performance Management Plan related to environmental public-private partnerships. Lana’s water policy research project is supervised by Dr. Christopher De Sousa from Ryerson’s School of Urban and Regional Planning. Lana hopes her research related to private sector engagement and innovation in green infrastructure related to freshwater will result in recommendations for private sector developers and urban planners on how to focus on freshwater in their planning and development decisions. Being a Bruce Fellow is allowing her to focus her research on the interface of development, sustainability, resiliency and freshwater resources. Lana hopes to become an urban planner that advocates for environmental and freshwater protection in urban development design, projects and policies.