With the summer term now underway, the Max Bell School of Public Policy is preparing to graduate its inaugural cohort of Master of Public Policy students. This year, the School is thrilled to announce the launch of the Max Bell Policy Scholars program, a prestigious opportunity for three exceptional members of the Class of 2020 to spend six months working at a prominent Canadian think tank.
“With the launch of our MPP program and the arrival of our inaugural cohort, we knew providing impactful career opportunities was essential for both the success of our program and the career trajectory of our MPP students," said Chris Ragan, Director of the Max Bell School of Public Policy.
The introduction of this new program will be a vital step in engaging with real-life, policy-centric opportunities. As Catherine Stace, the Max Bell School Career Services Manager, and a lead organiser of this program, says,
"The Max Bell School MPP students are coming out of an intensive degree that is reflective of the real world. Having the opportunity to work on issues of vital importance at a prominent organization recognizes their academic achievements while also providing them a launch pad for their career."
The Policy Scholars program is funded through a significant philanthropic grant from the Max Bell Foundation.
"Thanks to the support of the Max Bell Foundation, the Policy Scholars program allows our students to work within leading policy organizations and apply their newly acquired skills directly. Our partners this year are all high-calibre organizations working on important issues. I am confident the students selected will deliver excellent work during their term and the experience will prove valuable for their policy careers," concludes Ragan.
The Max Bell School is proud to present its first ever selection of Policy Scholars:
Max Bell Policy Scholars 2020
Sumaiya Kabir Talukder
Policy Scholar at the Canada West Foundation
The Calgary-based Canada West Foundation will be welcoming Sumaiya Kabir Talukder to conduct research on the clean energy innovation ecosystem — analyzing its current performance and generating recommendations on how the system can be optimized.
Paisley Sim
Policy Scholar at the Institute for Research on Public Policy
Paisley Sim will be joining the Institute for Research on Public Policy in the organization’s newly-launched Centre of Excellence on the Canadian Federation, working under the Centre’s Executive Director, Charles Breton. Her research mandate will include review and analysis of various issues that relate to federalism — from equalization, to Indigenous governance, to regional macroeconomic trends.
Momanyi Mokaya
Policy Scholar at the C.D. Howe Institute
MPP class of 2020 student Momanyi Mokaya will be joining the C.D. Howe Institute to undertake general policy research, in addition to a special project related to one of three subject areas: environment, health & wellness, or education. Further, his work will be conducted under two global thematic lenses: the well-being of Indigenous people and the impacts of new technologies.
Congratulations goes out to this year's Policy Scholars, who will apply their expertise to the work of these leading think tanks, engage with a wider network of innovative policy leaders, and gain invaluable practical experience with the intricacies of policy development.
