The Faculty of Public Affairs (FPA) third annual research month concluded March 24 with a panel discussion about Canada’s role in conflicts abroad, led by a former UN ambassador.
The panel was hosted by FPA Dean Andre Plourde, and was the final event in a month of discussions and events meant to shed light on research done within the faculty. The event featured a keynote address by Paul Heinbecker, a former UN ambassador and Security Council member.
Plourde said the research month has been a huge success for students and faculty alike.
“2015 research month was I think a huge success this year, but of course you’d expect me to say that since it’s my office that puts much of this together,” Plourde said, laughing. “We’ve had everything from entirely student focused to community involved sessions, to research-only sessions to speaking engagements like this, so it’s been great fun.”
Cassie Hodgins, the FPA events and outreach co-ordinator, agreed with Ploude’s sentiments.
“It was really well done. We had almost 1,600 people come out to the various events, and we reached out to a lot of people,” Hodgins said. “It’s been a great experience.”
Heinbecker, an outspoken opponent of Canada’s involvement in Iraq, talked about the various ways Canada’s foreign involvement has either succeeded or failed in recent history, specifically addressing ISIS. The discussion was especially timely, as Prime Minister Stephen Harper presented a motion in the House of Commons that morning to expand Canada’s mission against ISIS to include Syria.
Other faculty members later joined Heinbecker for a panel discussion and questions from the audience.
Hodgins said the goal of research month was to showcase the research being done by FPA faculty members, and how it affects society in tangible ways.
“A lot of the time when people think about research, they think about science and a microscope and not necessarily things that impact on your daily life and society,” Hodgins said. “That’s kind of where we come in. Instead of doing all these events one-off we put them under that umbrella and call it research month.”
Anaïs Voski, a third-year journalism and political science student, said she was pleased with the breadth and depth of this year’s research month events.
“I think it’s great that they organized this research event for the faculty of public affairs, they have had very interesting,” Voski said. “It brings perspectives to think about to the listener that sometimes we don’t have time for in class, and that’s great.”
