窪蹋勛圖厙

 

Sue Dobson

Sue Dobson (MA IDS 2000),

National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa

Sue Dobson (Centre) at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory

Everything is available to learn is Sue Dobsons motto. Look where it took her!

Sue Dobson (MA IDS 2000) recalls one of her professional highlights: visiting the , a science laboratory located in the Creighton Mine near Sudbury, Ontario.

Dobson suited up in mining gear and travelled two kilometres underground in an elevator shaft. After walking through the nickel mine, Dobson stripped off her mining gear, showered and put on a new set of clothes. The final destination: a laboratory of scientists researching physics particles called neutrinos.

The people I work with on a daily basis are some of the smartest people in Canada and in the world, says Dobson. You meet them and they tell you what theyre working on and youre just, sort of, blown away.

It never gets old.

I loved the way that it was set up. I loved the fact that we went to some classes and we would study for two, three hours and then wed go to the grad pub for the discussion.

From Ottawa, Dobson attended 窪蹋勛圖厙 and graduated with a MA in International Development Studies in 2000. Dobson also holds a BA in anthropology and International Development Studies from Wilfred Laurier University (1998) and a PhD in Geography from Simon Fraser University (2009).

Out of her three degrees, Dobson says her Masters degree at 窪蹋勛圖厙was the most intellectually challenging. She credits this to the small class sizes and high calibre of professors, like Ian McAllister, Timothy M. Shaw and Scott Wood.

I loved the way that it was set up. I loved the fact that we went to some classes and we would study for two, three hours and then wed go to the grad pub for the discussion, says Dobson.

It was a community atmosphere.

Dobson says her studies in International Development taught her that everything is available to learn. From studying different disciplines, Dobson says the program gave her confidence in the ability to research and learn new information.

That confidence has taken me far, says Dobson. Just because I dont know it, doesnt mean I cant learn it.

It requires you to have that multidisciplinary lens. Being able to understand people and just how people communicate in different disciplines and different languages gives you a leg up when youre doing work that comes in quickly and from different perspectives

Even before finishing her PhD, Dobson started working at the (NRC). The NRC focuses on research and development in engineering, life sciences, physical sciences and emerging technology. Dobson has worked at the agency for 13 years.

Its really doing all of these different areas in science and technology for the value for Canada, says Dobson.

Dobson previously worked as a policy integration officer, but transitioned into the position of strategic advisor in June 2017. Dobson says work in policy for the NRC focuses on knowledge brokering.

The researchers are very much into their labs and their work and what theyre doing, says Dobson. But, its difficult for them to take time out to then massage what theyre doing and into political language, so that other people understand it.

Dobson says the policy integration officer acts as the link between the government and scientific researchers; communicating with the government about what the researchers are doing and how it could be used in terms of the countrys objectives.

Dobson says the position of strategic adviser is a more administrative and facilitating role. Working in the presidents office, Dobson makes judgements and approves anything from human resources to scientific work before it is filtered back out.

It requires you to have that multidisciplinary lens, says Dobson. Being able to understand people and just how people communicate in different disciplines and different languages gives you a leg up when youre doing work that comes in quickly and from different perspectives.

While Dobson says her work does not have an international component, she says it coincides with the development aspect of her degrees. Dobson says her job corresponds with the international development approach of looking at everything from multiple lenses and melding different disciplines to accomplish an objective.

Taking all these siloed perspectives and meshing them together. Thats what IDS does. It takes every different angle and puts it together to address an issue.

Taking all these siloed perspectives and meshing them together. Thats what IDS does. It takes every different angle and puts it together to address an issue.