Dr. Bernadette Resurrección, Professor and Queen’s National Scholar in Development in Practice, is a staunch advocate for deep and meaningful engagement with development institutions and decision-makers, particularly in spaces where academic knowledge and policy are bridged.
In early October, Dr. Resurrección participated in an expert group meeting (EGM) hosted by UN-Women. Held virtually, the EGM brought together leading feminist researchers, UN-Women personnel, and other experts.
Discussions centred around the structure and content of the forthcoming flagship report, Progress of the World’s Women 2026, which focuses on “Gender Equality in the Age of Climate Crisis” with four themes: the impact of climate change; adaptation and resilience; migration pathways; and climate finance. Dr. Resurrección discussed “Gender-Transformative Adaptation" and whether it is a useful frame.
Also in October, Dr. Resurrección chaired a panel at the Canadian Council of Southeast Asian Studies (CCSEAS) Conference at the University of Victoria, BC. The panel, “Arts-based approaches in the study of resilience and resistance in Southeast Asia (SEA),” discussed arts-based approaches to environmental justice that “offer a comprehensive view of the benefits of using arts as storytelling and analysis methods in studying resistance and empowerment.”
In November, Dr. Resurrección joined a high-level panel discussion organized by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) in collaboration with the Senate of Canada in Ottawa. This event brought together experts, including parliamentarians, diplomatic representatives from Asia, and other key stakeholders, to discuss the importance of research-driven development in the Indo-Pacific.
Dr. Resurrección discussed some findings from the AQUA ADAPT-Nature project andargued that “Co-developing solutions with aquafarmers in Thailand and Vietnam are improving livelihoodsempowering small farmers on their own terms, and informing policy. This is what sustainable, ethical, inclusive development looks like in practice.”
Finally, in December, Dr. Resurrección returned to the IDRC in Ottawa for its annual public event, “Paving the Road to the Future: Ingenuity, Innovation, and Impact.” As part of the event’s panel discussion, Dr. Resurrección addressed questions around research impact.
Together, these engagements highlight Dr. Resurrección’s ongoing commitment to shaping critical development practices that are collaborative, inclusive, and grounded in real-world impact.