Graduate student researchers from across Queen's are coming together to explore some of the world's most complex sustainability challenges through a new roundtable series. 

At the first Queen’s Graduate Roundtables on Global Challenges (QROCs) session, held earlier this fall, four graduate researchers drew on their experiences and expertise to discuss the environmental, social, and governance dimensions of water sustainability. With perspectives from Global Development Studies, Kinesiology and Health Studies, Education, and Biology, they explored a central question: How can we safeguard water resources on a changing planet?

"The session was a great platform to share my research and to learn how researchers trained in different disciplines are tackling water challenges that are context-specific but share important commonalities," says Nodir Ataev, a graduate student in Global Development Studies. "It’s always refreshing to hear about others’ work and to be pushed to think about issues I haven’t necessarily focused on. If there was one point of clear agreement, it was that complex challenges demand complex, multidisciplinary approaches."

The discussion was the first of a five-part series connecting graduate research with global sustainability priorities. Hosted by Marcus Taylor, Special Advisor to the Principal on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in collaboration with the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (SGSPA), each roundtable explores a different challenge through the perspectives of four graduate researchers.

Water made for a natural starting point for the series. Located at the eastern end of the Great Lakes and at the head of the St. Lawrence River, with approximately 21 per cent of the world's surface fresh water eventually flowing past campus, Kingston offers unique opportunities to learn, research, and engage with water.

That connection is reflected in the university's Blue Universities membership, an international movement of post-secondary institutions committed to sustainable water stewardship. The discussion explored themes central to Queen's Blue University commitments, including the human right to water and the importance of publicly owned water and wastewater services. The roundtable itself also advanced the university's commitment to fostering interdisciplinary teaching, research, and engagement on water and sanitation issues.

"The roundtable series showcases the depth and diversity of graduate student research at Queen’s, from water security to energy transitions and more," says Dr. Taylor. "These conversations help students share how their research connects to the sustainable development goals through real-world contexts."

The roundtable series supports Queen's commitment to embedding the SDGs throughout research, teaching, and community engagement, as outlined in the university’s Sustainable Development Goals Framework.

The next session, on November 18 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in Gordon Hall 302, focuses on the social and infrastructural dimensions of promoting equitable urban sustainability. The series will continue throughout the academic year, and all sessions are free to attend. 

Details about upcoming events and a recording of the water discussion are available on the QROCs website.