The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests. – United Nations
UN Sustainable Development Goals
Goal 1: No Poverty
Dr. Kyly Whitfield, Applied Human Nutrition
Dr. Kyly Whitfield’s research program focusses on maternal and infant feeding and nutrition during the first 1,000 days, a critical period of growth and development, and window of opportunity where interventions can have lifelong impacts on health. A major focus of her research program is identifying culturally appropriate public health interventions to combat micronutrient deficiencies in low-resource settings. Another focus is studying infant feeding behaviours, and the potential long-term effects of early feeding on eating patterns and health later in life. You can learn more about Dr. Whitfield’s research and the Milk and Micronutrient Assessment Lab (MAMA Lab) at www.mamalab.ca.
Dr. James Sawler, Department of Economics
One line of Dr. Sawler’s research examines how households with low incomes respond to unexpected financial shocks under various types of credit access. The broader objective of this work is to improve regulations that protect the poor from predatory lenders. Thus, this work supports goals 1 (reducing poverty) and 10 (reducing inequality). Another line of Dr. Sawler’s research is directed towards understanding the formation of market power and improving its control. This work supports goals 9 (promoting inclusive industrialization) and 10 (reducing inequality).
Goal 2: Zero Hunger
Dr. Kyly Whitfield, Applied Human Nutrition
Dr. Kyly Whitfield’s research program focusses on maternal and infant feeding and nutrition during the first 1,000 days, a critical period of growth and development, and window of opportunity where interventions can have lifelong impacts on health. A major focus of her research program is identifying culturally appropriate public health interventions to combat micronutrient deficiencies in low-resource settings. Another focus is studying infant feeding behaviours, and the potential long-term effects of early feeding on eating patterns and health later in life. You can learn more about Dr. Whitfield’s research and the Milk and Micronutrient Assessment Lab (MAMA Lab) at www.mamalab.ca.
Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being
Dr. Derek Fisher, Psychology
Dr. Kyly Whitfield, Applied Human Nutrition
Dr. Kyly Whitfield’s research program focusses on maternal and infant feeding and nutrition during the first 1,000 days, a critical period of growth and development, and window of opportunity where interventions can have lifelong impacts on health. A major focus of her research program is identifying culturally appropriate public health interventions to combat micronutrient deficiencies in low-resource settings. Another focus is studying infant feeding behaviours, and the potential long-term effects of early feeding on eating patterns and health later in life. You can learn more about Dr. Whitfield’s research and the Milk and Micronutrient Assessment Lab (MAMA Lab) at www.mamalab.ca.
Dr. Phillip Joy, Applied Human Nutrition
Dr. Joy’s work seeks to improve health, wellbeing, and equality for gender diverse groups, such as LGBTQ individuals through community action, reducing stigma, and creating knowledge and discourse on these topics.
Dr. Tamara Franz-Odendaal, Biology
Dr. Maya Eichler, Political and Canadian Studies and Women’s Studies
Dr. Maya’s Eichler’s research examines the health and wellbeing of Canadian military members and Veterans through an intersectional feminist lens, and with a particular focus on health and wellbeing during the transition from military to civilian life. Her research is also concerned with the health and wellbeing of survivors of military sexual trauma, and their access to supports and benefits.
Dr. Zachary Zimmer, Department of Family Studies and Gerontology
Dr. Zachary Zimmer directs the Global Aging Community Initiative at Mount Saint Vincent University in Canada. His research broadly focuses on global issues related to the health and general well-being of older persons, studied from a demographic perspective. His many projects have examined a range of issues of importance to global aging and health including the impact of demographic change, life and health expectancy, disablement, functioning and pain, health disparities, intergenerational relations, and impacts of harsh living condition on the aging experience. He currently oversees an international collaborative project which seeks to uncover long-term impacts of war, conflict and related trauma on health and aging among older Vietnamese in Vietnam. For more information about Dr. Zimmer’s current projects see the website: www.globalagingandcommunity.com.
Dr. Jennifer Khoury, Department of Psychology
Dr. Khoury’s research program seeks to understand the neurobiological and psychosocial factors that contribute to the health and wellbeing of children and parents. A primary goal of her research is to understand how early life stress and adversity, within the parent-child dyad, influence the development of child stress regulation, emotion regulation, and mental health problems. This research adopts an interdisciplinary approach and uses longitudinal research methods, which span from the prenatal period into later childhood, to understand risk and protective factors at different stages of child development.
Linda Mann, Applied Human Nutrition
Linda Mann has long been engaged in teaching, research and service associated with this goal throughout the lifecycle. Starting with menu planning, then the development and evaluation of food and nutrition standards in child care settings, her focus is now on responsive feeding of infants and young children in child care and home settings including the importance of reciprocal relationships between the settings. Carrying this further, she has researched and worked with organizational wellness programs, and explored the impacts of responsive parenting on current health behaviours of young adults that suggested relevant interventions to promote health. Recent work to explore the food and nutrition care of people living in continuing care facilities has highlighted a need for action to secure more funding and support.
Dr. Christine McLean, Department of Child and Youth Study
Dr. McLean’s research is in the area of early childhood education (ECE). Specifically, she is interested in reflective practice, pedagogical documentation, the role of play during the early years and the impact and implementation of early learning curriculum frameworks in early learning and child care settings. These research areas underscore the vital role of early childhood educators in supporting the well-being of children and their families within the context of a high-quality system of early learning and child care.
Dr. Áine Humble, Department of Family Studies and Gerontology
Dr. Áine Humble’s research focuses on the health and well-being of individuals who identify as LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) and healthy aging for women in mid- to later-life. Her projects have examined issues related to LGBTQ individuals and end-of-life care and housing. She has supervised graduate student thesis topics on (a) older women’s use of Botox, and (b) the health and well-being of older immigrant Punjabi women. Dr. Humble’s research is primarily qualitative in design, and she is also interested in how scholars carry out their qualitative research. In 2019, she co-edited a book called “How qualitative analysis happens: Moving beyond ‘themes emerged’.”
Dr. Christine Lackner, Department of Psychology
Dr. Christine Lackner’s research focuses on the impact of adverse childhood experiences on social, emotional, cognitive and neurological processes in emerging and early adulthood using questionnaire and electrophysiological (brain wave) methods. Higher numbers of adverse childhood experiences are associated with higher levels of mental health difficulties and poor physical health across the lifespan. Our research has shown altered electrophysiology in those with higher levels of adverse childhood experiences. Gaining a fuller understanding of these alterations may help develop targeted interventions for those with ill social, emotional, physical or cognitive health following adverse childhood experiences.
Goal 4: Quality Education
Dr. Tamara Franz-Odendaal, Biology
Dr. Gabrielle Durepos, Department of Business and Tourism
Dr. Durepos’ research is in critical organizational history, a branch of which looks at the history of management education and management thought to unearth which ideas disperse and which are suppressed and why. Ideas intended to promote the profit imperative at any cost are exposed. Students are taught the importance of becoming reflexive live long learners as well as developing historical conscientiousness.
Dr. Christine McLean, Department of Child and Youth Study
Dr. McLean’s research is in the area of early childhood education (ECE). Specifically, she is interested in reflective practice, pedagogical documentation, the role of play during the early years and the impact and implementation of early learning curriculum frameworks in early learning and child care settings. These research areas underscore the vital role of early childhood educators in supporting the well-being of children and their families within the context of a high-quality system of early learning and child care.
Goal 5: Gender Equality
Dr. Derek Fisher, Psychology
Dr. Phillip Joy, Applied Human Nutrition
Dr. Joy’s work seeks to improve health, wellbeing, and equality for gender diverse groups, such as LGBTQ individuals through community action, reducing stigma, and creating knowledge and discourse on these topics.
Dr. Tamara Franz-Odendaal, Biology
Dr. Maya Eichler, Political and Canadian Studies and Women’s Studies
Dr. Maya Eichler’s research investigates the role of the military within the broader societal gender order. Militaries are one of the key institutions reproducing gender inequality and therefore are key institutions to address to improve gender equality and equitable outcomes for women.
Dr. Gabrielle Durepos, Department of Business and Tourism
Dr. Durepos’ work on the ‘silences of the archives’ looks at the many ways that women and femininity have been suppressed from the business archive and consequently, also missing from business history. Dr. Durepos challenges the silences of the archive by exposing it and encouraging business historians to consider other sources (oral histories, personal diaries) when writing up business history. In writing business history that includes women and considers femininity, the highly masculine nature of business and capitalism can potentially change.
Dr. Áine Humble, Department of Family Studies and Gerontology
Dr. Áine Humble’s research focuses on the health and well-being of individuals who identify as LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) and healthy aging for women in mid- to later-life. Her projects have examined issues related to LGBTQ individuals and end-of-life care and housing. She has supervised graduate student thesis topics on (a) older women’s use of Botox, and (b) the health and well-being of older immigrant Punjabi women. Dr. Humble’s research is primarily qualitative in design, and she is also interested in how scholars carry out their qualitative research. In 2019, she co-edited a book called “How qualitative analysis happens: Moving beyond ‘themes emerged’.”
Dr. Tammy Findlay, Departments of Political and Canadian Studies
Dr. Findlay’s work focuses on gender equality and public policy with a specific emphasis on social policy, child care policy, and gender-based and intersectional policy-making. Projects include: Child Care and Intersectionality; Changing Public Services: Women and Intersectional Analysis; and Gender and Child Care Governance in Canada. Dr. Findlay has a co-authored book, with Jacquetta Newman and Linda A. White, Women, Politics and Public Policy: The Political Struggles of Canadian Women, 3rd Ed., Oxford University Press. 2020.
Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
Coming soon
Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
Coming soon
Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
Dr. Gabrielle Durepos, Department of Business and Tourism
Dr. Durepos studies organizations historically (their development over time) to outline the types of work and work ethics that are promoted and those that are suppressed. In focusing on inequities, unsafe workplace practices and processes of marginalization, Dr. Durepos’ research contributes to promoting decent work and workspaces.
Dr. James Sawler, Department of Economics
One line of Dr. Sawler’s research examines how households with low incomes respond to unexpected financial shocks under various types of credit access. The broader objective of this work is to improve regulations that protect the poor from predatory lenders. Thus, this work supports goals 1 (reducing poverty) and 10 (reducing inequality). Another line of Dr. Sawler’s research is directed towards understanding the formation of market power and improving its control. This work supports goals 9 (promoting inclusive industrialization) and 10 (reducing inequality).
Dr. Amos Nkrumah, Departments of Sociology & Anthropology
Entrepreneurship is one of the avenues that improve immigrants’ economic and social well-being of African descent in Canada. Immigrant entrepreneurs contribute significantly to Canadian economic growth by investing and creating decent jobs for people. Immigrant entrepreneurship provides economic empowerment to immigrants thus, reduces economic and racial inequalities. For immigrant entrepreneurs to thrive and achieve their full potential in Canada, issues such as access to loans and credit facilities, lack of institutional support, and systemic racism need to be addressed.
Lists of Dr. Nkrumah’s research projects:
1)Immigrant Entrepreneurship in the Canadian Prairies
Nkrumah, A. (2018). Immigrants’ Transnational Entrepreneurial Activities: The Case of Ghanaian
Immigrants in Canada, Journal of International Migration and Integration, 19:195 211. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-017-0535-z
Nkrumah, A. (2021). Covert racism: the case of Ghanaian immigrant entrepreneurs in three Canadian Prairie
Provinces, Canadian Journal of African Studies / Revue canadienne des études africaines, DOI: 10.1080/00083968.2021.1899949, https://doi.org/10.1080/00083968.2021.1899949.
2)Black Entrepreneurship in the Atlantic Canada
Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
Dr. James Sawler, Department of Economics
One line of Dr. Sawler’s research examines how households with low incomes respond to unexpected financial shocks under various types of credit access. The broader objective of this work is to improve regulations that protect the poor from predatory lenders. Thus, this work supports goals 1 (reducing poverty) and 10 (reducing inequality). Another line of Dr. Sawler’s research is directed towards understanding the formation of market power and improving its control. This work supports goals 9 (promoting inclusive industrialization) and 10 (reducing inequality).
Goal 10: Reducing Inequality
Dr. Phillip Joy, Applied Human Nutrition
Dr. Joy’s work seeks to improve health, wellbeing, and equality for gender diverse groups, such as LGBTQ individuals through community action, reducing stigma, and creating knowledge and discourse on these topics.
Dr. Tamara Franz-Odendaal, Biology
Dr. James Sawler, Department of Economics
One line of Dr. Sawler’s research examines how households with low incomes respond to unexpected financial shocks under various types of credit access. The broader objective of this work is to improve regulations that protect the poor from predatory lenders. Thus, this work supports goals 1 (reducing poverty) and 10 (reducing inequality). Another line of Dr. Sawler’s research is directed towards understanding the formation of market power and improving its control. This work supports goals 9 (promoting inclusive industrialization) and 10 (reducing inequality).
Dr. Áine Humble, Department of Family Studies and Gerontology
Dr. Áine Humble’s research focuses on the health and well-being of individuals who identify as LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) and healthy aging for women in mid- to later-life. Her projects have examined issues related to LGBTQ individuals and end-of-life care and housing. She has supervised graduate student thesis topics on (a) older women’s use of Botox, and (b) the health and well-being of older immigrant Punjabi women. Dr. Humble’s research is primarily qualitative in design, and she is also interested in how scholars carry out their qualitative research. In 2019, she co-edited a book called “How qualitative analysis happens: Moving beyond ‘themes emerged’.”
Dr. Amos Nkrumah, Departments of Sociology & Anthropology
Entrepreneurship is one of the avenues that improve immigrants’ economic and social well-being of African descent in Canada. Immigrant entrepreneurs contribute significantly to Canadian economic growth by investing and creating decent jobs for people. Immigrant entrepreneurship provides economic empowerment to immigrants thus, reduces economic and racial inequalities. For immigrant entrepreneurs to thrive and achieve their full potential in Canada, issues such as access to loans and credit facilities, lack of institutional support, and systemic racism need to be addressed.
Lists of Dr. Nkrumah’s research projects:
1)Immigrant Entrepreneurship in the Canadian Prairies
Nkrumah, A. (2018). Immigrants’ Transnational Entrepreneurial Activities: The Case of Ghanaian
Immigrants in Canada, Journal of International Migration and Integration, 19:195 211. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-017-0535-z
Nkrumah, A. (2021). Covert racism: the case of Ghanaian immigrant entrepreneurs in three Canadian Prairie
Provinces, Canadian Journal of African Studies / Revue canadienne des études africaines, DOI: 10.1080/00083968.2021.1899949, https://doi.org/10.1080/00083968.2021.1899949.
2)Black Entrepreneurship in the Atlantic Canada
Dr. Tammy Findlay, Departments of Political and Canadian Studies
Dr. Findlay’s community-engaged scholarship, with organizations such as with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Nova Scotia (CCPA-NS), and the Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women (CRIAW), is aimed at reducing inequality and advancing social justice. Projects include: The Alternative Provincial Budget and the Nova Scotia Social Policy Framework with the CCPA-NS, and an international collaboration with Australian researchers, the Kids in Communities Study (KiCS).
Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Coming soon
Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Coming soon
Goal 13: Climate Action
Dr. Gavin Kernaghan, Biology
Goal 14: Life Below Water
Coming soon
Goal 15: Life on Land
Dr. Gavin Kernaghan, Biology
Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
Dr. Maya Eichler, Political and Canadian Studies and Women’s Studies
Dr. Maya Eichler’s research addresses the need for reforming military and security forces to make them more inclusive and accountable institutions that reflect broader societal values. Her research is set in the context of the UN’s Women, Peace and Security Agenda that calls for the gender mainstreaming of policy and practice in peace, conflict, and post-conflict settings.
Dr. Zachary Zimmer, Department of Family Studies and Gerontology
Dr. Zachary Zimmer directs the Global Aging Community Initiative at Mount Saint Vincent University in Canada. His research broadly focuses on global issues related to the health and general well-being of older persons, studied from a demographic perspective. His many projects have examined a range of issues of importance to global aging and health including the impact of demographic change, life and health expectancy, disablement, functioning and pain, health disparities, intergenerational relations, and impacts of harsh living condition on the aging experience. He currently oversees an international collaborative project which seeks to uncover long-term impacts of war, conflict and related trauma on health and aging among older Vietnamese in Vietnam. For more information about Dr. Zimmer’s current projects see the website: www.globalagingandcommunity.com.
Dr. Tammy Findlay, Departments of Political and Canadian Studies
Dr. Findlay explores themes of democratic and multi-level governance, community engagement and participatory policy-making, women’s representation, and state feminism. Projects include: Femocratic Administration; Child Care and Public Reporting; and Changing Public Engagement from the Ground Up. Dr. Findlay is the author of the book, Femocratic Administration: Gender, Governance and Democracy in Ontario. University of Toronto Press. 2015.
Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Coming soon