Great Lakes specialist recruited to lead new public policy centre
[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Krantzberg.jpg” caption=”Gail Krantzberg “]One of North America's foremost experts on the Great Lakes ecosystem and environmental sustainability has been appointed director of the new Centre for Engineering and Public Policy established at McMaster University in partnership with Dofasco.
Gail Krantzberg joins the University from the Great Lakes Regional Office of the International Joint Commission (IJC) where she has been director for the past four years. A key mandate of her new position is the launch of a Master's of Engineering and Public Policy degree program, the first of its kind in Canada. The program is designed to provide graduate students with an advanced understanding of the public policy process and its relationship to technological, social and ecological systems. It is open to both working professionals and recent graduates with a degree in engineering or science.
“Gail brings the combination of abilities needed to develop engineers who can effectively contribute to shaping public policy,” said Andy Hrymak, director of the School for Engineering Practice at McMaster University, which is responsible for establishing the new Centre. “She has the scientific knowledge and the rare ability to easily communicate it to a range of audiences, from engineers to policy makers to interested citizens. She has extensive public policy experience. And she has a demonstrated history of implementing achievable solutions to environmental challenges.”
Prior to joining the IJC, Krantzberg held positions with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment as an ecotoxicologist, sediment specialist and senior policy advisor on Great Lakes priorities. She coordinated the development and implementation of the Collingwood Harbor Remedial Action Plan resulting in the Area of Concern being delisted. She also previously worked with the IJC on the Great Lakes Water Quality Board, Sediment Priority Action Committee, Annex 2 Task Force, Indicator Implementation Task Force and Council of Great Lakes Research Managers.
Krantzberg holds a Ph.D. in freshwater ecotoxicology from the University of Toronto and a B.Sc. from McGill University. She has authored more than 90 scientific and policy articles on issues pertaining to ecosystem quality.
“Establishing the Centre shows foresight and leadership on the part of the engineering faculty and the university,” says Krantzberg. “This center will produce a new generation of engineers and scientists who will understand the role of science and technology in policy development. It will allow our graduates to integrate engineering solutions into more effective public policy. It also opens a new stream of career development for engineers and applied scientists, with the potential to stimulate entrepreneurial development leading to more sustainable practices.”
The Centre for Engineering and Public Policy provides study at the graduate level to enhance an understanding of the interface between engineering and public policy, and how public policy affects technological, social and ecological systems. The program consists of four components: core courses in engineering and public policy; application specific elective courses; a week-long intensive workshop program; and an inquiry driven research paper. The ideal student will have an undergraduate degree in engineering or applied science and three to five years of work experience.
The Centre for Engineering and Public Policy in partnership with Dofasco is one of three centres that comprise the recently established McMaster School for Engineering Practice, the first engineering graduate school of its kind in Canada. The other two centres are the Xerox Centre for Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the Centre for Engineering Design in partnership with General Motors of Canada.
