Photo courtesy of Brock Univ

A Brock Univ professor has been named president of Canada’s sectoral commission that works with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Biologist Liette Vasseur will work with a team of 11 scientists and academics in the Canadian Commission for UNESCO’s (CCUNESCO) Sectoral Commission on Natural, Social, and Human Sciences to promote and improve Canada’s participation in the international community. Vasseur says the sectoral commission works on multi-disciplinary concerns, such as climate change, not only from the point of view of environmental impact but also with a perspective on social justice. The sectoral commission also involves itself in other social issues, such as natural heritage and issues that concern vulnerable groups and newcomers. Vasseur is also an advocate of women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). She is a member of the university’s Department of Women’s and Gender Studies, and the president of the Canadian Coalition of Women in Engineering, Science, Trade, and Technology. Vasseur is a professor of biological sciences and a member of the Brock Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, which conducts research about the environment, sustainability, and social-ecological resilience.