What Role Can Humanities and Social Sciences Play in Advising Government and Shaping Public Policy?
Oct 20, 2025 — 11:30 a.m. to 12:50 p.m.
This session is part of the Research and Public Policy Brown Bag Lunch Series, organized by the Office of Public Policy Research and Outreach (OPPRO), which provides a platform for researchers to engage in informal discussions with government officials, enhancing the impact of academic research on public policy.
Details
The social sciences and humanities offer unique and vital perspectives to inform government decision-making. Their subject matter and critical approaches help us better understand social, cultural and ethical issues that influence public policy. They also hold the potential to address some blind spots in policy development. During this lunch and learn, professors Kelly Bronson and Jason Millar will share their thoughts and real-world experience related to working with government representatives. Other topics on the agenda include what role researchers can play in the dialogue between academia and decision-makers as well as how the social sciences and humanities can promote more inclusive, informed, responsible policy.
Kelly Bronson
Speaker
Kelly Bronson is a Canada Research Chair in Science and Society, an associate professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences’ School of Sociological and Anthropological Studies and a lead researcher at the uOttawa Institute for Science, Society and Policy.
Jason Millar
Speaker
Jason Millar is a Canada Research Chair in the Ethical Engineering of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, an associate professor at the uOttawa Faculty of Engineering’s School of Engineering Design and Teaching Innovation, and a researcher at the Centre for Law, Technology and Society.