Institute of Intergovernmental Relations

Summers, Savannah

mak — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:53:42 +0000

Summers, Savannah mak Tue, 06/16/2026 - 10:53

Last name

Summers

First name

Savannah

Position / job title

Student Researcher

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Savannah is an undergraduate student at Queen’s University, completing a Joint Honours degree in Political Studies and Psychology. Her research interests centre on international political economy, as well as Middle Eastern and feminist politics.

Savannah has previously published work with the Global Undergraduate Awards, where she analyzed the role of postmodern feminism. In addition, she has contributed to psychology research focused on Indigenous well-being at post-secondary institutions. She has also worked for the Agnes Etherington Art Centre and the Principal’s Office at Queen’s University, where she assisted in developing policy initiatives.

This year, at IIGR, Savannah will be researching the role privilege plays in illicit sex trafficking, with a particular focus on the Epstein files.

Beyond academia, Savannah plays competitive soccer, enjoys painting portraits, and loves travelling and learning new languages.

People Directory Affiliation Category

Student Researchers

School

��ֱ��

Department

Political Studies and Psychology

Silva, Bianca

mak — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:44:05 +0000

Silva, Bianca mak Tue, 06/16/2026 - 10:44

Last name

Silva

First name

Bianca

Position / job title

Student Researcher

��ֱ��

Bianca Silva is a Bachelor of Arts student at Queen’s University, specializing in Political Studies with a minor in World Languages. As a recent alumna of the Nato Field School with Simon Fraser University and an Intern at the Centre for International and Defence Policy at Queen’s University, Bianca strives to research and work in the defence and international security sector. On campus, she has been involved in Queen’s International Affairs Association and Queen’s White Ribbon. Her research interests span from violent extremism and international organizations to the intersection of conflict and post-conflict issues regarding the peace and security of women. Her current project with the Institute of Intergovernmental Relations, as part of the Queen’s Undergraduate Student Summer Research Fellowships, examines the impact of sanctions on Iran’s oil exports following the withdrawal from the JCPOA. In her free time, Bianca enjoys reading, pilates, and listening to pop culture podcasts.

People Directory Affiliation Category

Student Researchers

School

��ֱ��

Department

Political Studies

Natovitch, Eden

mak — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:38:26 +0000

Natovitch, Eden mak Tue, 06/16/2026 - 10:38

Last name

Natovitch

First name

Eden

Position / job title

Student Researcher

��ֱ��

Eden graduated from ��ֱ�� in 2026 with an undergraduate degree in Political Studies and is currently pursuing her master's degree in public policy and administration at Carleton University. Her academic interests include Canadian politics and federalism, which she has explored through research projects on the Ontario education system and political representation in Canada. Eden is involved on campus, having served as Director for Queen’s Model United Nations (2025–2026).

During Eden's first year with the IIGR, she worked as a student research assistant on a comparative project examining money laundering, terrorist financing, and the illicit use of cryptocurrency. Currently, she is focused on neopluralism and the Canadian federal government.

Outside of academics, Eden enjoys reading, hiking, listening to history podcasts, practicing French, and spending time with her family.

People Directory Affiliation Category

Student Researchers

School

��ֱ��

Department

Political Studies

Major, Sydney

mak — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:29:13 +0000

Major, Sydney mak Tue, 06/16/2026 - 10:29

Last name

Major

First name

Sydney

Position / job title

Student Researcher

��ֱ��

Originally from Calgary, Alberta, Sydney is a fourth-year undergraduate student at Queen’s University studying Politics, Philosophy, and Economics. Throughout her studies at Queen’s, she has developed an interest in fiscal federalism, particularly intergovernmental transfers. In her spare time, Sydney enjoys cycling and reading.

People Directory Affiliation Category

Student Researchers

School

��ֱ��

Department

Politics, Philosophy and Economics

New State of the Federation Volume

mak — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 15:26:03 +0000

New State of the Federation Volume mak Thu, 02/05/2026 - 10:26

Celebrating Thomas J. Courchene

mak — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 16:11:25 +0000

Celebrating Thomas J. Courchene mak Wed, 02/04/2026 - 11:11

Celebrating Thomas J. Courchene

The inaugural director of the School of Policy Studies, Tom Courchene (1940-2025) was a master at bridging scholarship and public policy. He made striking contributions to Canadian policy debates, and his contributions were recognized with the highest honours the country can give. He was an Officer of the Order of Canada, a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, a recipient of the Canada Council Molson Prize for lifetime achievement, and a winner of the Donner Prize twice.

This Symposium asks two questions:

1) Why was Tom such an effective contributor to policy debates?

2) Does his approach to public policy remain relevant today?

Confirmed participants include Robin Boadway, Kevin Lynch, Lisa Powell, Bob Rae, Kyle Hanniman, Olivier Jacques and Jennifer Ditchburn.

Date: Thursday, March 26, 2026

Time: 11:00 AM-3:00 PM

Location: George Teves Room, The University Club, 168 Stuart St., Queen’s University

Please register in advance. Lunch will be provided. There is no cost for registration.

Event Category

All Events

IIGR hosts fireside chat between former Ontario Premier David Peterson and Jeffrey Simpson

mak — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 16:00:37 +0000

IIGR hosts fireside chat between former Ontario Premier David Peterson and Jeffrey Simpson mak Mon, 11/17/2025 - 11:00

Donaldson, Nicholas

mak — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 13:06:32 +0000

Donaldson, Nicholas mak Fri, 04/04/2025 - 09:06

Last name

Donaldson

First name

Nicholas

Position / job title

Student Researcher

��ֱ��

Nicholas Donaldson holds a BA (Honours) in Political Studies and History with Distinction from Queen’s University (2023). He is now a graduate student pursuing an Advanced MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy at Leiden University. His thesis examines small–state diplomacy and offshore financial centres resistance to global regulation and club diplomacy.

Nicholas has worked at the Institute of Intergovernmental Relations since August 2024, where he leads a project on transnational state capture. His research interests include transnational corruption, organized crime, global finance, international organizations, global governance, and sustainable transitions. He is also a Junior Research Fellow at The Hague Journal of Diplomacy, and previously worked with the Institute for Security and Global Affairs on ERC-funded terrorism and foreign policy projects.

In his spare time, Nicholas enjoys cycling the dunes near The Hague, collecting secondhand books, and perfecting his photography.

People Directory Affiliation Category

Research Team

School

Leiden University, Netherlands

Department

International Relations and Diplomacy

Kerr, Henry

mak — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 16:14:09 +0000

Kerr, Henry mak Tue, 01/21/2025 - 11:14

Last name

Kerr

First name

Henry

Position / job title

Student Researcher

21hbk3@queensu.ca

��ֱ��

Henry Kerr recently completed his undergraduate studies at Queen’s University in the Political Studies program. Henry is a keen student of international relations and geopolitics, particularly tied to issues of conflict resolution, terrorism, and human rights. Henry has published previous research work analysing the experiences of Albertan students with violent extremism online. At Queen’s, Henry was awarded the Chancellor’s Scholarship and the John Rae Prize in Political Studies. In the fall of 2026, Henry will begin graduate studies at Carleton University, pursuing an MA in International Affairs with funding from the Ontario Graduate Scholarship. Beyond his studies, Henry is keen to develop skills in policy analysis with ambitions to work in the field of diplomacy and international security. This year at IIGR, he will be researching state capture and political corruption in global contexts

People Directory Affiliation Category

Student Researchers

School

��ֱ��

Department

Political Studies

Out of the Shadows to Shine a Light

mak — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 22:04:47 +0000

Out of the Shadows to Shine a Light mak Thu, 01/16/2025 - 17:04

Nicole Giles, Senior ADM and Deputy Director of Policy and Partnerships, Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS)

Friday January 17, 2025
Noon - 1:30pm
Robert Sutherland Hall Room 116

Event Category

All Events