National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation NCDD

Ecovillage and Permaculture Certificate Program

I am deeply committed to exploring how to achieve sustainable development and biodiversity conservation in communities, as well to novel research dissemination methods. In 2004, I was awarded a Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Sustainable Community Development, Royal Roads University’s first chair. My CRC research program explores the complex inter-relationships between characteristics of place, scale, limits and diversity. It involves both place-based and virtual sustainable community development.  My virtual research explores the mobilization of online communities of practice, both within and between Canadian communities, to speed the exploitation of sustainable development knowledge widely across Canada. Using on-line synchronous communication technologies and on-line tools for community practitioners, my applied research involves bringing trans-disclinary teams of researchers and community practitioners together in real-time e-Dialogues around critical public policy issues. My place-based community work explores the complex relationships between agency, social capital and enhanced sustainable community development. Her research team has developed a unique Canadian survey collecting data on these dynamics and completed over 35 community case studies .