Defence and Education
Questions at the intersection of education, labour markets, and military service have become an increasingly important part of my professional activities and research interests. I currently serve as a faculty lead for initiatives that seek to strengthen connections between the University of Toronto and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in the educational domain. I also serve on the University's Defence Advisory Committee.
This work has developed along two complementary paths: supporting current and former members of the Canadian Armed Forces in their educational journeys, and strengthening connections between Canadian higher education and the broader defence and security community.
Serving Scholars
I work closely with colleagues across the University of Toronto on the Serving Scholars Program, an initiative that seeks to better understand and support students who serve in either the Regular or Reserve Force of the Canadian Armed Forces.
The program aims to identify and address the opportunities and challenges associated with combining military service and university studies, while also helping to build stronger connections between the University and the military community.
Canadian Military, Veteran and Family Connected Campus Consortium
The University of Toronto is also a member of the Canadian Military, Veteran and Family Connected Campus Consortium (CMVF3C), a national network of universities and colleges focused on the many intersections between military service and higher education.
The consortium's work spans the full military lifecycle, including access to higher education during military service, educational transitions following release from the CAF, and the integration of veterans into civilian labour markets. Increasingly, it also recognizes the role that Canadian colleges and universities can play in developing the educational capacity and human capital needed to support Canada's evolving security requirements.
Research
These activities have also informed an emerging research agenda in personnel and defence economics, described in more detail on the Current Work page.