The Panel is tasked by Public Services and Procurement Canada to answer the question:

What is the current state of citizen science in Canada and how does it compare internationally?

As a member of the expert panel, Dr. Lauriault will be making an invaluable contribution to evidence-based policy in Canada. It is through the hard work of expert panel members who donate their time and expertise that the CCA is able to produce high-quality assessments that the federal government and others have come to rely on to inform decision making.

More information about the appointment and news of upcoming reports can be found here:

Bluesky:
LinkedIn:
Facebook:

]]> /sjc/2026/legendary-carleton-journalism-professor-elly-alboim-dies-at-78/ Mon, 09 Feb 2026 02:49:55 +0000 /sjc/?p=23739 Elly Alboim was like the Hollywood casting version of the crusty news editor with a heart of gold.

And across close to five decades as a journalist with the CBC and a journalism professor at 杏吧原创 University, he was a no-nonsense mentor to generations of young journalists.

Alboim died of heart failure on February 8, 2026, at the age of 78.

Elly Alboim taught journalism at 杏吧原创 since 1980, training hundreds of students in television and political reporting. (Earnscliffe photo)

Within hours of Alboim鈥檚 passing, news spread literally around the world and tributes began to pour in.

Alboim had an extraordinary impact on Canadian journalism and political life in 45 years spent teaching the subject to undergraduates and masters students at 杏吧原创, 23 years at CBC Television News and another 32 years at Earnscliffe Strategies.

Most of his time at the CBC, from 1970 to 1993, was spent as the network鈥檚 Parliamentary Bureau Chief in Ottawa. Beginning in 1977 as Bureau Chief, he oversaw CBC鈥檚 coverage of some of the most important events shaping Canadian politics for the past half-century. That included four federal election campaigns, including Joe Clark鈥檚 victory in 1979, Pierre Trudeau鈥檚 return in 1980 and Brian Mulroney鈥檚 tenure from 1984 to 1993. His last event leading CBC鈥檚 political coverage was the Progressive Conservative convention that chose Kim Campbell as leader in 1993.

His insights helped shape CBC TV News reporting on everything from the 1980 Quebec referendum to the Trudeau government鈥檚 National Energy Program, Canada-United States free trade negotiations and the rise and fall of the Meech Lake and Charlottetown accords.

鈥淓lly had a huge impact in so many ways and in so many fields,鈥� said Peter Mansbridge, the CBC鈥檚 longtime anchor and chief political editor.听 鈥淗e impacted every journalist who passed his way, both in the Ottawa bureau he so cherished, and at 杏吧原创 with the impact he had on generations of journalists who learned the skills he taught.

鈥淏ut he was more than a journalist, teacher and leader, he was a mentor that so many depended on to guide them.听 I was one of those and still live a life that benefited from the lessons he taught me.听 We were also friends.听 Our kids grew up together.听 Summered together.听 My lasting memories will be of swimming together, campfires together and Elly, yes, crusty old Elly, singing听show tunes under a full moon.鈥�

While still at CBC, Alboim began to teach TV news and political reporting at 杏吧原创 in 1980 and has been a mentor to hundreds of students. He was succeeded as Bureau Chief by Chris Waddell, who would later join Alboim teaching journalism at 杏吧原创.

鈥淓lly was a huge presence at CBC News for more than two decades. The things he taught so many at CBC had a continuing impact in the decades after he left the public broadcaster through the successes in the careers of so many journalists who spent time reporting from the CBC鈥檚 parliamentary bureau under his leadership,鈥� said Waddell, professor emeritus at 杏吧原创.

After leaving the CBC in the fall of 1993, Alboim played a key role at Earnscliffe providing public opinion research and analysis as well as public policy and strategic communications advice to federal government departments and corporations dealing with government. Much of his work involved helping shape the content and communications around federal budgets. He was also a senior advisor to Paul Martin during his years as federal Finance Minister and Prime Minster. Alboim also ran debate preparations for Liberal leader St茅phane Dion and Ontario premiers Dalton McGuinty and Kathleen Wynne.

Colleagues have fond memories of the irascible Alboim, who would often remain silent throughout an hour-long faculty meeting, then finally look up from his BlackBerry to succinctly summarize the entire discussion and suggest a way forward. And he was almost always right.

鈥�I had enormous respect for Elly,鈥� said longtime 杏吧原创 journalism colleague Mary McGuire, who worked with Alboim for nearly 30 years. 鈥淗e was incredibly smart, intimidatingly so at times. But his advice to us all, especially about big picture issues, could be so valuable,鈥� McGuire said.

鈥淎nd yes, while he could be crusty, he could also be incredibly kind. When I retired, he wrote me a note outlining what he saw as my valuable contributions to the school. I was so moved by it and still treasure it.鈥�

Students like fourth-year Journalism undergrad Emma McGrath appreciated Alboim鈥檚 direct style. 鈥淲hile he was an unconventional teacher, I appreciated his no-frills style,鈥欌�� McGrath said. 鈥淭here was no wasting time on things that were not important, but he was always ready with incisive answers to any questions sent his way,鈥� said McGrath, who took political reporting with Alboim in the fall term and signed up right away to take this term鈥檚 class on political communication. 鈥淚 feel very fortunate to听have been one of his students,鈥� McGrath said.

The current head of 杏吧原创鈥檚 journalism program, Allan Thompson, was a student in Alboim鈥檚 TV reporting class in 1984 and then a colleague at 杏吧原创 for two decades.

鈥淵ou keep hearing that word, crusty. Yes, he had that Jonah Jamieson quality for sure, right down to the cigar. But don鈥檛 be fooled. Elly was a gem, a brilliant mind, a terrific editor and a tireless mentor to our students,鈥� Thompson said. 鈥淔rom his hospital bed on Friday, he was sending email messages to make arrangements for his class. It is difficult to imagine 杏吧原创鈥檚 journalism program without Elly.鈥�

Alboim, who was a devoted husband, father and grandfather, leaves his wife Kathy Alboim, three children and seven grandchildren.

The family is holding a visitation, celebration of life and reception in the atrium of Richcraft Hall, on the 杏吧原创 University campus on Sunday, March 22. Visitation will be held from 9-11 a.m., the celebration of life from 11 a.m. to noon and the reception thereafter.

Please consider making a donation to a scholarship fund being established at the 杏吧原创 University School of Journalism and Communication in Elly’s honour (), or, a donation in Elly’s name to support the Cardiac Care Unit at the General campus of The Ottawa Hospital Foundation (), in thanks for the exceptionally kind and diligent care that he received in his final days.

听

Lauriault’s focus is on making data and technological systems more just, fair, secure, inclusive and sustainable and for the public good. Her work with the 杏吧原创 Immersive Media Studio National (CIMS) National Digital Twin project, the preservation of geospatial data with the , and ongoing advocacy for open data, open science, open government, and the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure are recognized as these advance Canada鈥檚 Geomatics vision and knowledge.

is a community driven effort to promote and organize the geospatial community from the grassroots.听GoGeomatics also produces the most popular in Canada鈥檚 geospatial sector and hosts and convenes hundreds of events to grow the geomatics community and position Canada as a leader in the field.

The recognize leadership, innovation, and community impact across the country鈥檚 geomatics and geospatial sector. They highlight outstanding contributions and honour achievements in five categories spanning government, private companies, researchers, educators, and thought leaders.

The initial nominations featured a distinguished group of contenders from across Canada for the outstanding work they have done in their respective fields, with winners ultimately chosen through community nominations and public voting by their peers across the industry.

School of Journalism and Communication Co-Directors Liam Young & Allan Thompson.

杏吧原创 University鈥檚 School of Journalism and Communication made changes to both its governance structure and its leadership team effective July 1. Associate Professor Liam Cole Young has been appointed to a five-year term as Co-Director and Program Head, Communication and Media Studies, succeeding Prof. Benjamin Woo. Associate Professor Allan Thompson will continue to serve as Co-Director and Program Head, Journalism, for an additional three-year term following a two-year interim appointment. The changes were announced by Brenda O’Neill, Dean of the Faculty of Public and Global Affairs.

Woo鈥檚 two-year term as Associate Director and Program Head for Communication and Media Studies was marked by several highly successful initiatives. He carried forward important work from his previous role as the Faculty of Public and Global Affair鈥檚 Associate Dean, Equity and Inclusion, in advancing EDID initiatives within COMS. These included the creation of an Anti-Oppressive Frameworks requirement for B.CoMS students which launched last year, and the recruitment and appointment of M. Remi Yergeau, Canada Research Chair in Critical Disability Studies and Communication.

Prof. Benjamin Woo served as Associate Director and Program Head, Communication and Media Studies, from 2023-2025.

Curriculum development was another of Woo鈥檚 priorities. He supported the development of three new degree concentrations in B.CoMS (launching in 2026-27) in Government and Professional Communication, Media and Entertainment Industries, and Public Engagement and Civic Culture. These concentrations are designed to provide students with a new tool to tailor their degree experience towards a specific area of interest or career growth. Woo additionally helped develop new practice-based courses for B.CoMS such as and . He worked with the COMS graduate committee to develop a new comprehensive exam process for the Ph.D. in Communication program. These curricular efforts culminated in Woo鈥檚 year-long leadership of the 2024-25 COMS cyclical program review.

Woo was instrumental in establishing SJC鈥檚 new governance framework, which involved the creation of the Co-Director roles that Young and Thompson have taken up. 鈥淏en鈥檚 leadership provided a steady hand during a period of transition at 杏吧原创, and I鈥檓 grateful for his considered and principled approach to the job,鈥� said Young, 鈥淚 have learned a lot from Ben over the years, and particularly appreciated his mentorship and advice in my time as Undergraduate Supervisor. I know that his commitment to COMS as a program and as a discipline was felt by everyone who worked with him during his term as Associate Director.鈥�

Prof. Liam Young begins a five-year term as Co-Director and Program Head, Communication and Media Studies.

Liam Cole Young is an associate professor of communication and media studies who joined the School of Journalism and Communication in 2016. He completed his doctorate at Western University鈥檚 faculty of Information and Media Studies and taught there and at Trent University before coming to 杏吧原创. He has also held visiting appointments at Bauhaus-University-Weimar in Germany, and Aarhus University in Denmark.

Young is a scholar of media history and theory and author of (AUP, 2017). He is presently working on two major projects. The first traces global histories of salt as an 鈥渆lemental鈥� medium of culture and civilization. The second situates the recent legalization and mainstreaming of sports gambling within longer histories of datafication, financialization, and speculation. The two projects, like all of Young鈥檚 scholarship, are linked by a commitment to understanding media not just as senders or receivers of information, but as basic infrastructures that organize time, space and experience.

Over the last decade, Young has taught broadly across the COMS program in areas such as sports media, sound studies, mobile media, digital media industries, and approaches to communication research. He served as Undergraduate Supervisor of B.CoMS in 2024-25, which prepares him well to make the transition into SJC leadership.

鈥淯niversities are special places with long histories and important public mandates. They are part of the fabric that stitches communities together, and their unique governance structure is perhaps the least appreciated aspect of how that happens. I have been lucky throughout my career to learn from colleagues committed to faculty self-governance, and I take on this new role in the same spirit.鈥�

Like all sectors, Communication and Media are being rapidly transformed by technological and social change. Young sees mapping these changes and determining how the COMS program can continue to help students navigate them as key priorities moving forward. 鈥溾�楾he internet鈥� as we have understood it for the last two decades is over. A decreasing number of platforms control not only the apps we use but also the basic hardware and infrastructure on which they operate. Computation is now planetary in scale. Politics, culture, and economics move at different rhythms and take on different shapes. Artificial Intelligence is all the rage right now but it鈥檚 not at all clear what is truly transformational and what is hype. Our program has always been about helping students wrestle with the conceptual and practical implications of such changes, and I鈥檓 looking forward to seeing how faculty and students work together to explore such challenges in coming years.鈥�

Prof. Allan Thompson will continue serving as Co-Director and Program Head, Journalism for an additional three year term.

Allan Thompson has been the head of 杏吧原创 University鈥檚 journalism program since 2020 and stepped into the Director role in 2023.

He joined 杏吧原创 in 2003 after 17 years as a reporter with the Toronto Star, Canada鈥檚 largest circulation daily newspaper. In his career with The Star, Thompson covered immigration policy, then worked for a decade as a political reporter on Parliament Hill, travelling frequently on reporting assignments around the world. At 杏吧原创 he has published an edited collection called , The Canadian Reporter: News Writing and Reporting with colleagues Catherine McKercher and Carman Cumming, and the edited collection . He also established the Rwanda Initiative media development project that fostered independent media in post-genocide Rwanda.

Since his appointment as Journalism program head in 2020, Thompson鈥檚 primary focus has been implementing the journalism program鈥檚 equity, diversity and inclusion action plan and ramping up the journalism program鈥檚 research activity, public outreach and internships. A major milestone this past year has been the launch of 杏吧原创鈥檚 Certificate in Journalism in Indigenous Communities, a new one-year journalism skills certificate to be delivered on the ground in Indigenous communities to break down barriers and give Indigenous learners a chance to explore a career in journalism without leaving home.

鈥淚 know it sounds clich茅, but it continues to be an honour to lead 杏吧原创鈥檚 journalism program at such a critical time for the profession,鈥� Thompson said.

鈥淏ut I want to stress that there is an important distinction between 鈥榯he news industry鈥� as we now know it, and journalism — journalism as the backbone of an open, democratic society. We still can, and we must, work to save the latter, to save journalism, even if we can鈥檛 save every aspect of the news industry as we currently know it. That industry is going to change and be replaced by something else 鈥� and in the lifetime of our students. Our mission right now is to prepare them for that challenge.鈥�

This leadership transition also marks a shift in the School鈥檚 governance structure. For many years, the School of Journalism and Communication has been led by a Director and an Associate Director, with the office of Director alternating between Journalism and Communication and Media Studies during each leadership term.

Moving forward, these positions will both hold the title of Co-Director and Program Head. This change has been made to better align with how the School is led day-to-day, as the Co-Directors function as equals and not in a hierarchy that may have been suggested by the previous titles. It also reflects the spirit of collegiality and collaboration with which the School of Journalism and Communication operates.

Mother Trouble, the latest book from Prof. Miranda J. Brady (Associate Professor, Communication and Media Studies) delves into the intricacies of motherhood through the lens of media and cultural studies, highlighting how systemic inequalities shape the experience of mothers over decades. Brady draws on media and motherhood studies to explore how care work鈥攂oth paid and unpaid鈥攈as been depicted in media and the exclusions inherent in these portrayals.

COMS Prof. Miranda J. Brady

鈥�Mother Trouble sits at the intersections of media and motherhood studies,鈥� Brady explained. The book traces struggles faced by mothers since the second wave of feminism and how these issues are mediated in popular culture. Her research explores popular narratives around the burdens faced by mothers, from economic impoverishment to a systemic lack of support, while also challenging readers to consider who is left out of those narratives. 鈥淢edia often hyper-focuses on white maternal angst while ignoring the systemic exploitation of migrant care workers and mothers of color,鈥� she said.

A Personal Connection to a Much Broader Issue

The inspiration for the book arose from Dr. Brady鈥檚 own experiences as a mother balancing care work with her career. 鈥淚 was inspired to write this book when I became a mother myself and found myself struggling to balance paid work with the unpaid labour of care work,鈥� Dr. Brady said. She explained that even as a mother in a privileged position 鈥� a white mother with full-time paid labour 鈥� finding appropriate supports for her disabled child remains difficult.

During her research, Brady drew connections between popular media portrayals of motherhood and broader societal expectations. From classic feminist horror films like Rosemary鈥檚 Baby and The Stepford Wives to contemporary depictions of 鈥渕omfluencers鈥� on social media, Mother Trouble critiques how these narratives focus disproportionately on white mothers while excluding people of colour and migrant workers doing care work and the work of mothering.

Media and Cultural Critiques

Brady鈥檚 book explores varied cultural phenomena, including HGTV鈥檚 鈥渕ompreneurs鈥� and anti-vaccine memes on Reddit, tying them to broader themes of care labor and societal expectations. For instance, her analysis of HGTV personalities highlights how media glorifies mothers鈥� entrepreneurial efforts as a solution to systemic inequities. 鈥淢others are expected to blur the lines between paid and unpaid work,鈥� Brady explained, critiquing how these portrayals often fail to address the instability and inequities such efforts entail.

What鈥檚 Coming Next: Research on Selfish Motherhood and Author Meets Readers

Brady鈥檚 interest in issues around motherhood and how it is depicted in popular culture did not end with the publication of Mother Trouble. She is already working on a follow-up project exploring society鈥檚 fascination with 鈥渟elfish motherhood,鈥� which includes analyzing social constructs of apparently self-centered motherhood.

Mother Trouble is also the focus of an Author Meets Readers event on January 30, 2025 at Irene鈥檚 Pub in Ottawa. This series invites the community to discuss new books published by members of 杏吧原创鈥檚 Faculty of Public and Global Affairs in an informal setting.

For more information or to purchase Mother Trouble, visit the .

WATCH: Dr. Joan Donovan delivers 2024 Attallah Lecture

On October 3rd at 7:00 PM, Dr. Joan Donovan delivered her lecture “Meme War 2024: Networked Incitement in the Static Age”. Dr. Donovan is an Assistant Professor of Journalism and Emerging Media Studies at Boston University, the founder of the Critical Internet Studies institute, and a co-inventor of the beaver emoji. Her lecture offered a contemporary analysis of the political communication strategies that leverage the ambiguity of memes to carry out media manipulation and disinformation campaigns.

As a result of some last-minute issues, Dr. Donovan was unable to join us in person, and so Dr. Benjamin Woo (Associate Director, School of Journalism, and Communication and Media Studies Program Head) dubbed it the “first ever Attallah watch party”. While Dr. Donovan delivered the lecture from her home in Boston, faculty, students, alumni, and community members gathered in Richcraft Hall to hear the lecture and enjoy some refreshments.

If you missed this year’s lecture, don’t worry – ! The video also features introductory remarks by Associate Professor Merlyna Lim, who holds the Canada Research Chair in Digital Media and Global Network Society. You can also see some photos from the evening .

Welcoming new students at Academic Orientation

Every year on the Tuesday after Labour Day, 杏吧原创 hosts Academic Orientation Day or “AOD”. This is a day for students to get to know their new classmates and faculty, begin to understand where things are on campus, and learn about the resources and supports available to them during their time as Ravens. Students can also check out Expo 杏吧原创 and learn about the clubs, societies, and services they can get involved with.

This year, on September 3, we hosted two orientations: one for our new undergraduates, hosted by Prof. Liam Young, and the other for new Masters and PhD students, hosted by Prof. Sandra Robinson. !

COMS Congratulates MA, PhD candidates on successful defenses

Our whole program extends congratulations to three PhD candidates and two masters candidates who have successfully defended their theses/MREs in recent weeks.

Three of our PhD candidates recently successfully defended their PhD theses: Dr. Elena Kaliberda, whose research concerns the European public sphere and media institutions (radio and television), and Dr. Bethany Berard, whose dissertation connects histories of photography and the idea of information towards an informational account of photography, and Dr. Agnes Malkinson. Congratulations to Drs. Kaliberda, Malkinson, and Berard!

R:Dr. Bethany Berard, L: Dr. Elena Kaliberda

In addition, two MA students successfully defended their work – one their thesis and the other their MA research essay:

• Jen Siushansian MA (thesis) Playing Autistic: A critical examination of autistic characters on-screen from Hollywood to Hallyuwood
• Taryn Rerrie MA (MRE) The 鈥楧ripping Tap鈥� of Incivility: Analyzing responses to Mayor Olivia Chow鈥檚 posts on X

In case you missed it, over the summer we profiled Dr. Carly Dybka, who graduated with her PhD in June. Stay tuned for profiles on Dr. Kaliberda and Dr. Berard.

Prof. Susana Vargas Cervantes co-curates Cantando Bajito: Chorus exhibition at Ford Foundation Gallery

Assitant Professor Susana Vargas Cervantes is one of the curators of Cantando Bajito: Chorus,听a new exhibition at the in New York. The exhibition, which opened October 8 and runs until December 7, is the final movement of a three-part exhibition series celebrating strategies for resistance in the wake of rising gender-based violence. It assembles archives and artwork from: Hoda Afshar,听Archivo de la Memoria Trans Argentina (Trans Memory Archive Argentina),听Archivo Memoria Trans M茅xico/Hospital de ropa (Trans Memory Archive Mexico/Clothing Hospital),听Chlo毛 Bass,听Tania Candiani,听Fatma Charfi,听Lizania Cruz,听Cyberfeminism Index,听FAQ?,听Cecilia Granara,听Los Angeles Contemporary Archive,听Mai Ling, and听Textiles Semillas (Textiles as Seeds).

Cantando Bajito: Chorus is described as “an invitation to reflect on the importance of collective making, organizing, and care arising from interdependence in shared struggles. The title, which translates into English as “singing softly”, is drawn from a phrase used by now-liberated political prisoner Dora Mar铆a T茅llez Arg眉ello to describe the singing exercises she used to resist and survive while she was held in solitary confinement.

Prof. Benjamin Woo co-publishes new article on the pedagogy of comic book fandom

Associate Professor Benjamin Woo’s newest article was published October 14 in Issue 3 of Popular Communication. The article, titled “,” was co-published with Kalervo Sinervo (Concordia) and Anna Peppard (Trent). Its focus is听Wizard听magazine, which published from 1991-2011. Wizard听played an important pedagogical role as both a gateway to and a gatekeeper of fandom.

Initially launched as a guide to collecting comic books, Wizard later evolved into a lifestyle and entertainment magazine for a loosely defined 鈥渇anboy鈥� readership. While arguably more accessible than the comics it covered, it addressed its audience in exclusive terms, assuming a normatively male, heterosexual, and white fan. Based on a close reading of a sample of eight self-reflective 鈥渕ilestone鈥� issues, Sinervo, Peppard, and Woo’s article assesses Wizard听as not merely a purveyor of market intelligence to comic book speculators but as a cultural artifact engaged in defining the meaning of fandom for a generation of comic book readers.

COMS student Danielle Carter selected for Global Undergraduate Awards

The are an annual academic awards program that recognize the top work completed by undergraduate students all over the world. This year, for the first time, the awards included Mass Communication as an entry category.

COMS student Danielle Carter submitted an essay entitled “The All-American Couple Goes Platinum: The Public Relations Campaign of the NFL, Taylor Swift, and Travis Kelce,” which she wrote in the Winter 2024 semester for COMS 3310: Critical Perspectives of Public Relations. Her essay was selected as one of the top 10% in the Mass Communication category, earning her the . Congratulations, Danielle!

Those interested in reading Danielle’s essay can find it in the .

Prof. Miranda J. Brady publishes new book Mother Trouble

Associate Professor Miranda J Brady’s new book Mother Trouble: Mediations of White Maternal Angst after Second Wave Feminism听was published by University of Toronto Press earlier this month.

Mother Trouble听traces white maternal angst in popular culture across a span of more than fifty years, from the iconic听Rosemary鈥檚 Baby to anti-vaxx mom memes and HGTV shows. The book narrows in on popular media to think about white maternal angst as a manifestation of feminism鈥檚 unrealized possibilities and continued omissions since the second wave. It interrogates intersecting systems of power which make mothers and their children the most impoverished people in the world and urges a greater appreciation in academic and popular thinking of the work that mothers do.听Mother Trouble is听Dr. Brady’s second book (and her first as sole author) after 2017’sWe Interrupt This Program: Indigenous Media Tactics in Canadian Culture听(co-written with John M.H. Kelly).

If you’re interested in hearing more directly from Dr. Brady, we invite you to join us for a launch event at . Mother Trouble will also be the subject of an event in the Author Meets Readers series at Irene’s Pub in the new year.