Carleton University Professor Joins Royal Society of Canada Task Force on COVID-19
By Brenna Mackay
Carleton Political Management Prof. Jennifer Robson has joined the Royal Society of Canada’s Task Force on COVID-19 to investigate the pandemic’s impact on women.
The Royal Society of Canada, founded in 1882, recognizes Canada’s leading scholars and researchers and supports open discussion to understand and address issues that are critical to Canadians.
Established by the Royal Society in April 2020, the COVID-10 Task Force is working to provide evidence-informed perspectives on a wide range of challenges that Canada is facing in responding to and recovering from COVID-19. It includes researchers in health sciences, psychology, political science and more.
Robson, a professor in the Faculty of Public Affairs, will co-chair a working group with Lindsay Tedds (University of Calgary) on the impacts of the pandemic on women. Robson’s research focuses on Canadian social policies and household finances, especially for lower- and modest-income people. Her work has a particular focus on the design and implementation of public programs, including tax policy, financial capability and financial services, income security and household liquid savings.
“I’m really grateful to have a chance to work with so many women across fields who have agreed to share their collective expertise,” said Robson.
In the coming months, this multidisciplinary group of academics in economics, psychology, public health and law, as well as experts from outside the academy, will produce a collection of briefings on the wide range of impacts that COVID-19 is having on women in Canada.
“Women’s lives are complex and multifaceted and not all women in Canada have shared the same burden in this pandemic and recession,” said Robson.
“We want our report to document the diversity of experiences and effects and present a range of options for policy response.”
Since last spring, the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) has published briefings on COVID-19’s impact on the economy, immigration, children and schools, and mental health, to name a few. This will be the RSC’s first report to focus on gender. Robson and her co-chair are currently finalizing the composition of the working group and expect to release their findings later this year.
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