Alexandra Mallett

Associate Professor — sustainable energy and climate policy; emerging economies / developing countries; low carbon technology cooperation; innovation, science and technology policies
- Email Alexandra Mallett
- 613-520-2600 ext 2641
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- Hons. BA in International Relations (University of Toronto, Canada)
- MA in International Development (Dalhousie University, Canada)
- PhD in Development Studies (London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdom)
Dr. Mallett’s experience spans academia and the public sectors, working on the design, implementation and evaluation of energy, climate change and environmental policy. She has worked for the Canadian government (Natural Resources Canada and Environment Canada), an intergovernmental organization (the Organization of American States in Washington, D.C.), and academic institutions including Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom and the University of Minnesota in the United States. Research areas include an examination of the innovation, cooperation and adoption processes (including policies, actors and institutions) involved in sustainable energy technologies, especially in emerging economies, and Canada and the United States. A further line of research focuses on contemporary shifts involved in the governance of natural resources, with a particular focus on mining. Recent projects include systematic reviews assessing the effectiveness of climate policies and the potential for technological innovation to mediate policies aimed at environmental improvements, a media analysis regarding the framing of smart grids in Canada, and an examination of sustainable energy options in the Canadian Arctic.
Dr. Mallett’s experience spans academia and the public sectors, working on the design, implementation and evaluation of energy, climate change and environmental policy. She has worked for the Canadian government (Natural Resources Canada and Environment Canada), an intergovernmental organization (the Organization of American States in Washington, D.C.), and academic institutions including Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom and the University of Minnesota in the United States. Research areas include an examination of the innovation, cooperation and adoption processes (including policies, actors and institutions) involved in sustainable energy technologies, especially in emerging economies, and Canada and the United States. A further line of research focuses on contemporary shifts involved in the governance of natural resources, with a particular focus on mining. Recent projects include systematic reviews assessing the effectiveness of climate policies and the potential for technological innovation to mediate policies aimed at environmental improvements, a media analysis regarding the framing of smart grids in Canada, and an examination of sustainable energy options in the Canadian Arctic.
Honours
- School of Public Policy and Administration Excellence in Teaching Award, Carleton University (2016/ 2019)
- Canadian Science Policy Fellow, NRCan (2016)
- Green Gown Award for Exceptional Environmental Research in the United Kingdom (2009)
- Instant Award, Policy and Communication, Environment Canada, Health and Environment Ministers of the Americas (HEMA) process (2004)
Publications
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- Les Pal, Graeme Auld, and Alexandra Mallett. (2020). Beyond Policy Analysis (BPA). 6th edition. Nelson Education and TopHat.
- Alexandra Mallett (2020), Renewable Energy Uptake in Urban Latin America: Sustainable Technology in Mexico and Brazil, Routledge Explorations in Energy Studies (REENS) book series.
- David Ockwell and Alexandra Mallett (eds). (2012). Low carbon technology transfer: from Rhetoric to Reality. Routledge: Abingdon, UK
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- Bigolin Neto, Pedro and Alexandra Mallett (2023) “Public participation in environmental impact assessment processes through various channels – Can you listen to us now? Lessons from a Brazilian mining case” Extractive Industries and Society, Special Issue on Politics and Ecologies, 101186.
- Mallett, Alexandra and Prosanto Pal (2022) “Green transformation in the iron and steel industry in India: Rethinking patterns of innovation” Vol. 44, November 2022, 100968, Energy Strategy Reviews.
- Alexandra Mallett, Erica Lima Barros França, Ítalo Alves and Lisa Mills “Environmental impacts of mining in Brazil and the environmental licensing process: Changes needed for changing times?” The Extractive Industries and Society. Elsevier. Vol. 8(3) (September 2021)
- Afful-Dadzie, Anthony, Alexandra Mallett and Eric Afful-Dadzie “The Challenge of Energy Transition in the Global South: The Case of Electricity Generation Planning in Ghana” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. Elsevier. Vol. 126 (2020)
- Hanson Pastran, Sasha and Alexandra Mallett “Unearthing Power: A Decolonial Analysis of the Samarco Mine Disaster and the Brazilian Mining Industry” the Extractive Industries and Society, Elsevier. Vol.7(2) pp.704-715 (April 2020)
- Mallett, Alexandra, and David Cherniak “Views from Above: Entrepreneurship and Climate Policy for Electricity in Canada’s Arctic” Regional Environmental Change, Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Vol.11(5): 1323-1336 (June 2020)
- Mallett, Alexandra “Beyond frontier technologies, expert knowledge and money: New parameters for innovation and energy systems change” Energy Research and Social Science. Elsevier. Vol.39: pp.122-129 (May 2018)
- Mallett, Alexandra, Jennie C. Stephens, Elizabeth Wilson, Ryan Reiber, Ria Langheim and Tarla R. Peterson “Electric Connections: News Coverage of Smart Grid in the U.S. and Canada”, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Special Issue on Smart Grids in North America. Elsevier. Vol.82 Part 2: pp.1913-1921 (February 2018)
- Mallett, Alexandra, Xavier D. Philion*, Ryan Reiber, Daniel Rosenbloom, and Maya Jegen, (2018) “Smart grids framing through smart meter coverage in the Canadian media: technologies coupled with experiences” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Special Issue on Smart Grids in North America. Elsevier. Vol. 82 Part 2: pp.1952-1960 (February 2018)
- Peters, Derek, Jonn Axsen, and Alexandra Mallett “Socio-political acceptance of smart grid as a tool to mitigate climate change in British Columbia” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Special Issue on Smart Grids in North America. Elsevier. Vol.82 Part 2: pp.1939-1951 (February 2018)
- Mallett, Alexandra “Trade and Industry Policy as Levers for Sustainable Energy Technology Adoption? Experiences from Urban Latin America” Review of Policy Research. Blackwell Publishing. Vol.33(4): pp.348-375 (July 2016)
- Mallett, Alexandra “International Technology Collaboration and Low Carbon Innovation: Recasting ‘Truisms’ with insights from emerging economies” Innovation and Development. Taylor & Francis Online. Vol.5(2): pp.297-311 (July 2015)
- Auld, Graeme, Alexandra Mallett, Bozica Burlica*, Francis Nolan-Poupart*, Robert Slater “Evaluating the effects of policy innovations: Lessons from a systematic review of policies promoting low-carbon technology” Global Environmental Change. Elsevier. Vol.29: pp.444-458 (November 2014)
- Mallett, Alexandra “Technology Cooperation for Sustainable Energy– a review of pathways”, Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews on Energy and the Environment. Wiley Online. Vol.2(2): pp. 234- 50 (November 2012)
- Ockwell, David, Ruediger Haum, Alexandra Mallett and Jim Watson “Intellectual Property Rights and Low Carbon Energy Technology Transfer: Conflicting Discourses of Diffusion and Development”, Global Environmental Change, Elsevier. Vol.20(4): pp. 729-738 (October 2010)
- Mallett, Alexandra “Social acceptance of renewable energy innovations: The role of technology cooperation in urban Mexico” Energy Policy. Elsevier. Vol.35(5): pp. 2790-2798 (May 2007)
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- Mallett, Alexandra, Jessica Leis, Rosa Brown, David Codzi and Jimmy Arqviq (2023) “Sustainable Energy in Canadian Territorial Communities: An Opportunity for Transformative Change or Stalled on the Margins?” Chapter 7 in Mark Winfield, Stephen Hill and James Gaede (eds) Sustainable Energy Transitions in Canada, UBC Press, Vancouver, BC.
- Pierre-Olivier Bedard and Alexandra Mallett (2019) “The Demand for Evidence in the Canadian Civil Service”, Laval University Series on Democracy and Accountability. Quebec City, QC, Canada, Laval University Press.
- David Ockwell and Alexandra Mallett (2013) (co-lead). “Low Carbon Innovation and Technology Transfer”. Chapter 8 in F. Urban and J. Nordensvärd (eds.) Low Carbon Development: Key Issues. Routledge: Abingdon, UK.
- (coordinating authors) T. van Dril and X. van Tilburg, (lead authors) L. Cameron, S. Coelho, H. de Coninck, A. Kumar, A. Mallett, J. McLaren, T. Mikunda, J. Sijm, R. Saidi, L. Würtenberger, and P. Zhou (2011) Chapter 6 – “Renewable Energy: Investing in Energy and Resource Efficiency” Green Economy, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), February 2011
Videos & Media coverage
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- CBC’s BlueSky: On Climate Change and COP28 (December 2023)
- CBC’s Spark: Discussing Electricity Grids and Public Policy (Nov 2023)
- The Globe and Mail: Money for Nothing? (May 2023)
- Capital Current: Climate Change and the Municipal Election (Nov 2022)
- Francopresse: Renewable Energy in the Far North (Aug 2022)
- CBC news and Ottawa’s All In A Day radio show about sustainable energy electricity grids (May 2022)
- Research Spotlight: Alternative Forms of Innovation for a More Sustainable Society (Aug 2021)
- New Climate Change Collaborative Grad Program (Feb 2021)
- Carleton University Early Career Researchers Recognized by New Frontiers In Research Fund (May 2019)
- Building a Roadmap for Canada’s North (Apr 2019)
- Carleton Professors Receive SSHRC Support for a Broad Range of Research Impacting Canadians (Jan 2019)
- Recharging Northern Energy and Fish Resources (Mar 2018)
- Mitacs Fellows Pursue Science Policy in the Halls of Government (University Affairs, Mar 2017)
- Climate Change Champions (FPA News, Feb 2017)
- New program allows scientists to get involved in federal policy-making (The Globe and Mail, Dec 2016)
SPPA News

Professors Alex Mallett and Daniel Rosenbloom in CBC News
We’re proud to share that SPPA Professors Alex Mallett and Daniel Rosenbloom are featured in a CBC News article discussing…

Celebrating SPPA Professors Alex Mallett and Nathan Grasse: Success in the Transatlantic Dialogue Call on Democracy, Governance, and Trust
We are thrilled to announce that SPPA Professors Alex Mallett and Nathan Grasse have both secured funding for independent projects…

Collaborative Effort to Address Environmental Challenges in India
Prof. Alexandra Mallet from the School of Public Policy & Administration, in collaboration with Prosanto Pal of The Energy and…

Alexandra Mallett speaks to CBC Sudbury on climate action
SPPA Associate Professor Alexandra Mallett SPPA Associate Professor and Graduate Supervisor – MPP in Sustainable Energy and the Environment, Alexandra…

Environmental Impact Assessments in Global South: Lessons from a Brazilian Mining Case
As part of our celebration of 80 years of Public Administration, we will be sharing Research Summaries each month highlighting…

Alexandra Mallett talks with CBC on COP28 and climate crisis
SPPA Associate Professor Alexandra Mallett SPPA’s Alexandra Mallett provides analysis on CBC Radio program Blue Sky, episode “Is the world…