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Dr. Éliane Ubalijoro receives ILA award for “Outstanding Practice With Broad Impact” and becomes ISC Fellow

December 13, 2022

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We are excited to announce Dr. Éliane Ubalijoro, Executive Director of Sustainability in the Digital Age and Global Hub Director for Future Earth Canada, has received the award for “Outstanding Practice With Broad Impact” from the ILA Women and Leadership member community and been appointed an International Science Council Fellow.

Dr. Éliane Ubalijoro speaks at the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations (MCFR) event – "International organisations: A driver for sustainable development" – held on November 30, 2022 in Montreal.
Photo credit: © Sylvie-Ann Paré, MCFR/CORIM. Dr. Éliane Ubalijoro speaks at the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations (MCFR) event – “International organisations: A driver for sustainable development” – held on November 30, 2022 in Montreal.

The ILA Women and Leadership member community recognized Dr. Ubalijoro “for advocating for women’s leadership globally” and highlighted how her “actions have benefited women in a variety of areas and arenas far beyond her local sphere, resulting in broad impact.” Recently Dr. Ubalijoro co-authored an important chapter in ILA’s 2021 book, Reimagining Leadership on the Commons: Shifting the Paradigm for a More Ethical, Equitable, and Just World, about “the success of open access information in helping Nigerian women shareholder leaders increase their yields and empower themselves as leaders of their communities.”

Five other women were honoured by the ILA Women and Leadership member community this year:

  1. Marlene Janzen Le Ber, Ph.D., Professor, Leadership Studies, Distinguished Chair, Centre for Leadership Brescia University College, Western University. Winner: Outstanding Scholarship for Established Scholars.
  2. Sherylle J. Tan, Ph.D, Director of Internships and KLI Research, Visiting Assistant Professor of Psychology, Kravis Leadership Institute, Claremont McKenna College. Winner: Outstanding Scholarship for Established Scholars.
  3. Lisa DeFrank-Cole, Ed.D., Director of Leadership Studies and Clinical Professor of Leadership at West Virginia University. Winner: Outstanding Scholarship for Established Scholars.
  4. Candace Brunette-Debassige, Ph.D., Assistant Tenure-Track Professor, Department of Education, Western University. Winner: Outstanding Scholarship for Emerging Scholars.
  5. Ann Marie Berghout Austin, Ph.D., Retired Professor of Child Development Department of Family, Consumer, and Human Development Utah State University. Winner: Outstanding Practice for Local Impact.

Please visit the International Leadership Association (ILA) website to learn more about these incredible changemakers and the work ILA is doing >

At the World Science Forum 2022, Dr. Ubalijoro was also appointed an International Science Council Fellow (ISC), along with a number of past and present members of the Future Earth community. The ISC Fellows include “eminent scientists, engineers and thought-leaders from the science-policy sphere who have made remarkable contributions to furthering understanding of and engagement with science.”

I am honoured to be recognized by the ILA Women and Leadership member community for my contributions to advocating for women’s leadership globally. Being appointed an ISC fellow is a great privilege at a time when humanity so urgently needs to harness science for better decision making and foster trust to accelerate action and impact. At this crucial junction, we need bold and courageous leadership to reverse biodiversity loss, mitigate and adapt to climate change while ensuring no one is left behind. I look forward to contributing even more to the wonderful communities I am part of so our collective work has even greater positive impact.

Dr. Éliane Ubalijoro

The Fellowship is the highest honour awarded by ISC to those championing science in and for society. “Recognised for their service to science for society, these individuals have and will continue to  play an important role in ISC’s mission to use science as a global public good. They bring a diversity of experience, insight and perspective and I look forward to working with them over the coming months and years. Our mission has never been more urgent,” said ISC President Peter Gluckman.

The ISC Fellowship was launched in 2022 and now an “annual process of requesting nominations from ISC Members and other partners will be put in place, with the aim of increasing the ISC Fellowship to around 600 active Fellows. Through their scientific leadership and work to promote science in the public domain, the ISC Fellows will support the ISC’s mission to act as the global voice for science.” You can learn more about the Fellowship and the critical work ISC does on their website >