Faculty Members
Leith Deacon, PhD [Principle Investigator]: Leith is an Associate Professor in the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, in the Ontario Agriculture College, at the University of Guelph. He is a registered professional planner (RPP) and holds membership with the Canadian Institute of Planners (MCIP). Leith is interested in concepts of governance, resiliency, mental health, planning, and policy primarily related to small and rural communities. [ORCID iD: 0000-0002-4858-3722]
Monica Gruzmacher, PhD: Monica Gruzmacher, PhD has worked with development issues and received a PhD on this topic from the Center for Development Studies of the University of Bonn. She has studied social and ecological change mostly in small rural communities. She also has had a long time interest in working with indigenous communities which are integrating into western ways of living and the implications this process of change might have on the use and management of natural resources. She is currently a researcher and Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Extension, University of Alberta, and involved in projects on rural development, nature conservation and governance for boom and bust. [ORCID iD: 0000-0003-4408-8692]
Kate Mulligan, PhD: Kate Mulligan is an Assistant Professor in Social & Behavioural Health Sciences in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. Her primary research interest is the role of community-scale leadership, advocacy and intervention in the production of health and wellbeing. Kate directs the Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing and is a senior advisor to the Canadian Red Cross. [ORCID iD: 0000-0001-7249-2823]
Betty Claire Mubangizi, PhD: Betty Mubangizi holds a Doctor of Public Administration and is a full Professor of Public Administration and Governance. South Africa’s National Research Foundation rates her as an established researcher. She holds the Research Chair in Sustainable Rural Livelihoods at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Prof Mubangizi’s Chair endeavours to understand and explain the opportunities and challenges institutions face when implementing development policies in Africa’s rural areas. [ORCID iD: 0000-0003-0774-7193]
Silvia Sarapura, PhD: Dr. Sarapura is an Assistant Professor in the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development at the University of Guelph. Silvia has more than fifteen years of proven experience in the fields of rural planning for development, gender transformative change and agricultural R4D. As a result of her extensive research engagement in Africa, Asia, South East Asia, and Latin America, Silvia built a strong and innovative track record in international rural and agricultural research for development. Dr. Sarapura’s research interests are in agri-food systems and rural planning, gender transformative change planning, youth in rural development; intersectionality in land use planning; applied research – research for development. [ORCID iD: 0000-0001-8170-2458]
Kristof Van Assche, PhD: Kristof is a Professor in the Faculty of Extension at the University of Albera with interests in evolution and innovation in governance, with focus areas in spatial planning and design, development and environmental policy. He worked in various countries, and often combines fieldwork with theoretical reflection: systems theories, interpretive policy analysis, institutional economics, post- structuralism. He held visiting positions at McGill University, Krakov Agricultural University, Wageningen University, Bonn University. Geographically, his work spans Europe, the America’s, Central Asia and the Caucasus. He published widely on these topics. Kristof is also associated with Wageningen University, where he is Visiting Associate Professor in Strategic Communication, and with Bonn University, where he is Research Fellow at ZEF/ Institute for Development Research. At UAlberta, he also works at Faculty of Extension and has affiliation as Adjunct Professor with the Faculty of Agricultural and Life Sciences (Human Ecology). [ORCID iD: 0000-0003-1745-0043]
Graduate Students
Doctoral
Md. Hossen Ali, PhD student: Md. Hossen Ali is a part-time PhD candidate in the Rural Studies program at the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development (SEDRD) at the University of Guelph. His PhD research focuses on agricultural governance, agricultural resilience, remote and small-scale farming, and agricultural extension and advisory services. Through his work, Mr. Ali aims to develop strategies that empower farmers, enhance their adaptability to changing conditions, and promote sustainable agricultural practices. Mr. Ali is dedicated to bridging the gap between research and practice, believing that effective agricultural extension services are vital for the success of farmers. He actively engages with local farming communities, providing workshops and resources that help them adopt innovative techniques and improve productivity. Outside of his professional and academic pursuits, he is passionate about fostering community engagement and often participates in initiatives aimed at supporting local farmers in their quest for sustainable livelihoods. In addition to his studies, he works full-time for the Government of Canada in a management position, where he collaborates on initiatives designed to support rural economies and improve access to resources for farmers. His role involves implementing policies that address the unique challenges faced by small-scale farmers, such as access to funding, training, and technology.
Casandra Bryant, PhD candidate: Casandra is a PhD student in Rural Studies at the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development at the University of Guelph. Her research interests include women-led rural social enterprise, the social economy, community development, and mental health and wellness among rural healthcare workers. Casandra is also a sessional lecturer teaching 3rd and 4th-year undergraduate EDRD courses. She is a Research Chair for the Rural Healthcare Workforce at Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health (Gateway). For 15+ years, she worked in the non-profit sector as the Director for Client Development and Fundraising for two companies and as an independent strategic development consultant.
Amanda Mongeon, PhD student: Amanda is a PhD student in the University of Guelph’s Rural Studies Program, working under the supervision of Dr. Deacon. Her research interest is governance for health and wellbeing. Amanda is also a Program Manager at Timiskaming Health Unit, where she supports work in Community and School Health. She is a board member with the Canadian Health Association for Sustainability and Equity and founding member of Climate Action Timiskaming. Her educational background includes a Masters of Education focused on Adult Education, Community Development and Environmental Studies from University of Toronto, a Bachelor of Environmental Studies from York University and she holds the Credentialed Evaluator designation with the Canadian Evaluation Society. Amanda lives in Temiskaming Shores in Northern Ontario.
Amanda Norton, PhD student: Amanda Norton is a PhD candidate in Geography at the University of Toronto. Amanda holds a bachelors in Statistics and a Master of Public Health (MPH) in epidemiology and biostatistics. Amanda's research interests are in inequitable environments and their implications on health, her PhD dissertation is on inequitable air pollution exposure. Amanda is interested in applying quantitative skills, spatial analyses, and epidemiological methods to understand these health disparities.
Lauren Van Ewyk, PhD candidate: Lauren is a PhD student in the University of Guelph’s Rural Studies Program, working under the supervision of Dr. Deacon. The focus of her research responds to the opioid crisis in Ontario and what barriers exist that prevent rural individuals from accessing effective complex care. She is a registered social worker in the province of Ontario and the CEO of the National Farmer Mental Health Alliance. A sought-after public speaker, Lauren is highly committed to knowledge translation and seeks to partner with rural communities in all areas of wellness and resiliency. Lauren lives in Courtright, Ontario.
Susan Watkins, PhD candidate: is just beginning her studies at the University of Guelph, Rural Studies Department after retiring from over 25 years in the International Development sector, working mainly in East Africa. Dr. Leith Deacon will supervise her deeper dive into the role of business incubation in success rates of youth start ups in Africa as a means of employment and job creation. Her previous degrees from the University of Guelph include: Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, with a focus on Crop Science and International Agriculture, and a Masters of Arts in Sociology, focused on gender in provision of agricultural extension in St.Lucia, West Indies. She was certified as a Project Management Professional and is based in Ottawa, Ontario.
Masters (thesis)
Daina De Angelis (MSc student): Daina De Angelis is a first year MSc Rural Planning and Development student, enrolled in the thesis stream, recently graduating from McMaster University with concurrent certificates in Urban Studies and Planning and Geographic Information Science. She aspires to develop her current knowledge and skillset, which includes working as an Employment Surveyor for the City of Hamilton’s Planning and Economic Development department in the Summer of 2023. The research she wants to pursue throughout the program is economic development of rural communities, specifically through understanding the effects of COVID-19. Her role as a research assistant will examine the impacts of the pandemic on the economies of rural communities, providing insight into the strategies that can promote long-term growth and resiliency.
Adam Medeiros (MSc student): Adam is a student in Rural Planning and Development at the University of Guelph. He is interested in research that explores the role planning can play in interweaving place, social interactions, the economy, environment, and health to promote well-being and longevity in communities. Adam has a background in health geography, having completed a master’s at the University of Ottawa, where he worked as a researcher in uOttawa’s Environment, Community, and Health Lab. He also holds a BSc in Geography and Environmental Sciences from McMaster University.
Sage Milne (MSc student): Sage Milne is a first-year MSc Rural Planning and Development Thesis-based Student. She graduated from her undergraduate at Huron University at Western with an honours specialization in Global Health Studies. Her work as a research assistant at Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health has explored areas such as rural health knowledge translation, local food and gardening, and community development. The areas of research she wants to pursue include community access to health care and wellbeing, and rural resiliency.
Warren Star, (MSc Student): Warren is a second-year student enrolled in the MSc Rural Planning & Development program at the University of Guelph. Prior to joining the University of Guelph, Warren earned his Honour’s Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toronto, wherein he majored in Political Science with minors in Geography and French. This breadth of studies involved researching critical components of towns such as economic magnets and interprovincial migration. Interested in creating master-planned communities, he has concluded that the key to a successful town is economic opportunity. As a means to this end, he is researching innovation programs for his thesis.
Previous Students
Michael Kvern, MSc [University of Guelph] - “It Comes Down to What They Value”: Understanding How Energy is Integrated Into Rural Manitoba Land Use Plan. View here
Randi Burke, MSc [University of Guelph] - COVID-19 & Rural Labour Markets: Understanding the Relationships Between Economic and Social Disruptions and its Role on Mental health (2022). View here.
Alberic Marginet, MSc [University of Guelph] - Thesis: Urban is the New Rural: An Exploratory Investigation of Community Gardens and Urban Agriculture in Vancouver, BC (2021). View here.
Sampoorna Bhattacharya, MSc [University of Guelph] - Heritage-led Planning for Rural Community Resilience: Terrace Landscapes in Peru (2021). View here.
Miranda Ivany, MSc. [University of Guelph] - Thesis: Rural Philanthropy: Mapping Patterns of Charitable Giving in Newfoundland and Labrador and Canada's Atlantic Region (2021). View here.
Trina Lamanes, MA [University of Alberta] - Thesis: Socially Sustainable Urban Development: The Role of Leisure and Recreation in a Canadian Resource Based Community (2016). View here.
Nushrat Jahan, MA [University of Alberta] - Thesis: A Case Study of Regional Economic Resilience of A Canadian Resource-Based Community (2014). View here.