Finding accessible and authoritative data for post-secondary projects and thesis work can be challenging. This is why Maral, who is writing the final report for her Master's program in Environmental Assessment at Concordia University, is turning to open data.
She is currently exploring the how feminist policies can be used to influence and improve decision-making processes in Canada, specifically in the extraction and natural resources sector. Through her report, Maral hopes to identify the potential for these policies to empower marginalized communities.
As part of her analysis, she will be utilizing spatial data from Environment and Climate Change Canada and Natural Resources Canada, as well as health data from the Public Health Agency of Canada to illustrate the disproportionate exposure to negative impacts that specific groups face in Canada (such as Indigenous woman in remote areas). She will also analyze data from Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada on infrastructure investments in First Nation communities on reserves across Canada.
Maral expects to obtain her Master’s degree in Spring 2020.
Maral is using open data to support her research in order to graduate from her Master’s program at Concordia University. Through her data analysis, she hopes to contribute to the current dialogue in applying a feminist and intersectional lens in decision-making processes to ensure that affected communities are engaged and given a voice.
