GSPIA announces winner of "Ideas That Matter" contest

Faculty of Social Sciences
Graduate School of Public and International Affairs
Undergraduate studies
Prizes
Cybersecurity
Anjana Balachandran
The Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa (GSPIA) is delighted to announce that Anjana Balachandran, a final-year undergraduate student of Political Studies at the University of Ottawa, has won of the “Ideas That Matter” contest for 2024.

In her winning submission, Ms. Balachandran proposed creating a “Global Cybersecurity Resilience Corps” that would unite global expertise in a concerted effort to safeguard against “emerging cyber threats, balancing national security with the preservation of individual digital rights.”

Two of Canada’s leading cybersecurity experts, Shelly and John Bruce, will work with Ms. Balachandran to further refine her proposal for eventual presentation to government. Shelly Bruce is the former Chief (deputy minister) of the Communications Security Establishment (CSE, Canada’s signals intelligence and cybersecurity agency), and John Bruce, a Department of Justice lawyer and Lead Advisor, Cyber Policy and Authorities at CSE. Both are Visiting Professors at GSPIA.

Ms. Balachandran was previously awarded the Sumita Dixit International Security Internship at Global Affairs Canada, where she worked on non-proliferation and disarmament issues. Among other distinctions, she also serves on the board of Women in International Security—Canada.

The "Ideas That Matter" contest solicited policy proposals from final-year undergraduate students across Canada. The submissions were judged by Roland Paris, Director of GSPIA, and Michael Wernick, Jarislowsky Chair in Public Sector Management and former Clerk of the Privy Council, in consultation with other experts. The winner receives a $1000 prize.