- Ph.D. Student, Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability at the University of British Columbia
- M.E.S. in Social and Ecological Sustainability from University of Waterloo (2019)
- H.B.Sc. in Environmental Science, with a minor in Philosophy, from Queen’s University (2017)
Bio
Sarah-Louise Ruder is a Ph.D. student in the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability at UBC, co-supervised by Professor Hannah Wittman and Professor Terre Satterfield. Interdisciplinary by training, Sarah-Louise is an environmental social scientist studying food systems, social-ecological sustainability, and novel agri-food technologies.
Her doctoral research explores the implications of digital technologies and big data in agriculture on food security, justice, and sustainability, focusing on the North American context. This research is funded by a Canada Graduate Scholarship from SSHRC and a Four Year Doctoral Fellowship from UBC. Concurrently, she is collaborating on a Genome BC project to research the risks, benefits, and governance challenges of gene editing in agriculture. Sarah-Louise began exploring novel agri-food technologies during her master’s thesis research, which focused on Ontario grain farmer perceptions and experiences “digital farming” in Ontario, Canada. Her interdisciplinary research experience also includes work on environmental policy and governance, sustainable diets, and intersectional feminisms.
Beyond her research, Sarah-Louise supports transitions to more sustainable, just, and secure food systems in diverse contexts. Currently, she is the Secretary of the Board of Directors for the Canadian Association for Food Studies and a founding member of its Anti-Racism Working Group. She has over 8 years of experience in environmental activism and community education, including food systems work for Sustainable Kingston and Meal Exchange. During her undergraduate studies, Sarah-Louise acted as the Environmental Education Manager of The Tea Room—a carbon-neutral, zero-consumer-waste café. In 2017, her leadership in this position was recognized by Starfish Canada with a “Top 25 Environmentalists Under 25” award. Throughout her various roles, Sarah-Louise takes responsibility for ongoing learning and action regarding decolonization and anti-oppression.
Selected Publications
Ruder, S-L., and Kandlikar, M. (2023) Governing gene-edited crops: risks, regulations, and responsibilities as perceived by agricultural genomics experts in Canada. Journal of Responsible Innovation, 10:1.
Sanniti, S. & Ruder, S-L. (2021). Engaging economies of change: equitable partnerships for climate action. Ecological Limits of Development. Routledge.
Clapp, J., & Ruder, S.L. (2020). Precision Technologies for Agriculture: Digital Farming, Gene-Edited Crops, and the Politics of Sustainability. Global Environmental Politics, 20(3). https://doi.org/10.1162/glep_a_00566
Ruder, S. L. (2020). The digital revolution is here: What does it mean for Ontario grain farmers? Ontario Grain Farmer, 11(5). Retrieved from https://ontariograinfarmer.ca/2020/02/01/the-digital-revolution-is-here/ [Public Scholarship]
Sanniti, S. R., & Ruder, S. L. (2019). Walking the Walk: Planning a Conference that Embodies Equity and Sustainability. Women & Environments International Magazine, (100/101), 7–11. Retrieved from http://www.yorku.ca/weimag/CURRENTISSUE/images/WEIMAG_100_101.pdf [Public Scholarship]
Ruder, S.L., & Sanniti, S. R. (2019). Transcending the Learned Ignorance of Predatory Ontologies: A Research Agenda for an Ecofeminist-Informed Ecological Economics. Sustainability, 11(5), 1479. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11051479
Ruder, S. L. (2018). Farmer’s voices missing: University of Waterloo research. Ontario Grain Farmer Magazine, 10(3). Retrieved from https://ontariograinfarmer.ca/2018/12/01/farmers-voice-missing/ [Public Scholarship]
Ruder, S. L. (2018). Clive Hamilton. Defiant Earth: The fate of humans in the Anthropocene. [Book review of Defiant Earth, by C. Hamilton]. Environmental Philosophy, 15(1):129-134. DOI:10.5840/envirophil20181515