Familiar face running BU rural research centre
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 25/02/2023 (1097 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Brandon University’s Rural Development Institute (RDI) has been under new management for around a month and a half, with Wayne Kelly having taken over as interim director on Jan. 9.
This isn’t Kelly’s first time working for the RDI, since he previously served as a project co-ordinator and researcher for the research centre for 11 years.
Because of this, Kelly has extensive experience with developing, leading and co-ordinating community development projects to improve the well-being of rural communities in Western Canada.
Wayne Kelly has been serving as the interim director of Brandon University’s Rural Development Institute since Jan. 9. (Submitted)
“I’m very excited to lead RDI in the institute’s next phase at Brandon University,” Kelly said in a Thursday news release from BU.
“I am keen to contribute to our understanding and support to rural communities, regions and people as they navigate the impacts and new realities of COVID-19, population change, digitalization and more.”
Kelly’s ties to BU can be traced back to the 2000s, since he received his master’s degree in rural development from the university in 2008.
He went on to obtain a PhD in philosophy from Ireland’s University of Galway in 2020 and has tackled a variety of major research projects in the interim.
This includes overseeing and managing a $2.5-million partnership project between the RDI and the federal Social Science and Humanities Research Council, where he and his team used research from developing countries to inform rural policy across Canada.
Kelly also just recently wrapped up a post-doctoral research fellowship at the University of Winnipeg, where he co-led an assessment research team that was designed to support a circular farm development initiative for Indigenous communities.
Because of his collective experience, Balfour Spence, BU’s acting dean of arts who oversees RDI activities, believes Kelly is the perfect candidate to lead the research centre, especially as their areas of focus continue to evolve over time.
“The Rural Development Institute is a major interface between Brandon University and the rural communities we serve, and Dr. Kelly brings the right mix of insight and vision to keep RDI at the forefront of rural issues here in Westman and around the world,” Spence said.
BU first established the RDI in 1989 to focus on improving the well-being of rural communities in Manitoba and beyond through research and action.
Historically, RDI has focused its research and activities on topics like rural innovation, economic development, governance, infrastructure and immigration.
» The Brandon Sun