Visiting Scholars

The Marine & Environmental Law Institute welcomes visits by scholars from Canada and other countries who wish to undertake sabbatical or short-term research in the marine and environmental law field. Interested applicants should send a copy of their CV & a letter of interest to the Director of the Marine & Environmental Law Institute. While we have no funding to support such visits, we do provide office space (subject to availability at the time) and library support for visitors. Accordingly, we strongly encourage visitors to organize their own funding so as to be self-supporting.

The procedure for organizing the visit is mostly informal. We encourage submission of a letter of request indicating plans and duration of the visit. If the purpose of the visit is to undertake research, we would appreciate an explanation of the nature and purpose of the research to determine if there are Dalhousie colleagues whom you might be interested to meet. We would also like the letter to be accompanied by a cv (a short cv is fine) to give us some background on you.

Visiting Scholars

2022-2023

• Usha Natarajan, is associate professor of international law and associate director of the Center for Migration and Refugee Studies at the American University in Cairo, Egypt, is a Schulich Law International Visiting Scholar from Ocotber 1, 2022 to September 30, 2023.
• Tahnee Prior, Killam post-doctoral fellow, was here from October 15, 2019 to May 1, 2023.
• Emanuel Neokye, a UN Nippon Fellow from Ghana was here doing research from June 20 to December 16, 2022.
• Nele Matz-Luck, Professor of Law, Managing Director and Vice president of the University of Kiel and co-Director of the Walther Schücking Institute for International Law was visitng for the month of July 2022 for sabbitical research.

2020-2021

• Kristin Bartenstein, University of Laval, Quebec did her research on sustainable development theme (culture) at the institute from August 1, 2020 to July 31, 2021.
• Sara Ross, Banting post-doctoral fellow worked on her research from May 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021.
• Lisa Benjamin, a Killam post-doctoral fellow was visiting from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021.

2019-2020

• Shicun Wu, National Institute for South China Sea Studies, was working on research on China-Canada cooperation on the Arctic issues, and implications of the US strategic adjustment in the Arctic region from September 22-October 4, 2019.

2018-2019

• Jiayu (Jenny) Bai, a visiting scholar from Qingdao, was on scholarship from the Canada-China Scholarship Exchange and CBEI and spent her time with us from December 30, 2018 to December 30, 2019.
• Thira Rodchevid from Thailand was a visiting Nippon Foundation Fellow from June 30-December 13, 2019. 
• Marcus Haward, University of Tasmania visited the institute from June 4-8, 2018
• Edwin Egede, Cardiff University, undertook research on the Agrican Blue Economy during his visit from June 11-22, 2018.
• Blake Hudson was here to discuss research with Sara Seck on June 15, 2018
• Misornu Logo, Ministry of Fisheries, Ghana, a UN Nippon Fellow was here doing research from June 29 to December 15, 2018
• Dr. Desai Shan, Ottawa is an OFI Postdoctoral Research Fellow here from July 3, 2018 to May 31, 2019. Professor Aldo Chircop is supervising.
• Gunnar Sander, attended the workshop on Contemporary and Emerging Challenges of Shipping in the Northwest Atlantic and Eastern Arctic August 31 to September 1, 2018, hosted by Professor Aldo Chircop along with the Ocean Frontier Institute.
• Professor Nicholas Gaskell, from The University of Queensland, Marine and Shipping Law Unit, Australia, visited for the month of September 2018 (Sept 3- Oct 6), during his sabbatical term. His research and work is mostly on high seas liability, wreck law, and passenger carriage.
• Jay Batongbacal is a lawyer from the Philippines and Schulich JSD, who spoke on “Voyages in Maritime Affairs:  A Testament to the Inter-disciplinary Approach of Dalhousie’s Marine Affairs and Marine & Environmental Law Programs” on September 27, 2018 at a joint seminar.
• Karin Buhmann, Denmark, visited to discuss potential research collaborations and was a speaker in Environmental Law I class. She was here from October 16-17, 2018.

2017-2018

• Edwin Egede was visiting during his sabbatical visit from Cardiff University, Wales from June 11-June 22, 2018.
• Misornu Logo, a Nippon Research Fellow from Ghana, was with the institute from June 29-December 15, 2018.
• Gunnar Sander, PhD candidate at the Norwegian College for Fisheries Science at the University of Tromsø in Norway was the guest speaker at a joint seminar on October 19, 2017. His talk was on “What explains the implementation of the policy in the Norwegian Barents Sea Management Plan?”. Gunnar has recently published an article Ecosystem-based management in Canada and Norway: The importance of political leadership and effective decision-making for implementation. He was with the institute from August to December 2017.

2016-2017

• Dorottya Bognar, from UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, visited from April to June 2016, as a visiting graduate student during her PhD studies, her thesis was entitled "An analysis of the IMO's negotiations of the mandatory Polar Code, with special focus on Russia's role and behavior."
• Associate Professor Dr. Leilei Zhou, visited from the Research Institute of Marine Policies and Law at Shanghai Ocean University in China as part of her post-doctoral fellowship program, from June to August 2016
• Ingvild Ulrikke Jakobsen and Kjersti Dahle came to the institute from June 7-12, 2016 to discuss research and the upcoming Jensen Workshop October 27-29, 2016.
• Tore Henriksen, Director, Professor dr juris at UiT the Arctic University of Norway presented “The Arctic Ocean, Environmental Stewardship, and the Law of the Sea” at MELAW’s public lecture on October 27, 2016.
• Ingvild Ulrikke Jakobsen and Natalia Ermolina attended the Jensen Workshop October 27-29, 2016.
• Lee Paddock, Associate Dean for Environmental Law Studies at The George Washington University Law School, Washington, was a speaker at the Faculty Seminar on November 2, 2016.

2015-2016

• Dr. Jody Wright, Communications & Engagement Manager, Clear Seas Centre for Responsible Marine Shipping presented “Safe and Sustainable Marine Shipping: What Does it Take?” at a MELAW seminar on October 2, 2015.
• Ingvild Ulrikke Jakobsen, Faculty of Law, UiT, Tromso collaborated with MELAW faculty and spoke at a public lecture during her visit from October 19-22, 2015.

2014-2015

• Associate Professor Craig Forrest from University of Queensland, Australia, visited from April to May 2013 during his sabbatical working on maritime & shipping law.
• Andrew Serdy from Southampton University, United Kingdom worked on his international fisheries law research during his visit April to May 2013.
• Dr. David Freestone is a professional lecturer in Law at George Washington University, he presented “Can We Protect High Seas Ecosystems Under Current International Law? Lessons from the Sargasso Sea” at the MELAW public lecture on July 11, 2013.
• Sébastien Duyck from Finland worked on environmental law research during his visit from August to September 2013.
• Professor Prue Taylor, School of Architecture and Planning, University of Auckland, was the guest lecturer at the MELAW public lecture on January 15, 2014. The title of her lecture was “The Common Heritage of Mankind and the Law of the Sea: the legacy and the future”.
• Andreas Zink of Germany worked on Ballast EU Arctic Policy in the area of Water Management Convention during his/her stay January to March 2014.

2012-2013

• Maria da Gloria Garcia from the University of Portugal spent a week researching at MELAW in June 2012, and attended the Regulation of Continental Shelf Development Conference.
• Mary George, a marine spatial planner from the University of Malaya, researched at the MELAW Institute from July - October 2012.
• Professor Alexandre Pereira de Silva from Brazil spent a post-doctoral fellowship at the MELAW Institute from August 2012 to August 2013.

2011-2012

• Mar Campins Eritja is a Professor of International and European Law at the Universitat de Barcelona, Spain spoke on “The EU and the North: Towards the Development of an EU Arctic Policy at the public lecture on December 2, 2011.
• Alain Murphy is a geoscientist specializing on maritime boundaries and submissions by coastal States to the UN Commission on the limits of Continental Shelf (CLCS). He spoke about “Arctic Landgrab? Not quite: The Changing geography of the Arctic Seabed beyond 200 nautical miles” at the Arctic Forum Lecture Series on January 27, 2012.
• Commander David Peer, Defence Fellow at the Centre for Foreign Policy Studies spoke on “The Canadian Navy and the North: Challenges and Opportunities, A Naval Architect’s View” at the Arctic Forum Lecture Series on February 17, 2012.
• Professor Stephen Bocking, Chair, Environmental and Resource Science/Studies Program at Trent University was the guest speaker at the Arctic Forum Lecture Series on March 15, 2012. His talk was on “Science and the Environment in the Arctic”.
• Jeffrey J. Smith, a Canadian lawyer, principal counsel to the Frente POLISARIO, the national liberation movement of Western Sahar, and the jurisconsult to the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic was the guest speaker at the joint public lecture on March 23, 2012. His talk was “Fishing for Self-Determination: European Fisheries and Western Sahara – The case of ocean resources in Africa’s last colony”.
• Michał Łuszczuk is an Associate Professor at the Department of International Relations in the Maria Curie Skłodowska University, Lublin, Poland. He spoke about “Poland’s approach towards the Arctic region: an insignificant dream or a meaningful contribution” at the Arctic Forum Lecture Series on April 27, 2012

2010-2011

• Mr. Killey Mwitasi of Tanzania was awarded the 23rd Hamilton Shirley Amerasignhe Memorial Fellowship on Law of the Sea. The topic of his visitorship was "The regime of maritime zones, including the rights and obligations of the coastal state and third states."
• Judge Helmut Türk, Vice-President of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, Hamburg, Germany was the guest speaker at MELAW’s public lecture on October 13, 2010. His talk was on “Water in International Law (Fresh Water)”.
• William Crosbie, Canada’s Ambassador to Afghanistan spoke about “Lessons Learned and Canada’s New Role in Afghanistan at MELAW’s public lecture on February 2, 2011.

2008-2009

• Dr. Zhang Haiwen, Deputy Director-General, China Institute for Marine Affairs (CIMA)
• Dr. Winston Anderson, Professor of International Law at the Faculty of Law, University of the West Indies, Barbados and the Executive Director of Caribbean Law Institute, spoke during the IOI course on “Principles OG in Caribbean” on May 28, 2009. He also presented “Multilateral Environmental Agreements on Protection of Biodiversity: Effect on Judicial Decision-Making in the Commonwealth Caribbean: at a public seminar on May 29, 2009 as part of the PROGOVNET Project.
• Vice Admiral (R) Mohammad Haroon, Rector of Bahria University, Pakistan, was the guest speaker at the joint seminar speaking on “Pakistan’s Role in Combating Maritime Terrorism and Piracy” on November 4, 2009.