From the Desk of Kim Matheson
Vice President (Research and International)
I am delighted to be able to introduce Dr. Lina Kalfayan as the Director of Operations for Carleton University’s Canada-India Centre for Excellence in Science, Technology, Trade and Policy.
Lina comes to us with a unique blend of expertise that is very much aligned with our goals for the Centre. Most recently she was a Senior Advisor in the Office of Sponsored Research at McGill where she worked with teams to put together large scale proposals, including the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the National Centres of Excellence programs. Prior to this she spent three years as the Director of IAIN Indonesia Social Equity Project, McGill University/Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), where she was responsible for managing all aspects of HQ and field offices operations to support the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of this bilateral capacity development project between the governments of Canada and Indonesia, with an overall budget of approximately $20 million.
In addition to her significant experience managing projects in Indonesia she maintains a role with the Action for Rural Rejuvenation program of the Isha Foundation, Tamil Nadu (India) for whom she acts as a representative to the United Nations DPI (Department of Public Information) and UN ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council) NGO Sections in New York. In addition she provides technical input to the NGO’s comprehensive, multipronged, grassroots rural development program in southern India, involving health, education, and environment programs.
Adding to her experience with academe (project development and management, lecturer and researcher) and with NGOs, Lina also worked for two years as a Client Relations Officer with THINK LLC (www.thinknaturalproducts.com), Antioch (United States), where she assisted a young start-up with a tri-fold mission to create eco-friendly products, to encourage the micro economy and to offer business opportunities to disadvantaged women in rural India.
Her interests in India culminated with five months living and volunteering in India, working with victims of the tsunami.
Her experience in proposal development, large-scale project management as well as her ongoing work with NGOs and small companies engaged in India gives Lina a unique perspective that I am certain will enhance our efforts in developing our National Centre of Excellence proposal and facilitate the growth and sustainability of Carleton’s Canada-India Centre for Excellence in Science, Technology, Trade and Policy.
Lina received her PhD in Immunology from the Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, and her MSc and BSc degrees from the American University of Beirut.
Please join me in welcoming Lina to Carleton.