Mr. Leslie will be a Key Note Speaker on “Strategic R&D Investment for improved Innovations to mitigate COVID-19 pandemic in developing countries”

Stefan Leslie is the Chief Executive Officer of Research Nova Scotia (RNS), an independent non-profit corporation with the mandate to organize, support and coordinate the funding of research in the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. RNS manages approximately 450 research grants at any one time, annually providing CAD$15-20 million for projects, people and infrastructure. Since the beginning of the pandemic, RNS has supported 23 COVID-19 research projects, including those related to vaccine development, testing strategies, virus detection systems, social and cultural impacts of the pandemic, and technology to reduce disease transmission.

Previously, Stefan was the director of a national marine research network. Before focusing on research, Stefan worked for fifteen years managing fisheries for the Canadian and New Zealand governments. There, Stefan’s research and operational interests were in the administration of natural resources, developing a cooperative model between industry and the public. This work was applied to the joint management of inshore fisheries, interactions with endangered species, the establishment of seabed protection areas, and developing a precautionary approach to resource management.

This approach is now being applied in the identification and funding of research, about half of which is related to health. Stefan operates on a partnership model, enabling contributing parties to identify and systematically address issues of public concern. Whether supporting students or building large, complex, multi-year projects, this work is focused on applying research to the challenges of society, and improving people’s lives, their community, and the natural environment.

Stefan has a bachelor’s degree in international development and a Master of Marine Management, both from Dalhousie University, Canada.  He lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.