Valere Gaspard

Valere Gaspard is a Doctoral Student in Political Studies at the University of Ottawa and a recipient of the SSHRC CGS Doctoral Award (2023–2026). He holds concurrent roles as a Research Fellow at the Leadership & Democracy Lab (Western University and Trent University) and a Research Student at the Centre of Governance. His work focuses on Canadian politics, electoral integrity, democracy satisfaction, and political institutions. He explores how politicians and citizens perceive democracy and elections within federal and parliamentary frameworks.

Education:

• MA in Political Science, University of Ottawa (2022)
• BA in Political Science & Philosophy, Western University (2020)

Research Interests: Valere examines electoral management bodies, voting behavior, federalism, comparative politics, public participation in electoral processes, and youth engagement. His studies often intersect with legal frameworks and digital media’s role in governance. Notable work includes field experiments on constituency office responsiveness and analyses of crises impacting elections.

Awards:

• SSHRC CGS Doctoral Award (2023–2026)

Grants/Advising: Valere’s SSHRC funding supports his doctoral research. He co-instructs the Undergraduate Partnered Research Programme, fostering student engagement in collaborative research. His work often involves interdisciplinary teams at Western, Trent, and Ottawa.

Labs/Teams: Active contributor to the Leadership & Democracy Lab, focusing on democratic resilience and institutional analysis. Engages with the Centre of Governance on electoral integrity projects.