Dr. Kelly Bannister

CoDirector, POLIS Project on Ecological Governance

Dr. Kelly Bannister is Co-Director of the POLIS Project on Ecological Governance, a Research Associate at the Centre for Global Studies, and an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Faculty of Human and Social Development at the University of Victoria. Kelly applies her background in Ethnobiology to policy-relevant research and collaborative education on biocultural diversity, working in collaboration with First Nations, community non-profit organizations and all levels of government. Her focus is on ethical and legal issues in research involving biodiversity and Indigenous cultural knowledge, and the role of collaborative methods, ethical guidance and governance tools (e.g., codes of ethics, community research protocols) to address power relations and facilitate equitable research design, practice and outcomes. Her ultimate goal is the evolution of new institutional frameworks that support collaborative and equitable research between universities, rural communities and First Nations. Kelly is currently a Steering Committee member of the Intellectual Property Issues in Cultural Heritage project, based at SFU and funded by the MCRI program of SSHRC, and Co-chair of the Ethics Program for the International Society of Ethnobiology (ISE). She facilitated the completion of the ISE Code of Ethics in 2006 and is developing an online ethics toolkit to promote the values, principles, and practices upon which the ISE Code of Ethics is based.