SPPGA is pleased to announce our 2025 Liu Scholars, an exceptional group of students with a strong commitment to global change: Neha Sharma-Mascarenhas, Ema Fatima, Muh Syukron, and Joachim Stassart.
Since its conception in 2009, the Liu Scholars Program has engaged outstanding PhD students from UBC in multidisciplinary collaboration to address today’s global issues and enhance global networks. It strives to promote meaningful research amongst students of diverse backgrounds under the mentorship of a core faculty member at the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA). This research will be centered on themes that are identified each year.
Learn more about each scholar below:
Neha Sharma-Mascarenhas is a PhD candidate at the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES) at UBC. Her doctoral research attempts to understand the socio-economic, policy and industrial dynamics that mediate repair and reuse within a zero waste and circular economy context. With over a decade of experience as a policy researcher and economist, Neha has led public policy initiatives, interdisciplinary research projects, and data-driven solutions for global organizations. As a Liu Scholar, Neha will collaborate with Professor Kristen Hopewell to explore how addressing environmental challenges surrounding end-of-life electronics can indirectly shape global trade and the supply chains within the electronics sector.
Ema Fatima is a PhD student at the Fisheries Economics Research Unit and the Conservation Decisions Lab. Her doctoral research investigates how inequities in fisheries subsidies marginalize socially vulnerable groups and affect their livelihood resilience. Using an interdisciplinary approach that integrates quantitative and qualitative methods, her work aims to inform public policy for a transition from harmful subsidies to socially just and sustainable practices. As a Liu Scholar, Ema is collaborating with Dr. Tara Cookson to examine the impacts of fisheries subsidies on women in the marine fishing industry. This study addresses critical issues, including economic equity for women fishers, gender-equitable economic practices, resource sustainability, and fair, sustainable global trade.
Muh Syukron is a PhD student in the Faculty of Forestry at the University of British Columbia. His research focuses on the interplay between digital activism and palm oil governance. Using a mixed-methods approach, he investigates the implications of environmental policy frameworks and initiatives within the palm oil industry, with a particular emphasis on palm oil-producing regions like Indonesia. His work aims to provide insights that support policymakers and industry stakeholders in advancing ethical and sustainable palm oil practices. As a Liu Scholar, he will be working with Prof. Matias Margulis.
Joachim Stassart is a PhD student under the supervision of Dr. Juliet Lu in the Faculty of Forestry at UBC. He is a political ecologist working on land conflicts in Brazil, investigating the opportunities and challenges presented by the digitalization of land governance and the production of land-use and tenure data. As part of his Liu Scholar project mentored by Dr. Tarun Khanna, Joachim examines how mapping efforts can either exacerbate or help resolve land conflicts related to wind energy projects in Ceará, a state that has experienced a boom in renewable energy over the past decade. His aim is to advance land rights within the context of climate change mitigation initiatives.
