Loleen Berdahl PhD, BA

Dr. Loleen Berdahl was appointed for a five-year term as the new executive director of the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (JSGS), effective October 1, 2020.

With a strong background in both educational leadership and policy research, Dr. Berdahl previously served as department head in Political Studies at USask from 2016-2020. During this time, she led her department through a period of significant renewal and revitalization, with the hiring of six faculty positions and the promotion of four faculty members. She also led the introduction of the Certificate in Indigenous Governance and Politics and the Certificate in Politics and Law, the expansion of the Certificate in Global Studies, the online development of the Political Studies BA, and the adoption of the First Year Research Experience (FYRE) program across the department.

With a PhD from the University of Calgary, Dr. Berdahl began her career working for the Canada West Foundation for ten years.

Her time spent in a policy-related work environment inspired her commitment to help students recognize and develop career-relevant skills that employers and society need. It has also guided her SSHRC-funded research on career skills training in graduate education. In addition to her SSHRC project, Dr. Berdahl also examines how institutional, cultural, and political factors shape individual attitudes and collaborative decision-making practices, with a focus on public attitudes regarding Canadian public policy, federalism, and regionalism.  

Beyond her extensive research program, Dr. Berdahl is the recipient of 3M National Teaching Fellowship—the most prestigious national teaching award in Canada. In addition to being the recipient of three USask teaching awards, including the Distinguished Teacher Award (formerly titled Master Teacher Award), she was awarded the Canadian Political Science Association Prize for Teaching Excellence, the American Political Science Association Policy Excellence in Mentoring Award, and most recently, the Lieutenant Governor’s Post-Secondary Teaching Award for Outstanding Teaching. 

She is also currently a Faculty Fellow with the Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching and Learning, and her Graduate Transformative Skills project will inform the redesign of graduate career skill training programs at USask.

Loleen Berdahl is currently not accepting applications from new PhD or MPP students.