Sparking innovation for growth

“I want to uncover the black box of partnerships among governments, universities and private sector that allow innovation to happen,” Ata says. “What are the institutional and organizational dynamics that make them successful, or not? How do behavioural models apply? How do corporate dynamics apply?”

Innovation is so important to our knowledge-based economies that innovation research has become a specialized field of study. Ata is one of its growing cohort of researchers, and he traces his interest to Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy.

“In 2009, I was finishing my undergraduate work in economics and political science at McMaster University and looking at post-graduate options. Several of my professors recommended Johnson Shoyama, and then I learned that Michael Atkinson was executive director.”

Dr. Atkinson was a highly regarded member of McMaster’s Political Science department before being recruited to the University of Saskatchewan in 1997, and was considered a leading researcher in public policy. Inspired, Ata applied and was accepted into Johnson Shoyama’s Master of Public Policy program. It was a 2,220 km trek from Hamilton, Ontario to the University of Saskatchewan campus in Saskatoon, but then, that was part of the adventure.

“Coming to a different university in a different part of Canada was absolutely a consideration for me,” Ata says. “I think it’s important in research-related work to know what’s going on in your field in other regions, not just your small part of it. You have to know who’s doing what so that you can define potential linkages.”

Ata’s interest in innovation policy was piqued in a course delivered by Peter Phillips, a well-known researcher and senior policy advisor to Canadian industry and government, as well as founding director at Johnson Shoyama’s University of Saskatchewan campus in Saskatoon.

“The course was at the interdisciplinary crossroads of economics, business and political science, and I’ve always been more interested in that intersection than in the core of economics or political science. Johnson Shoyama gave me the opportunity to explore how these different fields interacted in terms of policy,” Ata says.

Ata approached Phillips with an idea for a master’s thesis, and Phillips agreed to act as his supervisor. “I wanted to explore the dynamics of public-private partnerships and how they pertained to innovation, finance and public policy. So I looked specifically at the initiative to develop the Bio-economy Center of Commercialization and Research in Saskatoon, which was initiated to pool commercially viable technologies across various organizations in the agriculture biotechnology cluster.”

In 2011, he completed his thesis and earned his Master of Public Policy degree. He’s currently pursuing a PhD in Comparative Public Policy, Public Administration and Canadian Politics back at McMaster. His research focus has a familiar ring: innovation networks and centers of excellence. “I’ve broadened my research horizon to include public-private partnerships in different sectors, and how centers of excellence can develop or hinder those partnerships.”

While he continues to pursue his PhD part-time, Ata has ventured beyond the walls of academia. In January 2015, he took a position as a research analyst with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), the department responsible for Canada’s complex array of social programs and services. He works in the Skills and Employment Branch, where he is involved in policy research analysis and geomatics. “Information is key to developing sound policy. We conduct research based on sound methodology that feeds into policy development,” he says.

“There’s a difference between research in academia and research in a job setting, but the basic tools and skills are the same—and I learned them at Johnson Shoyama. The courses and experiences gave me a baseline of knowledge and tools that I can apply to any policy area.”

“It’s difficult to summarize all the wonderful experiences I had at Johnson Shoyama. It wasn’t just the academic environment—I enjoyed the friendships, the great discussions. I also had a chance to be mentored by some amazing people. I worked as a research assistant on a public finance policy with Dr. Atkinson, I interacted with amazing faculty, but I think Peter Phillips, Daniel Beland, Murray Fulton had the most significant impact,” Ata says.

As for the future, Ata has short-term and long-term goals. “Short-term, obviously I want to finish my PhD, but I also want to progress in the public sector. I think there’s a cultural shift happening in government now, in terms of more people with PhDs working in policy areas. As the complexities of modern social policy become more involved and inter-relationships grow in importance, you have to know how these things will impact each other,” he says. “Long-term, I want to use my research focus to build a career, possibly in public service, possibly in academia.”

Quite possibly, it will be both academia and public sector service for Ata. “That’s another thing I learned from my experience at Johnson Shoyama—keep your options open. See what opportunities arise and what doors open, and then follow them to see where it takes you.”