Eleanor McGrath | PhD candidate, Political Science
Eleanor McGrath didn’t follow a straight line to her PhD in Political Science—and that’s exactly what makes her work so impactful.
“I have a bit of a unique background,” she explains. “My undergrad is in Business and my master’s degree is in Social Work, and between each degree I worked for several years.” She also became a mom, which added a new role to her growing list of life experiences. By the time she considered going back to university, she knew she wanted to focus on reproductive health, even if she wasn’t yet sure how that would take shape.
“When I was looking at returning to university for my PhD, I knew I wanted to conduct research in the field of reproductive health, but other than that I wasn’t really sure where that would land me.” That changed when Dr. Alana Cattapan - who researches reproductive politics - popped up on Eleanor’s Twitter feed, and according to her, “so began my journey in political science at UWaterloo.”
Research that responds in real time
At Waterloo, Eleanor was excited to find the flexibility and mentorship to respond to real-world issues as they unfolded. One of the most influential experiences in her program was a reading course with her supervisor.
“One of the best things I did during my coursework was take a reading course with my supervisor, Dr. Cattapan, on health policy. She was very flexible about what my end-of-term assignment could be.”
The timing proved critical. “This was around the time that Roe v. Wade was struck down in the US,” and confusion was spreading about abortion access in Canada for minors. “We were noticing a lot of confusion coming across the border as to what abortion access looked like in Canada for minors.”
Eleanor responded by examining the information available online. “I ended up doing a deep dive into what information was available on credible websites for minors wanting an abortion here.” The impact extended far beyond the classroom. “That course paper turned into a conference presentation and eventually a journal publication, and several clinics updated their websites as a result of my work. It was an incredibly gratifying experience to see my work turn into real change!”
Her dissertation continues that focus on urgent policy gaps. “My dissertation is about the lack of complete and accurate data on maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity in Canada, the absence of a national program of investigations into maternal deaths, and why we haven’t been able to fix it since it was first identified as a problem over 100 years ago.” The topic emerged during coursework when she read about efforts to improve data collection. “I was shocked that this was such a problem here and given that I also have a personal connection to the issue, this became my thesis research topic.”
Community, balance, and looking ahead
Beyond research, Eleanor has found balance and connection through campus life. “When I started the program, I wanted to take full advantage of the flexibility of hours… and the access to recreation on campus.” Learning to swim led her to the master’s/tri swim group coached by Karin Browne, Coordinator, Competitive Clubs, Aquatics & First Aid, where Eleanor “found community in a group of students, staff, and faculty from all across campus… It’s some of my favourite moments of the week.”
Because community has been central to her graduate experience, her advice to future students is simple: “Find your people. Build community. Show up.” She adds, “Community doesn’t happen overnight. It takes work, but it’s so worth it.”
As a “non-traditional grad student” balancing parenting and doctoral work, she says, “It’s a challenge, but having supportive people – including a supportive supervisor – has made it possible.” Looking ahead, she remains open about her next steps: “I know I want to continue in reproductive health, policy, and politics but I’m open to what that might look like.”