Congratulations to Dr. Michelle Rutty

Dr. Michelle Rutty has been invited to the International Science Council (ISC) newly formed Global Roster of Experts. Rutty is a member of the Abitibiwinni First Nation and Associate Professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Management

Designed to bridge the gap between science and policy, the roster was formed to ensure that global decision-makers have access to credible, timely, and context-specific scientific advice that can drive progress on the most urgent global challenges.

Rutty holds a Canada Research Chair in Tourism, Environment and Sustainability. Broadly, her research explores the relationship between climate-induced environmental change and the global tourism sector, including the risks and opportunities for tourism destinations in a warming and decarbonizing economy.

She is also the Director of the deTOUR Lab, which utilizes leading-edge virtual reality (VR) to enable users to be immersed in destinations impacted by climatic events (e.g., natural disasters, glacier retreat, coastal inundation) and to explore adaptation strategies.

The scientifically informed VR environments are an important public engagement tool to enhance climate literacy and support sustainable tourism development.

Rutty is a contributing author to the Sixth Assessment Report for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) North American chapter, a Lead Expert on the Tourism Panel on Climate Change (TPCC), and co-chair of the International Society of Biometeorology Commission on Climate, Tourism and Recreation.

Her research has led to international recognitions, including awards from the Travel and Tourism Research Association, World Meteorological Organization, International Center for Research and Education in Tourism, and the World Tourism Forum.

As a member of the ISC roster, Rutty can be called upon to provide ad-hoc science advice to the United Nations (UN) Secretariat and Member States, develop policy briefs, contribute to statements that amplify the voice of the global scientific community, and speak at high-level debates and policy forums.

This is the first year the ISC has established a Global Roster of Experts, which includes academics, government bodies, policy think tanks, NGOs and private sector innovators. Rutty is among the first that were selected out of 1,000 exceptional candidates considered for the honour.