A CIRANO Researcher and Fellow since 2011, Main Researcher of the theme Sustainable Development and Agri-Food, Sophie Bernard is Full Professor in the Department of Mathematical and Industrial Engineering at Polytechnique Montréal.

Holding a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Ottawa, Sophie Bernard then did a postdoctoral fellowship at the Paris School of Economics.

Sophie Bernard specializes in public policy for the environment and the management of end-of-life products. In particular, it works on remanufacturing, recycling, eco-design incentives for products and international trade in waste. She is particularly interested in the illegal waste market and extended producer responsibility. These subjects are part of the broader theme of the circular economy for which she has developed expertise.

A CIRANO Researcher since 2017, Bernard Korai is Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Consumer Sciences at Université Laval. He is also responsible for the Chaire de leadership en enseignement sur la consommation et le développement durables.

Holding a Ph.D. and MBA in Marketing from Université Laval, his scientific activities focus on the behavior of the consumer, from a consumer-organization perspective. In addition, he is interested in consumer behavior in services and more specifically in funeral services.

Holder of a Bachelor's Degree in Biological Sciences (Université du Québec à Rimouski), a Master's Degree in Oceanography (Institut des Sciences de la Mer de Rimouski) and an MBA in Science and Engineering from ESG-UQAM, Benjamin cumulates solid experience in corporate and public affairs management. Recognized for his mobilizing leadership, his analytical mind and his skills in sustainable development, he has more than ten years of service as a consultant and manager in organizations dedicated to scientific education (FEUQ-CNCS, ACFAS), to the professional development of engineering and planning practices (RéseauIQ, AAPQ) or to the monitoring of major economic and industrial transformations (Copticom, CPQ). Over the years, he has been closely involved in the development and implementation of several government policies related to research and innovation, particularly in the areas of energy, climate change, mobility of people and goods, sustainable planning and territorial development. He has also been involved in various sectoral commercial and industrial strategies. With several years of involvement in university governance, he has also been involved in issues related to youth employment and entrepreneurship.

Léa St-Pierre is an Advisor with the Sustainable Development Coordination Office of the Ministry of Environment and Fight Against Climate Change. She is responsible for the objectives of the government's Sustainable Development Strategy for the green economy and specializes in the circular economy, production and consumption responsible and societal responsibility of organizations. Previously, she worked as a project manager in a traceability company and in business development. Her academic career has also allowed her to explore several disciplines, including social and cultural anthropology and political science, at Université Laval, at the University of Havana and the Graduate School of Commercial Sciences in Shanghai.

Johanne Whitmore is Research Professional at CIRANO and Member of Avant-Garde@CIRANO. She is also Senior Researcher at the Chair of Energy Sector Management at HEC Montréal. Her research focuses on the effectiveness of measures for energy transition and the decarbonisation of economies, in particular through the adoption of circular economy measures. Her expertise is used in several initiatives in the private, governmental and academic sectors. She has conducted workshops on E3 modelling and eco-tax for TEQ. In 2017, she was appointed vice-president of TEQ's Stakeholder Table and received the distinction of "Inspiring Woman" in energy from the AIEQ. She is co-author of numerous publications, including the État de l'énergie au Québec. She holds a M.Sc. in spatial analysis of environmental data from the University of Ottawa and training in management and sustainable development from HEC Montréal.