The Laurier Institute for the Study of Public Opinion and Policy is a research center at Wilfrid Laurier University which studies issues pertaining to the creation, use and representation of public opinion in the policy process. The Institute serves as a catalyst to promote individual and collaborative research on these issues. In addition, the Institute monitors the practices and claims of the public opinion and interest group industries, and serves as an educational resource to the University and the larger community on questions and issues pertaining to those claims and practices.

Dr. Simon Kiss, Director
Human Rights and Political Science
Wilfrid Laurier University, Brantford Campus
73 George Street, Brantford, ON, N3T2Y3
Office: OD 202
Tel: 519-756-8228, ext.5936
Email:skiss@wlu.ca
Website: https://sjkiss.github.io/

I’m a political scientist in the Digital Media and Journalism Program at WLU. My research is primarily focussed on political communication, public opinion and political parties. Much of my recent research has focussed on perceptions of risk from technologies and medical interventions.. I’m originally from Alberta and completed my PhD at Queen’s University in 2008 and did post-doctoral work at the Freie Universität Berlin.

Dr. Jason Roy, Deputy Director
Political Science Department
Wilfrid Laurier University
Office: 4-132, Dr. Alvin Woods Building
Tel: 519-884-0710, ext.3724
Email: jroy@wlu.ca

My primary areas of interest include political participation and behaviour, electoral politics, public opinion, and Canadian politics. I am currently engaged in research projects that employ online experiments to assess how individuals form political preferences. I have been especially interested in the interaction between political cognition, political interest and contextual factors that influence the effort allotted to the deliberation process and the preferences that are formed.

Dr. Andrea Perrella, Deputy Director
Political Science Department
Wilfrid Laurier University
Office: 4-124, Dr. Alvin Woods Building
Tel: 519-884-0710, ext.2719
Fax: 519-746-3655

I studied political science at l’Université de Montréal, obtaining a PhD in 2006 and an MSc in 1995. Prior to joining Laurier, I was a postdoctoral fellow at the Canada Research Chair in Electoral Studies. I also held a limited-term assignment at Concordia University in Montreal. My main research areas are political behaviour; participation; electoral politics; political communication; public opinion of public health; Canadian, Ontario and Quebec politics. 

Dr. Matthew R. Arp,
Research Associate

Matthew earned his PhD in Political Science from West Virginia University. His research interests include great power conflict and international norm creation. He joins LISPOP as a research associate with a background in large-N data collection, including During-Conflict Justice (DCJ) and Northern Ireland Research Initiative (NIRI).

Brynn Thomson,
Research Assistant

Brynn is a third-year Political Science student at Wilfrid Laurier University, minoring in Criminology and specializing in Legal Studies. As a research assistant with LISPOP, Brynn is excited to contribute to the housing forum, focusing on addressing crucial housing issues through the lens of provincial politics and public policy development. 

Nicole Lehecka,
Research Assistant

Nicole is a third-year Honours Bachelor of Arts student at Wilfrid Laurier University, majoring in Political Science, with a concentration in Legal Studies and Public Policy. As a research assistant with the Laurier Institute for the Study of Public Opinion and Policy (LISPOP), Nicole is dedicated to exploring how legal frameworks address societal challenges and shape public policy decisions.