Richard M. Bird Post-Doctoral Fellowship
2026-27 Award Winner
Roderick Zhang is the recipient of the 2026–2027 Richard M. Bird Post-Doctoral Fellowship. He received a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Toronto Metropolitan University. His doctoral research examined how municipalities can make infrastructure investment and funding decisions by integrating infrastructure asset management with macroeconomic analysis. At IMFG, his research examines the relationship between infrastructure needs and municipal fiscal health, with a particular focus on infrastructure renewal, fiscal capacity, and resilience to emerging risks.
IMFG Fellowship in Municipal Finance and Governance
2026-27 Award Winner
Graeme Stewart-Wilson is the recipient of the 2026-2027 Graduate Fellowship in Municipal Finance and Governance. He is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Political Science at the University of Toronto. His research examines the state-building effects of property tax reform in lower-income countries, focusing on how reform can strengthen public administration beyond revenue generation alone. He is particularly interested in how property tax systems can be leveraged to support land management, urban planning, and national tax administration. His broader interest lies in comparative state formation across sub-Saharan Africa, drawing on field experience in Sierra Leone, Zambia, Ethiopia, and Uganda.
The Blanche and Sandy Van Ginkel Graduate Fellowship in Municipal Finance and Governance
2026-27 Award Winner
Jasper Schiedel is the recipient of the 2026-2027 Blanche and Sandy Van Ginkel Graduate Fellowship in Municipal Finance and Governance. He is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Political Science at the University of Toronto. His research examines the role of government-firm relations in inter-urban wage inequality and how local growth is incorporated into and shapes national growth strategies. His research takes place in a European cross-country comparative context with lessons for Canada. His broader research interests lie at the intersection of political economy and economic geography, focusing on questions surrounding innovation, knowledge, growth, and space.