Dr. Helen Hambly

Biography

Helen Hambly joined the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development (SEDRD) at the University of Guelph in August 2003, bringing over 30 years of experience in international agricultural research and development programs across Africa, North Africa, and Latin America. Before her role at Guelph, she served as a research training officer at the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) for eight years. Helen has also worked at the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and within the non-governmental sector in Canada. Her current research focuses on knowledge mobilization and the use of information technology and telecommunications to enhance agricultural innovation systems. She is project leader for the WELL-E project, which assesses AI-enabled capacity development and extension in Canada, and has advocated for a national agricultural broadband strategy through the Regional Rural Broadband project initiated in 2006. Additionally, Helen regularly analyzes agricultural knowledge transitions and has designed and implemented research across various media and communication projects related to agricultural intellectual assets. Her work often emphasizes capacity strengthening and addresses socio-technical aspects of agricultural research innovation. Helen has held notable governance roles, including Chair of the International Potato Center and Vice-President of Farm Radio International, and has contributed to the advancement of research capacity development in the field of rural studies.

Research Interests