Meryn Severson

Tell me briefly what you do in your current position?

I work as a Policy and Research Analyst at Capital Region Housing. Capital Region Housing is the largest provider of social and affordable housing in the Edmonton area. As a Policy and Research Analyst, I help develop and maintain operational policies and procedures, support strategic planning and reporting, and complete research projects on social and affordable housing. And for the past three years, I've supported Capital Region Housing's partnership with the Applied Social Science Research Internship course with the Department of Sociology, working on applied research projects with the class.

How did you get into this line of work?

Overall, my research and professional interests center on housing. During my undergraduate degree, I focused on housing and quantitative research methods, starting with Dr. Michelle Maroto's Social Statistics class. From that course, I was lucky to continue to build my skills in data analysis when Michelle hired me as a research assistant and when I took her Data Analysis course when it was initially offered. In my last year of my undergrad, I completed my undergraduate thesis under the co-supervision of Michelle and Dr. Damian Collins in the Human Geography program. This mixed-methods project combined Canadian General Social Survey data with a series of focus group interviews to present a better understanding of the changing housing outcomes of young adults and how that related to their identity as adults. Michelle introduced me to another Sociology alumni, Katie MacDonald, who works at CRH as the Education Lead, who introduced me to my now Director when I was presenting my undergraduate research at the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences.

What do you enjoy about your current position?

As a Policy and Research Analyst at CRH, I'm very fortunate that I am able to be involved in both policy development and supporting decision makers and that I get to be directly involved in primary research projects. My role is highly project based, which is satisfying to see things from inception to completion. It also means my work is variable and stays interesting as it is often changing. I also work with an amazing and supportive team. Beyond my specific role as a Policy and Research Analyst, working in the affordable housing sector is very rewarding. The demand for affordable housing is high and continues to increase, both in Edmonton and across Canada. The sector is growing to meet that demand; there has been new policy developments and new buildings being built. It's rewarding to know that when you're working on policy development or research projects that you're supporting the growth of the sector and helping more people access safe and affordable housing.

How do you think your BA degree in Sociology and Human Geography helped you in your career journey to date?

Housing is uniquely situated at the intersection of many systems -- including the market, policy, physical space, social structures, and individual lives -- and as such, is an area of research that fits well with the sociological and geographic imagination. I'm interested in the ways in which we as individuals and as society interact with and understand housing. Particularly, I am interested in using data to analyze housing questions and to inform housing policy. My BA in Sociology and Human Geography helped me develop skills in quantitative and qualitative research methods, data analysis, systems thinking, writing and presenting which have all been important in my role as a Policy and Research Analyst. My BA and the professors that supported me also helped me develop my interest in housing and data analysis in the first place.

What advice would you have for current students to help them prepare for employment after graduation?

In my experience, attending conferences was a key part of my employment pathway. These can be both academic conferences but also practioner-focused conferences. Attending conferences, as a presenter, volunteer or delegate, helps to network and keeps you updated on trends in fields that interest you. There's often initiatives to involve students in conferences too, whether that's bursaries or grants to cover costs or student-specific sessions. I was also involved with the departments' committees and student associations during my undergraduate degree. This helped to build my experience so that I could honestly say in job interviews I had experience presenting recommendations to decision makers and working on policy development. I found that there were often opportunities for students to get involved in committees at the university or their department associations, so take advantage of those opportunities if you can to gain those experiences and to help prepare for post-graduation. Good luck!