Acadia University Canada Research Chair Dr. Lesley Frank has been honoured by the Province of Nova Scotia for exceptional qualities and outstanding service to the province in academics and research.  

At an investiture ceremony held at Government House on January 24, 2023, the Honourable Keith Irving, MLA for Kings South, presented Dr. Frank with the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal in recognition of her commitment. 

“It is humbling to be honoured for my research and academic work by our Province,” says Frank. “My research has involved many collaborators, including those struggling to meet their basic needs, and many fellow academics, policy experts, and community organizations working for social justice." 

The commemorative medal is presented in honour of the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s succession to the throne. It is awarded to residents of Nova Scotia who have made significant contributions to Canada, Nova Scotia, their community, or their fellow citizens. 

Throughout her career, Frank has explored food insecurity and poverty issues and authored or co-authored the Child and Family Poverty Report Card for Nova Scotia for over twenty years as a Research Associate with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives-Nova Scotia. In 2020, she published Out of Milk: Infant Food Insecurity in a Rich Nation.  

Frank joined Acadia in 2012 as a professor of Sociology and, in 2020, was named the Tier II Canada Research Chair in Food, Health, and Social Justice. As Canada Research Chair in Food, Health and Social Justice and Director of Acadia’s newly established Fed Family Lab, Frank is working to address the global problem of family and childhood food insecurity while advancing food justice and health equity in Canada. She and her research team have developed survey tools and analyzed food insecurity in early childhood – research that identifies systemic factors affecting the ability of families to feed their babies. The Lab also collaborates with other academics and community stakeholders to support policies that will strengthen the well-being of all Canadians. 

Frank holds a BA from the University of King’s College, a Master of Sociology from Acadia, and a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of New Brunswick. 

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