Audrey Steenbeek is a Professor in the School of Nursing at Dalhousie University. She has previously served as the Associate Director of Graduate Programs and as the Associate Director of Research and International Affairs. Dr. Steenbeek teaches in both the undergraduate and graduate nursing programs and has supervised numerous master’s and doctoral students. She holds adjunct appointments at the University of Malta and Jamia Hamdard University in New Delhi, India, and earned her PhD in Epidemiology from the University of British Columbia.
A Commitment to Global Collaboration
Audrey has a long-standing affiliation with MicroResearch, where she has served as a research judge, coach, and more recently, as a member of the Board of Directors. Through MicroResearch, she was first introduced to Academics Without Borders (AWB), volunteering alongside Dr. Noni MacDonald to deliver a research workshop for medical residents and nutrition students at Kabarak University in Kenya.
More recently, Audrey participated as an AWB volunteer with Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS) in Ghana, where she provided mentorship and capacity-building support in research grant writing, publication, and scholarly development. She is deeply committed to international collaboration and partnerships that advance education and research. She is passionate about fostering research excellence and supporting others in developing skills in grantsmanship, publication, and community-based research.
The Value of Volunteering and Lasting Impact
For Audrey, the most rewarding aspect of volunteering is having the opportunity to share knowledge and experience while supporting colleagues as they develop their own research capacity. She particularly values seeing someone gain confidence in an area such as grant writing, publication, or research methodology and then begin to apply those skills independently.
“The most meaningful partnerships are those where knowledge flows in both directions. I may begin thinking I am participating to share my expertise, but I always leave having learned something from my colleagues and their experiences, perspectives, and approaches to research. Building relationships that continue beyond the initial volunteer experience is especially rewarding. Working with colleagues in different cultural and academic contexts has made me more thoughtful about how I approach research collaboration, mentorship, and capacity building at home. It has reinforced for me that there is rarely a single “right” way to approach a research problem.”
Local knowledge, context, resources, and priorities are critical to developing research that is meaningful and sustainable. These experiences strengthen Audrey’s commitment to partnership rather than simply knowledge transfer.
“The most successful experiences are built on mutual respect and an understanding that you are entering someone else’s academic and cultural environment. Take the time to understand what your colleagues need rather than assuming what would be helpful. I would also encourage colleagues to think beyond the immediate volunteer experience. Capacity building is most meaningful when it contributes to longer-term relationships and partnerships. Share your expertise generously but also recognize the expertise that already exists within the institution and community. Some of the most valuable outcomes of my volunteer experiences have been the relationships and collaborations that continued long after I returned home.”
AWB is deeply grateful to Audrey and to all our volunteers for their dedication to advancing opportunities in higher education worldwide.
