Helena Shilomboleni is an Assistant Professor in the School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability and the Department of Geography and Environmental Management at the University of Waterloo, and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

Her research areas of expertise are agriculture and food security, climate smart agriculture, scaling innovations in smallholder farming systems, and food systems sustainability, and has applied research experience working with small-scale farmers and development organizations in East and Southern Africa. Her research also enabled her to collaborate with different institutions and policy networks, including the Consultative Group of International Agriculture Research, the African Academy of Sciences, Canada’s International Development Research Centre, and Global Affairs Canada. Her research is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), the University of Waterloo, and the Balsillie School of international Affairs. She currently serves as a Board Member for the Ontario Council for International Cooperation.