Nico Saunders is a Ph.D. Candidate and Doctoral Fellow at the Balsillie School of International Affairs, through the University of Waterloo. Her research explores the impact of UNESCO on urban security governance of World Heritage Cities, with particular focus on policy mainstreaming and urban militarization. This research also examines the aesthetic paradox of countering terrorism and advocates for city planners and policy professionals to consider the ‘aesthetic turn’ in securitization as a means of enhancing resiliency, community wellbeing, and incorporating regionalized ‘everyday’ experiences.

Nico is an experienced public policy professional, and has held various roles in the Federal and Provincial governments. She is currently working as senior policy advisor in intergovernmental public safety at the Ministry of the Solicitor General.

Nico is a fellow in the Defence and Security Foresight Group (DSFG), a fellow in the UNESCO Inclusive Policy Hub, and a junior affiliate at the Canadian Network for Research on Terrorism, Security and Society (TSAS).