Marc Saner

Marc Saner is a full professor at the University of Ottawa, Canada. From 2022 to 2025, he served as Departmental Science Advisor to Natural Resources Canada.

Education

Saner studied biology at the University of Basel, Switzerland and philosophy at Carleton University, Canada.

Upon completion of his doctorate, he served as a regulatory scientist at the Pest Management Regulatory Agency. He then obtained a graduate degree in philosophy and became the managing director of the Ethics and Policy Issues Centre at Carleton University.
He served as a director at the Institute on Governance from 2003 to 2006 and as the Executive Vice-President and Director of Assessments at the Council of Canadian Academies from 2006 to 2007 and the executive director of the Regulatory Governance Initiative at the School of [Public Policy and Administration at Carleton University] from 2008 to 2010.
In 2010, Marc Saner became the Inaugural Director of the Institute for Science, Society and Policy at the University of Ottawa. He developed the ISSP from 2010 to 2015 and established a network of fellows, advisors and faculty, as well as the institute's first graduate program. From 2018 to 2024, he was Chair of the Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics. From 2022 to 2025, he served part-time as Departmental Science Advisor to Natural Resources Canada.
He is currently a professor at the University of Ottawa, Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics.

On March 16, 2012, Marc Saner appeared on The Agenda with Steve Paikin, discussing “The Coming of Technopolitics” alongside guests Elizabeth May, John Duffy, and Darin Barney.

On February 10, 2014, Marc Saner hosted David Willets, then Minister of State for Universities and Science of the United Kingdom, for a panel discussion on science policy and diplomacy.
On June 3, 2015, he hosted the symposium "Technological Unemployment and the Future of Work" with keynote speaker Nick Bostrom of Oxford University.
On January 13, 2020, he hosted the Alex Trebek Forum, “How Do We Know It’s True? Can We Mobilize All Forms of Knowledge?”, featuring a video introduction by Alex Trebek.

Saner M. The Role of Adaptation in the Governance of Emerging Technologies in Marchant, G. E., Abbott, K. W., and Allenby, B., Innovative Governance Models for Emerging Technologies,, pp. 92–107.
Saner M. & Geelen J. Identity in a Technological Society: Governance Implications, Chapter 37 in Luppicini, Rocci, Handbook of Research on Technoself: Identity in a Technological Society,, pp. 720–741.
Saner M. Ethics, Governance and Regulation and the Environmental Aspects of Aquaculture in Culver, Keith and David Castle, Aquaculture, Innovation and Social Transformation, pp. 115–121.
Saner M., D.R. Clements, M.R. Hall, D.J. Doohan & C.W. Crompton. The Biology of Canadian weeds. 105. Linaria vulgaris Mill. in P.B. Cavers, The Biology of Canadian Weeds, Vol. 5. pp. 16–29.
Saner M.. Real and Metaphorical Moral Limits in the Biotechnology Debate in Ruse, M. and David Castle, Genetically Modified Foods, pp. 77–79.

A Primer on Scientific Risk Assessment at Health Canada by Marc Saner, Health Canada Catalogue number: .
International Approaches to the Regulatory Governance of Nanotechnology by Jennifer Pelley and Marc Saner, School of Public Policy and Administration, Carleton University.
A Primer for Scientists: Ethical Issues of Environmental Biotechnology Research by Marc Saner, Environment Canada Catalogue number: .

Adjunct Research Professor, Department of Philosophy, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
Fellow, Balsillie School of International Affairs, Waterloo, Canada
Faculty Fellow, Center for Law, Science and Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, USA
Member, Science and Democracy Network, Harvard Kennedy School, Boston, USA
Member, Departmental Science Advisors Network, Office of the Chief Science Advisor, Ottawa, Canada
Advisory Committee Member, AI Insights for Policymakers, Mila, Montreal, Canada

Marc Saner is married to Canadian artist Lorena Ziraldo. He holds a black belt in Taekwondo.