Bringing unique labour movement expertise and long-time advocacy for working individuals and those on the margins of society, Rob Halpin is a Lecturer in the Faculty of Social Science and Humanities. One of many hats, he serves as Director of Research and Education for the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) in Toronto, putting policy initiatives and government relations into practice on behalf of working people on a daily basis. He developed the Federation's submission to the Changing Workplaces Review of the province's Employment Laws, as well as the OFL’s Action Plan entitled: The Ontario We Want, for its 59th biannual convention. Halpin began as a Teaching Assistant at UOIT in 2009, and became a Lecturer in 2011. He has since developed and taught courses in Leadership and Administration, Strategic Management Communications, and several courses related to Community Development, Policy Studies and Political Science. He also teaches Community Connections, a speakers’ series featuring practitioners and activists, who inspire students through their personal and professional experience. Raised in Whitby, Halpin’s deep community connections help UOIT establish relationships with labour groups and other organizations. Through a partnership program with UOIT and Durham Regional Police Service’s Police Education and Innovation Centre, Halpin teaches courses in Change Management and Change Leadership aimed at officers looking to advance to the role of sergeant. As a contributing member of the Ontario Premier’s Highly Skilled Workforce Panel, Halpin has authored numerous submissions on behalf of the OFL, advocating for the rights and protection of workers. Since 2013, he has served as Project Co-ordinator for the OFL’s Occupational Disability Response Team. In August of 2016, Halpin was appointed Executive Director of the OFL’s Secondary Prevention Project working closely with the Ministry of Labour’s Prevention Council of Ontario to develop a training and facilitation service for the prevention of occupational disability. The comprehensive learning environment helps workers and employers understand their obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act. Halpin completed his Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, and earned his Master of Arts in Labour Policies and Globalisation at the Berlin School of Economics and Law in Germany.