Kunz is currently an Assistant Professor and Canada Research Chair in Mine Water Management and Stewardship (NSERC, Tier 2). She works at the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs and the Norman B Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering at the University of British Columbia.
In addition to leading the Water Stewardship Theme within UBC’s Bradshaw Research Institute for Minerals and Mining, she also plays a leadership role within the UBC Future Minerals Initiative which convenes UBC academics, Indigenous leaders and industry professionals to reimagine the future of mining.
Before joining UBC, Kunz consulted as a Water Specialist for the International Finance Corporation and was a postdoctoral fellow at the Eawag Aquatic Research Institute in Switzerland. Since 2021, Kunz has been a board member of Genome British Columbia, and she was Chair and UBC Representative of the Academic Advisory Board for the Canadian International Resources and Development Institute (2017-2019). She also has a breadth of operational, corporate and consulting experience within the mining sector, and has worked on projects in Australia, Canada, Mongolia, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Chile and Peru.
Kunz holds a PhD from the Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI), a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering (First Class Honors), and a Bachelor of Business Management (Dean’s Honour Roll) from the University of Queensland, Australia.
Kunz’s research work at UBC aims to analyze and prevent the risks connected with the mining sector’s use of water from the perspective of diverse actors including companies, investors, governments, Indigenous rights holders, and communities.
According to Kunz, “The mining sector is at a critical juncture. Global demand for minerals and metals is rising at an unprecedented rate, while the sector faces increased pressure to ensure socially and environmentally responsible mining that delivers positive legacies for host communities and nations. Mineral exploration and mining can and must be different. The vision of the Dhillon Centre, which promotes responsible business for social good, holds so many valuable lessons for the mining sector. I’m excited about the opportunity to engage more deeply with members of the Dhillon community who are leading positive changes towards more ethical, sustainable and socially responsible practices across other sectors. Likewise, I look forward to sharing my experiences in working on business ethics challenges in mining with students, academic colleagues, the business community, policymakers, and the public at large.”
The Dhillon Centre’s Executive Director Christie Stephenson shared her excitement about Kunz becoming a Dhillon Centre Distinguished Fellow, noting “We’ve had a chance to interact with Nadja over several years and see the impact of her tremendous work. It’s really a privilege to have her now collaborating with the Centre in this capacity.”
