The relationship between science, technology and society during the Covid-19 pandemic
The case of E-voting in Canada
Student names (alphabetical order): Saad Khokhar, Aswin Kurusamy, Claudia Lapalme, Marina Vlachandreas, Mohammad Ali Zahir
Supervisor: Gita Ghiasi
Course: ENGR-392-2202-EE
Abstract
The implementation of electronic voting has the potential to diminish the spread of COVID-19 by providing a safe and functional way for Canadian citizens to vote. The main focus of this research is the societal and economic implications of diffusing this technology in Canada. The main objective of this report is to identify and analyze the main actors involved in the development of electronic voting in Canada, as well as its resulting socio-economic impact. To accomplish this quantitative research, a patent, keyword, keyword, publication, patent, company and socio-economic data analysis will be done using the following databases: Inspec, Compendex, International Patent Classification (IPC), Patent Scope, and Mergent Online. Our findings show that Canadian industries related to the development of electronic voting technology have a significant gender gap and have been quite impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings in this report will be useful for the scientists, policymakers, and business partners involved in the development and diffusion of this technology.