Martine El Ouardi holds a Master’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Montreal which she completed under the supervision of Professor Françoise Montambeault. Alongside Professor Montambeault, she conducted a study on urban gardening in Mexico City. Her research interests center around citizen engagement and social mobilizations in urban settings, with a focus on the informal appropriation of public space as a political act. She will complete a PhD in social sciences at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland.