Our Team
Our team of researchers, students and staff share a commitment to collaborative, transdisciplinary research that engages partnership from many sectors and regions, both domestic and international.
ESRG Co-Directors
Ryan Bullock, PhD
As Canada Research Chair in Human-Environmental Interactions, my recent research focuses on the potential of cross-cultural collaboration in shaping northern economies, communities, and ecosystems. Our team conducts applied research with communities, governments, and industries to increase system responsiveness to environmental and social change, primarily in the forested regions of Canada and Europe. I also work on conceptual/ theoretical questions regarding the human dimensions of environmental resources to better understand how societies respond to social-ecological crises, conflicts and change. My recent publications have appeared in international peer-reviewed journals such as Ambio, Energy Research and Social Science, Environmental Management, and GeoJournal. Beyond the field, I enjoy teaching graduate courses in our Master in Environmental & Social Change program and undergraduate courses for my home department, Environmental Studies and Sciences.
Alan Diduck, PhD
I am a Professor and the Department Chair of Environmental Studies and Sciences at the University of Winnipeg. Prior to joining UWinnipeg, I was a lawyer and Executive Director of Community Legal Education Association, a social profit organization providing public legal education and information services. My research deals with community engagement and environmental governance, particularly environmental impact assessment. An important focus of my work is the learning implications of community engagement and the consequences for social aspects of sustainability. I study non-formal, informal, and social learning and different types of outcomes, including cognitive, value, behavioral, relational, and institutional change. My work covers various levels of social organization (e.g., individuals, groups, and organizations) and different aspects of social sustainability (e.g., adaptive capacity, environmental justice, and socio-political empowerment).
Faculty
Kirit Patel, PhD
Dr. Kirit Patel is an Associate Professor of Environmental Studies and Sciences at the University of Winnipeg.
Staff
Bryanne Lamoureux, MES
Hello/Bonjour! My name is Bryanne (she/her/elle), I am a Research Associate with the Environment and Society Research Group. I am originally from a small French town in southern Manitoba. I hold a BA (Hon) in Environmental Studies from right here at the University of Winnipeg, and a Master’s in Environmental Studies from Dalhousie University. My personal research interests revolve around localized forms of just food production and distribution, food justice and food sovereignty. My time in this research group is spent managing research project, coordinating ESRG activities, and collaboratively advancing research work with faculty, students, and research partners. I am grateful to be working in a space that contributes to meaningful community engaged research.
Students
Sean Goldstone
After considerable academic experimentation, ranging from urban development, to biology, to psychology, I recently graduated from the University of Winnipeg with a BSc in Environmental Science specialized in forest policy and management. Throughout this program’s multi-disciplinary course work, as well as related work and research positions, I gained an integrated understanding of the linked natural and human environment, which ultimately motivated me to pursue a career centered around natural resource research and policy development. In an effort to realize these career goals, I am now enrolled in the University of Winnipeg’s Master in Environmental and Social Change (MESC) program. My current research examines opportunities and barriers to utilizing natural resource waste as an agricultural and forest soil amendment in Newfoundland and Labrador through the lens of policy learning. This research is nested within the broader Climate Learning and Adaptation for Northern Development (CLAND) project, which aims to fill knowledge gaps that may lead to the enhanced adaptive capacity of Canada’s renewable resource sectors. Through the Environment and Society Research Group, I am privileged to have the opportunity to collaborate and learn alongside inspiring colleagues and mentors working on the CLAND project and beyond.
Alex Ireland
Hi! My name is Alex Ireland (she/her), I am a Masters student with the Environment and Society Research Group. I grew up northwest of Winnipeg in the Rural Municipality of Woodlands and moved to Winnipeg for my undergrad. I hold a BA in Human Rights from the University of Winnipeg and I am continuing my studies part-time in the M.A. stream in Environmental and Social Change program. My research focuses on the self-reflection practices of non-Indigenous partners in Indigenous led community assessment projects. My personal research interests revolve around Treaties and the Treaty relationship and responsibilities, evaluation, solidarity, anti-racism and intersectional feminism. My time in this lab is spent supporting research work for the Myera project and working on my thesis project. It has been great to get to know folks in ESRG and be able to support the research coming out of the group. I am thankful to have a space and community with ESRG to challenge myself, grow my research skills, share ideas, and learn from other researchers!
Kirstin Witwicki
Aaniin, boozhoo! My name is Kirstin Witwicki and I completed my undergrad degree here at the University of Winnipeg in Geography and Indigenous Studies. As an Indigenous scholar, I am excited to collaborate with Dr. Mauro and the team at the University of Winnipeg’s Prairie Climate Centre. More specifically, I am interested in decolonial methodologies and wise practices that link Western science with Indigenous ways of knowing to best support community-level resilience and adaptability, while also examining climate-related disaster evacuations within Indigenous communities in Manitoba. I chose the master’s program at the University of Winnipeg because of its interdisciplinary foundations. Working with people from a variety of disciplines and a diversity of worldviews and experiences gives us the best chance of finding creative and effective solutions to the environmental and social challenges that we face today.
Nadeesha Dissanayaka
Hello! / Ayubowan! My name is Nadeesha Dissanayaka. I am a graduate student in my first year at the University of Winnipeg’s M.ENV. in Environmental and Social Change programme. I also work as a Research Assistant in the Environment and Society Co-lab. I am originally from Sri Lanka, which is known as the pearl of the Indian Ocean. I earned my BA (Special) degree in Environmental Management at the Department of Environmental Management at Rajarata University of Sri Lanka. My research interests deal with Environmental governance, Forest Resource Management, and Climate Change. My master’s research focuses on Community-Based Sustainable Forest Resource Management in Canada. Moreover, my first and foremost preference is to enhance the Indigenous Communities’ participation in the decision-making processes. My utmost preference is to enhance the government-Indigenous relationship while ensuring sustainable forest resource management and livelihood development.
Olivia Kehler
My name is Olivia Kehler, and I am pursuing a Master of Arts in Environmental and Social Change. I hold a BA in International Development Studies from The University of Winnipeg. Much of my work experience to date is in the not-for-profit sector working with youth and young adults. I also have experience with GIS and with organizations focused on food security. My thesis project explores the concept of ‘empowerment’ in participatory research involving Indigenous peoples and communities in Canada.
Mohammad Anas Shoebullah Khan
Hello! My name is Anas (he/him) and I am a graduate student in the Master in Environmental and Social Change (MESC) program at the University of Winnipeg. I am originally from a small coastal town in Gujarat, India. My undergraduate degree was in law, and I also hold a diploma in Human Rights. I have previously worked as a Senior Associate with the Centre for Civil Society, India – a New Delhi based public policy think tank. My work primarily included policy advocacy, training and outreach on key environmental policy projects focusing on forest rights in India, and on making a case for rights-based regulatory governance of small-scale fisheries. I also teach a module on environmental policy as part of the Centre for Civil Society’s introductory course in public policy. My research interests include rights-based conservation, natural resource management, public policy, and regulatory governance.
Annie Martel
Taanshi! My name is Annie Martel (she/her/elle), I am a Red River Métis woman. I am from a small Métis community, traditionally known as the Rat River Settlement, now known as St-Pierre-Jolys. I am currently in my first year the MESC program, completing a Master of Arts. I recently completed my Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from Mount Allison University. My personal research interests are focused on Indigenous knowledges, climate change, and climate adaptation. My current proposed research will focus on characterizing Métis knowledge across both English and French-speaking Michif communities in Southeastern Manitoba (including my own community) to better understand the risks and opportunities to respond to climate change in a holistic and culturally appropriate manner. The project will help understand the linkages between colonization, land-use, and capacity to respond to climate impacts while also developing climate adaptation planning approaches based on Métis knowledges. I am grateful to be back in my community and back on my homelands after being away for several years, and I am looking forward to learning more and reclaiming my own community’s history and knowledge!
Shamim Anowar
Hello! My name is Shamim Anowar, and I am a graduate student in the Master of Arts in Environmental and Social Change program at the University of Winnipeg. I am from a small village in the southern part of Bangladesh. I received my Master of Public Administration and Bachelor of Social Science in Public Administration from Jahangirnagar University in Bangladesh. Since 2019, I have been serving as an assistant director at the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA), a nodal agency for the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency in Bangladesh. SREDA aims to build an energy-conscious nation by promoting sustainable energy and reducing carbon emissions. Additionally, I have been involved with Youth Career School as an instructor since 2021. I am glad to be a part of this interdisciplinary Environment and Society Research Group. My research interests focus on renewable energy, energy policy, bioenergy and forestry, and the energy & environmental policy nexus for supporting sustainable development and creating resilient environments.
Lila Asher
Hi! I’m Lila (she/they) and I’m in the MA stream of the Master of Environment and Social Change program here at the University of Winnipeg. I hold a Master of City Planning from the University of Manitoba and a BA in Equity Studies and Environmental Studies from the University of Toronto. I grew up in Louisville, KY and have family coast to coast in the US. As a settler scholar, activist, and (hopefully some day!) planning practitioner, I strive to ensure my work is accountable to Indigenous leadership and decolonial goals. My research interests centre around climate resilience, Indigenous self-determination, collaborative governance, and urban contexts. I’m excited to be contributing to the CANSTORE project during my time with ESRG.
Camille Forbes
Taanshi/Bonjour/Hello! My name is Camille Forbes (she/her/elle) and I am a Red River Métis woman from Winnipeg, Manitoba. I am currently in the Master of Environment and Social Change program working towards a Masters of Environment. I have previously completed a Bachelor’s of Enviornmental Studies with a focus on water resources from the University of Manitoba. Throughout my undergrad degree I worked several positions with the federal government relating to Indigenous engagement and consultation. I am looking to build on this work in my research where I will be looking at forest governance, with special attention to the Indigenous perspective.
Jessica Edinborough
Hi! My name is Jessica (she/her) and I am a research assistant with the Environment and Society Research Group. I’m currently an undergraduate student studying in the department of Environmental Studies and Sciences. I originally wanted to focus on biology during my first year of university, but I really enjoyed the environmental courses that I took in my second year of university, and now I am working towards finishing a BA in Sustainable Environmental Resource Systems! I am happy to continue my work at the lab and I am looking forward to the various projects I will be working on this summer.
Kaydon Nanuraq Laurin
Good day. My name is Kaydon Nanuraq Laurin. Nanuraq is my Inuktitut name, which translates to polar bear skin/hide. I am both French and an urban Inuk, with roots in St. Anne, Manitoba and Whale Cove (Tikiraqjuaq), Nunavut – a member of the Voisey family. I am currently the Youth Representative on the Manitoba Inuit Association’s Board of Directors and on the Government of Manitoba’s Indigenous Inclusion Directorate Advisory Council (Department of Education). I am also currently completing my BA in Sustainable Environmental Resource Systems at the University of Winnipeg. Upon graduating, I am interested in pursuing a JD with a focus on incorporating Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (what Inuit have always known to be true) into my practice. I am honoured to assist the archival work that is being undertaken by the Environment and Society Research Group in partnership with Eagle Lake First Nation.
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