Dr. Devon Cantwell

Biography

Devon Cantwell-Chavez is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Copenhagen. She holds a Ph.D. in Political Studies from the University of Ottawa. Her current research project, 'RIPPLE: Transformative Impact High Ambition City Commitments,' examines the catalytic effects and transformative potential of the C40 Water Safe Cities Accelerator program. Devon’s research interests revolve around urban climate governance and its norms, particularly how these impact residents. Additionally, she is preparing a book project focusing on the emergence of norm leadership among entrepreneurs in areas such as green spaces and climate action plans across four global mega-cities: Ho Chi Minh City, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, and Seoul. Devon employs a diverse range of research methods including interviews, ethnography, spatial ethnography, GIS analysis, archival research, and quantitative analysis. Prior to her academic career, she worked as a K-12 mathematics and computer science instructor in Alabama and Mississippi, as well as an instructional coach and content designer for Teach for America. She was also a Fulbright Research Fellow in Vietnam, based at the Saigon Southern Institute for Social Sciences, where she studied climate change mitigation and adaptation. Devon collaborates widely in her field and has experience with environmental policy and urban planning.

Research Interests