Dr. Heather Castleden

Biography

Heather Castleden is a community-engaged geographer and educator specializing in transformative governance and planetary health. With extensive experience in participatory research, she has dedicated her career to aligning scholarly expertise with Indigenous peoples’ priorities in various areas, including environmental health, social justice, and decolonization. She has lived and conducted research across multiple Indigenous territories, learning from respected Indigenous Elders. Heather's research primarily investigates the politics of knowledge production concerning Indigenous and environmental issues, aiming to advance social justice activism. She obtained her PhD in Human Geography from the University of Alberta in 2007 and has since held several prominent academic positions, including postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Victoria. Heather is currently a professor and Impact Chair at the University of Victoria, where she leads the Health, Environments, and Communities Research Lab (HEC Lab). She has a substantial publication record, with numerous articles in high-impact journals, and has been recognized for her contributions to the field, including induction into the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists in 2021.

Research Interests

Experience