Climate Conversations Speaker Series

Speculative Futures: New ways of thinking about energy, culture and climate change

Learn how speculative futures can help build just, sustainable, and healthy futures for the planet, and how you can start practicing it today with insights from Dr. Kimberly Skye Richards and Dr. Sourayan Mookerjea. Speculative futures is an envisioning process and design approach that combines arts, social sciences, and humanities perspectives to tackle complex societal issues by inviting people to explore new and potential futures. This approach is increasingly applied to develop solutions for climate and biodiversity challenges, as well as the interconnected injustices and inequities faced by communities.

Speakers:

Dr. Kimberly Skye Richards is an Alberta-born scholar and dramaturg who engages performance as a vehicle for resisting extractivism and inspiring just transitions. She obtained a PhD in performance studies from the University of California-Berkeley in 2019 and was a 2021 Public Energy Humanities Postdoctoral Fellow in Transition in Energy, Culture, and Society at the University of Alberta. She currently teaches in the School of Journalism, Writing, and Media at the University of British Columbia and is the librarian for the Department of Utopian Arts and Letters.

Dr. Sourayan Mookerjea is the director of the Intermedia Research Studio in the Department of Sociology, University of Alberta, and co-investigator on the Speculative Energy Futures project, which uses research-creation practices to imagine alternative futures of social and environmental justice beyond the crisis cycles of fossil capital’s petrocultures and green growth neocolonialisms. His work focuses on exploring social and ecological alternatives through interdisciplinary research and creative methodologies.

Moderator:

Dr. Jackie Seidel is an associate professor in the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary. Her scholarship explores interdisciplinary and existential meanings of the climate and nature crisis for teaching, learning, and curriculum. She focuses on how conceptualizations of time affect understandings of the work and purpose of education. Dr. Seidel integrates ecological, relational, multispecies, and pedagogical well-being into her academic work through arts-based and contemplative methodologies.

Feb. 12, 2025

The Psychology of Care: Learning How to Lead in the Anthropocene

Learn about the psychology of existential threats and what was asked of practitioners, educators, and leaders to unlock care for the planet with Dr. Renée Lertzman. Discover highlights from research on existential threats over the past two decades and explore tools developed to help organizations, leaders, and teams accelerate action on climate and planetary systemic issues.

Nov. 12, 2024

Indigenous Science, Biodiversity, and Climate Action

Learn about the vital importance of Indigenous science and the Three-Eyed Seeing approach for implementing meaningful climate action that protects communities, biodiversity, and ecosystem health, and honours the reciprocal relationship Indigenous communities maintain with the land. Dr. Ballard explains Indigenous science as “the knowledge of survival since time immemorial, including plants, weather, animal behaviour, birds, and water.” She will also share how essential it is to apply foundational concepts such as bridging, braiding, and weaving Indigenous science into climate action work. Joining her is Gavin Woodburn, a UCalgary master’s geoscience student, who will share his research and insights.

Speakers:

Dr. Myrle Ballard is an associate professor in the Department of Earth, Energy and Environment at the University of Calgary and the first director of the Indigenous Science Division at Environment and Climate Change Canada. Anishnaabe from Lake St. Martin First Nation, Dr. Ballard’s research explores Three-Eyed Seeing and how her fluency in Anishinaabe knowledge can transform water resource management using baseline indicators. She also serves on numerous committees and working groups, including as a scoping expert for the second IPBES global assessment of biodiversity and ecosystem services and as an expert for the IPBES task force on Indigenous and local knowledge. She currently holds NSERC and CIHR grants, with broader interests in climate change and flood/displacement sustainability.

Gavin Woodburn is a Kwiakah First Nation member from the West Coast of British Columbia and is completing his Master of Science in geoscience at UCalgary, focusing on regenerative forestry and rebuilding knowledge systems in his traditional territory in Phillips Arm, B.C. During his undergraduate studies at Carleton University and while working with the Indigenous Science Division at Environment and Climate Change Canada, Woodburn led a research project on clam gardens, an Indigenous technology modifying intertidal beaches to create sustainable habitats for clams. He aims to communicate these knowledge systems so both Indigenous and Western-trained scientists, as well as the public, can learn from different perspectives.

Moderator:

Patricia Taylor is a research associate with the UCalgary Faculty of Science. Over the past 14 years, she has worked at UCalgary as an instructor in English and Academic Research, a research assistant, and a researcher, and is now pursuing a doctorate in geoscience. Her work focuses on aquatic ecosystems along the Bow River shorelines west of Cochrane. Patty’s Indigenous research reflects both Indigenous and Western sciences, using a Two-Eyed Seeing approach, and her family continues to uphold their Métis heritage from the Red River Settlement in Manitoba.

October 21, 2024

Caring for More Than Human Worlds in Regimes of Forced Migration

Learn more about how youth are centering care for More Than Human worlds in contexts of forced migration. Drawing on youth-created projects such as computational simulations, animations, documentaries, and a community garden they developed with the research team, the speakers show how youth integrate care for More Than Human worlds within sociopolitical contexts of forced migration.

The session illustrates how concern for the climate crisis and broader More Than Human worlds emerges from the interplay between regimes of forced migration — including colonialism, wars, and experiences of racialization during resettlement — and the youths’ heterogeneous perceptions of time and place. The presentation features newcomer youth work and includes conversations with research team members of the YARI Collective, an anti-racist collaboration between researchers and newcomer youth.

Speakers:

Dr. Pallavi Banerjee is an associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Research Excellence Chair at the University of Calgary. She directs the Critical Gender, Intersectionality & Migration group and leads the YARI Collective project. Her research focuses on gender, immigration, refugee resettlement, intersectional feminist theories, and transnational families, exploring how intersections of race, gender, and class shape everyday experiences under Western state policies and institutional mandates.

Dr. Pratim Sengupta is a professor of Learning Sciences at the Werklund School of Education and faculty in the Faculty of Science and Computational Media Design at UCalgary. He directs the Mind, Matter and Media Lab and co-leads the YARI Collective project. His research integrates computational science with public education in justice-oriented ways, focusing on the intersection of race, gender, migration, and urban sustainability.

Oct 21, 2024 

Nurturing Emotional Resilience in the Era of Climate Change

Learn about climate change and emotional resilience from Dekila Chungyalpa, founding director of the Loka Initiative at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and Dr. Christy Wilson-Mendenhall, research assistant professor at the university’s Center for Healthy Minds.

Chungyalpa and Wilson-Mendenhall discuss the emotional impacts of climate change on different populations and share the latest research on eco emotions. They also cover strategies for emotional regulation and coping with grief, distress and other difficult emotions related to climate change.

Presented by UCalgary’s Campus Mental Health Strategy and the Office of Sustainability as part of Mental Health Week and the Climate Conversations Speaker Series.

Speakers:

Dekila Chungyalpa is the founding director of the Loka Initiative, an outreach platform at the University of Wisconsin–Madison that supports faith and Indigenous leaders working on environmental and climate issues. With over two decades of experience designing global conservation and climate strategies, she has led initiatives across the Amazon, East Africa, the Himalayas, the Mekong and the U.S.

Dr. Christy Wilson-Mendenhall is a research assistant professor at the Center for Healthy Minds, University of Wisconsin–Madison. Her work focuses on emotional resilience and well-being, exploring how emotional skills can be cultivated through contemplative practices to support individuals and communities facing climate-related distress.

Presented by UCalgary’s Campus Mental Health Strategy and the Office of Sustainability as part of Mental Health Week and the Climate Conversations Speaker Series.

May 8, 2024

Moving With Storms

Learn about new approaches to climate change, climate justice and biodiversity loss with Dr. Vanessa Andreotti, Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Victoria.

Dr. Andreotti shares key learnings from the Climate and Nature Emergency Catalyst Program, a transdisciplinary initiative at the University of British Columbia that brought together scholars, students, community partners and artists to examine the role of higher education in addressing the climate and nature emergency. The program explored ways to engage with urgency, scale and complexity while testing new educational approaches to help communities respond to global challenges.

Speaker:  

Dr. Vanessa Andreotti is Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Victoria, where she leads efforts in decolonization, Indigenization, equity, justice and climate resilience. A former Canada Research Chair in Race, Inequalities and Global Change, she has held academic positions in the UK, Ireland, New Zealand and Finland. Her work examines how common approaches to social change can reinforce simplistic or paternalistic solutions, and she co-founded Gesturing Towards Decolonial Futures, an arts and research collective.

Moderator: 

Melanie Kloetzel is a performance maker, scholar and professor of dance at the University of Calgary. She directs kloetzel&co. and co-directs TRAction, an art intervention collective behind the Climate Art Web. Her work includes films, events and workshops presented across four continents.

January 26, 2024

Indigenous and Planetary Health

Learn about the interconnections between planetary health, human health, and biodiversity, and the importance of reciprocal relationships with the planet from an Indigenous worldview. The session increased awareness of how Indigenous languages and knowledge systems contribute to planetary and human health. Participants also explored ways to support and advocate for the inclusion of Indigenous perspectives in planetary health at local, regional and international levels, and how the campus community can implement planetary health principles and support Indigenous leadership in this work.

Speaker:  

Dr. Nicole Redvers is an Associate Professor and Western Research Chair in Indigenous Planetary Health at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University. A member of the Deninu K’ue First Nation (NWT), she has worked with Indigenous communities worldwide to promote the inclusion of Indigenous perspectives in human and planetary health research. She is also the author of The Science of the Sacred: Bridging Global Indigenous Medicine Systems and Modern Scientific Principles.

Moderator: 

Dr. Clark Svrcek is a family physician at the South Health Campus Academic Teaching Clinic and a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at UCalgary. A former civil and environmental engineer, his research focuses on planetary health, the intersections of nature and the built environment, and how these shape active, healthy communities.

Oct 24, 2023

Climate Justice & Artistic Practices

Learn from an inspiring panel of artists and discover how artistic practices are shaping conversations about climate change, informing climate action, and imagining a healthy future. Understand how artistic practices can bring together diverse voices, stories, and experiences to:

• support transformative conversations,
• foster community,
• influence broader cultural discussions on climate change to advance climate justice,
• and empower people to take action.

Speakers:

Chantal Chagnon is a Cree/Métis singer, drummer, storyteller, actor, educator, and social justice advocate from Muskeg Lake Cree Nation, Saskatchewan. She shares Traditional Indigenous songs, stories, culture, arts, and teachings. A Two Spirit single mother of four, Chagnon has advocated for marginalized voices for over 25 years, including MMIWG2S, women’s rights, racial equity, and environmental initiatives. She is passionate about raising awareness of Indigenous culture, spirituality, and social justice.

Alana Bartol (she/her) is an artist and educator working at the intersection of art and ecology. She creates site-responsive works exploring human relationships with the earth and the elements. Bartol has been long-listed for Canada’s Sobey Art Award (2019, 2021) and presented work internationally, including Germany, Hong Kong, Belgium, Argentina, and the USA. Based in Treaty 7 Territory (Calgary, Alberta), she teaches at Alberta University of the Arts.

Nicole Martens (she/they) is an artist and educator of Grebo, Mennonite, and Celtic heritage. Founder of Plein Air Outdoor Arts and co-founder of The General Store, Martens explores relationships within self, community, and the more-than-human world. They acknowledge the people, flora, fauna, and elements of Treaty 7 as their adopted home.

Moderator:

Dr. Melanie Kloetzel is a settler performance maker, scholar, and educator based in Treaty 7 territory (Moh’kinsstis/Calgary). Director of the dance theatre company kloetzel&co. and co-director of the art intervention collective TRAction, she has created films, events, and workshops shared across four continents. Kloetzel is a professor of dance at the University of Calgary.

March 8, 2023

Learn from Melanie Goodchild presenting Niigani Miinigowiziiwin (We Give These Gifts to the Future). Goodchild described how to heal self and systems through a dibaajimowin (story) and shared her apprenticeship in complexity grounded in the principle of gidinawendimin (we are all related). She discussed an Anishinaabe approach to systems thinking and complexity science.

This event was hosted in partnership with the Office of Indigenous Engagement's Indigenous Knowledge Lecture Series.

Speaker:

Dr. Melanie Goodchild is moose clan Anishinaabekwe (Ojibway woman) from Biigtigong Nishnaabeg and Ketegaunseebee First Nations in northern Ontario. She is a PhD candidate in Social & Ecological Sustainability at the University of Waterloo and a scholar of systems thinking and complexity science. Melanie lives with her family in Baawaating (the place of the rapids) in Three Fires Confederacy territory (Sault Ste Marie) and teaches with the Wolf Willow Institute for Systems Learning, the Academy for Systems Change, the Presencing Institute, and part-time at the University of Vermont.

April 4, 2023

Sharing Diverse Perspectives on Just Energy Transitions

Learn about what just energy transitions can look like from diverse perspectives, worldviews and Knowledge Systems. Panelists discussed how just energy transitions can support climate justice in Alberta and Canada, influence climate policy, address current challenges and propose solutions, and how individuals can contribute to advancing just energy transitions.

Speakers:

Jacob Crane is a citizen of the Tsuut'ina Nation, Alberta, Canada. He is the Community Engagement Coordinator for Indigenous Climate Action, an Indigenous women-led organization dedicated to creating a world with sovereign and thriving Indigenous Peoples and cultures leading climate justice for all.

Dr. Julie Drolet professor in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary and Project Director of Transforming the Field Education Landscape partnership. She leads an international social work research program to advance knowledge in the fields of social work and social development.

Dr. Jennifer Winter is an associate professor in the Department of Economics and the School of Public Policy, University of Calgary. Winter’s research evaluates climate policies and examines the effects of government regulation and policy on energy development and the associated consequences and trade-offs.

Moderator:

Sarah Winstanley is an instructor in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary. She is a feminist social worker who specializes in community development and has spent a decade working with girls and women leaders in Calgary and across the UK.

Nov. 22, 2022

Exploring the Intersections of Human Rights, Equity & Climate Change

Learn about what climate justice means from diverse perspectives, worldviews, and knowledge systems, and how decolonizing climate change dialogues can advance equity. Explore the role of addressing racism, discrimination, and structural inequities in promoting climate justice, and discover meaningful actions to support these efforts.

Speakers:

Dr. Deborah McGregor is the Canadian Research Chair in Indigenous Environmental Justice at Osgoode Hall Law School at York University. Her research focuses on Indigenous knowledge systems and their various applications in diverse contexts, including water and environmental governance, environmental justice, forest policy and management, and sustainable development.

Dr. Deb L. Morrison works at the intersection of justice, climate science, and learning. She is a climate and anti-oppression activist, scientist, learning scientist, educator, mother, locally elected official, and many other things besides. Deb works in research-practice-policy partnerships from local community to international scales.

Larissa Crawford is the founder and managing director of Future Ancestors with expertise in anti-racism, climate justice, race-based data collection, public policy and governance, restorative practices and conflict resolution, global development, youth engagement, Indigenous engagement and decolonization.

Oct. 25, 2022