Our Team.

DIRECTOR

Dr. Jackie Dawson

ESPG Lead, Full Professor and Canada Research Chair in Environmental Change and Arctic Shipping

Dr. Jackie Dawson is a Canada Research Chair Full Professor in the Department of Geography, Environment, and Geomatics at the University of Ottawa and is the Scientific Director of the Canadian Network of Centers of Excellence, ArcticNet. She is an applied scientist working on the human and policy dimensions of environmental change in ocean and coastal regions and is considered an expert in Arctic shipping, Arctic tourism, and Arctic oceans governance. She has served on two Canadian Council of Academies’ Expert Panels, is an elected member of the College of the Royal Society of Canada and is a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society. She led the drafting of the 2018 G7 science statement focused on Arctic oceans and resilient communities, is a lead author on the IPCC AR6 and recently won the prestigious 2020 SSHRC Impact Connection award and 2021 Governor Generals Innovation award.

AN INTERVIEW WITH
DR. JACKIE DAWSON

Climate
Modeling

Arctic
Shipping

Recreation
Ecology

Resource
Management

Tourism

Our Staff

Dr. Jean Holloway

Research Associate

Jean is a lover of all things cold. Her current research interests focus on how arctic shipping is changing, and what impacts that has on the environment and the people living in the north. Formerly, she studied the impacts of climate change on permafrost in the Canadian Arctic and Subarctic. Jean currently sits as the Early Career Representative on the ArcticNet Board of Directors, and is a former Chair of the Canadian National Committee for the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists. She is passionate about science communication, and an advocate for addressing mental health issues in academia and beyond.

Dr. Alison Cook

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Alison is a Postdoctoral Research Associate and member of both the Environment, Society and Policy Group, and the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS). She is based at SAMS in Oban, Scotland, and works closely with ESPG on the joint Inuit Qaujisarnirmut Pilirijjutit on Arctic Shipping Risks funded by CINUK2021. Previously she worked at the University of Ottawa as a Postdoctoral Fellow in the ESPG team, and has also been a Research Fellow at Durham University, UK. Her research has centred on polar regions, using mapping, GIS and Remote Sensing to analyse spatial and temporal patterns of ice and shipping.

Sierra Beacher

Data Scientist

Specializing in computational science, Sierra supports projects related to climate-related risk, sustainable adaptation, and arctic shipping. Sierra completed a Master of Environmental Studies in Geography and Geomatics at Wilfrid Laurier University – where she researched habitat selection and movement behaviour. She also holds a Bachelor of Science from Wilfrid Laurier University in Geography, minoring in Environmental Science and Geomatics.

Julia MacPherson

Research Associate (Intermediate)

Julia is a Research Associate (Intermediate) for the Environment, Society and Policy Group supporting the Qanittaq and Arctic Pulse projects. Formerly, she studied marine and freshwater biology at the University of Guelph and completed an MSc in Biology at the University of New Brunswick (Saint John) on copper toxicity to brook char. Outside of work she enjoys practicing yoga, reading and camping.

Jennifer Pladzyk

Life Coach

Jennifer is a certified Body-Mind Vibrance and Relationship Coach with the Hendricks Institute. She has had a long and varied career working with high-intensity people (which is why she’s a perfect compliment for the ESPG team). She uses simple, empowering tools and humour to help guide others to have healthy, satisfying relationships. She is a Mom, wife and avid outdoorswoman.

Megan Ihrig

Lab Manager

Megan has been with the ESPG lab since 2017. She supports Dr. Dawson’s research projects through their finance and administration. Megan’s background is in ecological restoration, and she worked as a Conservation Biologist for several non-profit environmental organizations before joining ESPG. She loves to be outdoors with her family.

Students

Andrew Orawiec

PhD Candidate

Andrew first began work in the Arctic in 2014, accepting a position with the Government of Nunavut in Iqaluit. He briefly left the North to complete a Master of Science in Sustainability Management at the University of Toronto, where his major research project was on the topic of the maiden voyage of the Crystal Serenity through the Northwest Passage. Upon completion of his MSc, Andrew returned to work in Nunavut with a new focus on marine policy matters. In the Fall of 2018 he relocated to Ottawa in order to begin his PhD studies, but continues to work on a variety of initiatives within the Nunavut maritime domain.

Gloria Song

PhD Candidate in Law

Thesis: Access to Safe, Sustainable, & Healthy Housing in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut: An Institutional Ethnography

Gloria Song is a human rights lawyer and PhD candidate at the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Law, focusing on access to justice and housing issues in Nunavut. In the past, she has served as a civil litigation lawyer based in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, access to justice co-representative for the Law Society of Nunavut, and as a policy analyst at Polar Knowledge Canada managing international polar science files.

Jeff Yaremko

M.Sc. Student

Thesis: Climate Change and Arctic Shipping Futures: Community Perspectives on Shipping Changes and Emergency Preparedness in Canada’s Northwest Passage

Jeff Yaremko is pursuing his MSc in Environmental Sustainability with UOttawa. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Winnipeg in 2021 with a 4-year BA in International Development Studies, and has done research on Freedom of Information issues, social movements, and media. He will now be exploring community capacities and disaster management in the Canadian Arctic from a community’s perspective.

Lyra Evans

M.Sc. Student

Lyra Evans is an environmental chemist currently completing an M.Sc in Science, Society, and Policy in the faculty of Geography, Environment, and Geomatics at the University of Ottawa.

Selina Agyemang Duah

M.A. Student

Thesis: Climate change adaptation for local transportation risks in the Canadian Arctic Community of Pond Inlet

Selina completed a BA in Geography and Resource Development at the University of Ghana. She also has an MPhil in Development Geography from the University of Oslo where her research focused on climate change adaptation and environmental sustainability. She is currently pursuing an MA in Geography within the Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics at the University of Ottawa. Her research interest focuses on community-based adaptation to climate and environmental change. Other research interests are sustainable adaptation and climate-related risk.

Connor Rettinger

PhD Candidate

Connor Rettinger is currently pursuing an M.Sc in Geography within the faculty of Geography, Environment, and Geomatics at the University of Ottawa. He also is a practicing Environmental Professional In-training (EPt) since August 2022, specializing in Environment, Health, and Safety, as well as Fisheries/Wildlife. Before joining the EPSG, Connor completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Waterloo, majoring in urban planning. He also specialized in Environmental Planning and Management while obtaining an Environmental Assessment diploma. Connor's research interests include environmental policy, environmental change in cold regions, and wildlife conservation.

Louis Frank

M.A. Student

Thesis: Indigenous Ownership and Governance of Major Infrastructure: Navigating Challenges and Opportunities in the Rapidly Changing North

Louis Frank is pursuing an M.A. in Geography at the University of Ottawa. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto in 2022. With an interdisciplinary background studying the political and legal dimensions of environmental and climate change, his current research focusses on the Arctic Gateway Group in Churchill, Manitoba as a model of Indigenous and community governance of transportation infrastructure.

Alessia Czerwinski

M.Sc. Student

Alessia is pursuing an interdisciplinary M.Sc in Environmental Sustainability at the University of Ottawa. She has also been working with the Pollutant Inventories Reporting Division at Environment and Climate Change Canada where she first learned about black carbon and wanted to pursue research in that area. Prior to joining the ESPG, Alessia attended the University of Waterloo, where she completed an undergraduate degree in Environmental Resources and Sustainability with an Environmental Assessment Diploma. She is excited to apply her work experience to her research on black carbon emissions in the Arctic.

Océanne Poirier-Joanette

M.Sc. Student

Océanne is pursuing her M.Sc. in Environmental Sustainability within the Institute of the Environment at the University of Ottawa. She completed her undergraduate degree specialized in Biology in 2023 at the University of Ottawa. Océanne's research will be focusing on the effect of Arctic vessel transportation and the impact of noise pollution on cetacean using ArcGIS. 

Nathaniel Holloway

M.A. Student

Thesis: In Discussion: Integrating perspectives of Indigenous knowledge holders and western scientists to forecast changing population trends and understand associated implications of aarluk (Orcinus orca) in the eastern Canadian Arctic

Nathaniel is currently pursuing an MA in Geography with uOttawa. He completed his undergraduate degree at Carleton University in 2023 with a BA in Environmental Studies. Nathaniel’s current research interests focus on the social impacts of climate change-induced ecological changes near Arctic communities. Additional research interests include social perceptions of and behaviours regarding climate change. When not working or studying, Nathaniel enjoys exercising, spending time outdoors swimming, hiking, paddling, and skiing, and playing video games.

Graduates

Dr. Alison Cook (Postdoctoral Fellow), Arctic shipping and climate change, 2018 – 2020

Dr. Nathan Debortoli (Postdoctoral Fellow), Climate change and transportation, 2019 – 2020

Zuzanna Kochanowicz (M.Sc), Evaluating ecological risks from shipping in Lancaster Sounds, Canada, 2017 – 2020

Dr. Julia Olsen (Ph.D), Arctic maritime activities in changing conditions: Community perspectives, 2015 – 2020

Dr. Marta Bystrowska (Ph.D.), Cruise tourism and climate change in Svalbard, Greenland, and Canada, 2015 – 2019

Holly Gordon (M.Sc), Arctic shipping risks for local communities in the Northwest Passage, 2018 – 2019

Jamie D’Souza (M.A.), The Implications of Climate Change for Polar Bear Viewing Tourism in Churchill Canada, 2017 –2019

Manuelyn Perelta (M.A.), Climate justice in international climate change negotiations, 2016 –2019

Annika Ogilvie (M.Sc.), Improving Understanding of Factors Contributing to Pressured Ice in the Hudson Strait, Canada: an interdisciplinary analysis of resource ship besetments, 2015 –2019

Larissa Pizzolato (M.Sc.), Spatial vulnerability of sea ice and Arctic shipping activities in Canadian Arctic Waters, 1990-2012, 2013 - 2015

Dr. Marta Bystrowska (Ph.D.), 2015- 2019, Cruise tourism and climate change in Svalbard, Greenland, and Canada

Jenna Joyce (M.Sc), 2015 – 2018, Local marine use patterns in Arctic Canada: Infusing local knowledge into the northern marine transportation corridors. http://dx.doi.org/10.20381/ruor-22039

Flavia Craciun (M.Sc), 2016- 2018, Isolation, popularity and climate change: How planning policies affect the resilience of Arctic communities.

Catherine Caldwell (M.A.), 2015- 2017, Consideration of climate change and the social impacts of resource development in decision-making.

Olivia Mussells (M.Sc.), 2013- 2015, Ice conditions in the Canadian Arctic during winter: A shipping and operational assessment. http://dx.doi.org/10.20381/ruor-2686

Alexandra Abram (M.Sc.), 2014- 2015, Impact of Arctic shipping on marine mammal migration.

Jessica Jaja (M.A.), 2012- 2014. Beyond climate change theory: What contributes to adaptive capacity in Caribbean small island developing states? http://dx.doi.org/10.20381/ruor-2853

Roger Ritsema (M.A.), 2012- 2014, Adapting to rapid environmental and economic change in Nunavut: How do local communities leverage opportunities to create economic self-sufficiency? http://dx.doi.org/10.20381/ruor-6510

Alumni

Dr Nicolien Van Luijk,

Dr. Natalie Carter (Postdoctoral Fellow/Research Associate), 2016 - 2021, Community Research Lead.

Dr. Pierre-Louis Têtu (Postdoctoral fellow), 2016- 2019,  Arctic shipping risks and spatial trends.

Dr. Magalie Quintal-Marineau (Postdoctoral Fellow), 2016- 2018, Inuit women and the socioeconomic development of northern communities, Quebec and Nunavut