Catriona Sandilands

Catriona Sandilands is a Professor in the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change at York University, Toronto, where she also serves as PhD Coordinator. She holds a PhD and MA in Sociology from York University, a BA (Honours) in Sociology from the University of Victoria, and a Creative Writing Certificate from Simon Fraser University.

Her research explores the intersections of environmental humanities, queer ecologies, and critical plant studies, with emphasis on feminist, multispecies, and decolonial approaches. Key themes include botanical biopolitics, climate justice storytelling, and the role of creative writing in environmental thought. Her work bridges theoretical inquiry with public engagement, notably through projects like Plantasmagoria (on plant-human entanglements) and Storying Climate Change (a Trudeau Fellowship initiative).

Sandilands' publications span ecocriticism, feminist theory, and queer ecology, often examining how narratives shape ecological relationships. Her recent articles emphasize plant agency, climate narratives, and multispecies justice, reflecting a sustained engagement with vegetal life and environmental storytelling as political practice.

Awards and Honors:

• Faculty of Environmental Studies Dean’s Research Award (2020)
• York University Research Leader Award (2017)
• Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Fellowship (2016–2020)
• Canada Research Chair in Sustainability and Culture (2004–2013)

She leads collaborative projects such as the Trudeau-funded Storying Climate Change, which produced the anthology Rising Tides (Caitlin Press, 2019), and maintains active roles in international environmental humanities networks.