Michelle A. Hamilton

Michelle A. Hamilton is a Professor in the Department of History at the University of Western Ontario. Her research focuses on public history, museums, repatriation, and Indigenous communities in Canada, particularly in Ontario. She holds a PhD from the University of Western Ontario (2004) and has extensive experience in collaborative, community-based projects. She directs the SSHRC-funded Hear, Here London audio documentary project and contributed to the Journal of the Plague Year pandemic archive.

Her teaching emphasizes experiential learning, with students collaborating on museum exhibits, oral histories, and digital projects. She has held leadership roles in organizations such as the National Council on Public History and the Ontario Heritage Trust. Notable awards include the 2020 Public Education and Engagement Award and the 2017 Joseph Brant Award.

Hamilton’s work bridges academia and public engagement, addressing issues like cultural identity, historical memory, and Indigenous rights. She currently advises on the Vision SoHo Alliance’s historical signage project and manages Western’s Medical Artifact Collection with Shelley McKellar.