Nina Hewitt

Dr. Nina Hewitt is an Associate Professor of Teaching in the Department of Geography at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Arts, currently on leave until June 2026. She holds a PhD from York University (1999), an MSc from the University of Guelph, and a BA Honours from the University of Western Ontario. As a biogeographer and educator, she directs the Biogeography Teaching and Research Lab, focusing on vegetation dynamics impacted by human activities including ecosystem fragmentation, climate change, and biological invasions.

Her research spans forest ecosystems in eastern North America and alpine systems in the Karakoram Himalaya and BC Coast Mountains. She pioneers innovative educational tools, having developed virtual/augmented reality field experiences and community-engaged learning frameworks for geoscience education. Her scholarly contributions include work on the Canadian Mountain Assessment, synthesizing Western and Indigenous knowledges.

Awards & Recognition

• Killam Teaching Prize, Faculty of Arts (2022-23)
• Dean’s Award for Educational Leadership (2021-2022)

Educational Leadership

She has led curriculum development for courses including GEOS 102 (Climate & Ecosystems), GEOS 306 (Paleoecology), and field-based GEOS 309. Her pedagogical research examines AR/VR efficacy in environmental education, supported by UBC's Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund.