Rusty Souleymanov

Dr. Rusty Souleymanov is Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs at the University of Manitoba's Faculty of Social Work. His interdisciplinary research focuses on health equity for marginalized communities through the Village Lab, which develops culturally safe health services using decolonizing methodologies.

Research domains include:

• Community-based HIV/STBBI prevention
• Harm reduction and substance use policies
• 2SLGBTQIA+ health services
• Migrant and Indigenous health equity
• Anti-colonial research frameworks

Current projects like the Kotawêw Doula Project and Ubuntu-Pamoja Study address systemic barriers in healthcare. Publications (2013-2025) consistently examine social determinants of health through critical public health lenses, with recent focus on pandemic impacts.