Alexandra Lesnikowski

Dr. Alexandra Lesnikowski is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography, Planning and Environment at Concordia University, where she leads the Concordia Climate Change Adaptation Lab. Her research examines climate change adaptation governance, vulnerability assessment, and policy implementation, with emphasis on global comparative analysis and knowledge synthesis. She actively supervises graduate research assistants and contributes to international climate assessments.

Her primary research domains include:

• Adaptation governance: Policy design, implementation styles, and monitoring frameworks
• Vulnerability analysis: Assessing climate risks in critical infrastructure and communities
• Knowledge systems: Developing methods for adaptation tracking and evidence synthesis
• Human rights integration: Equity dimensions in climate adaptation policies

Dr. Lesnikowski's publications demonstrate consistent focus on climate adaptation policy mechanisms, with recurring themes of global stocktakes, policy instrument design, and adaptation constraints. Her recent work emphasizes electricity sector resilience and human rights integration in adaptation frameworks.

She teaches courses including URBS 480 (Impact Assessment), GEOG 478 (Climate Change: Science, Impacts and Policy), and URBS 498 (Planning Cities for Climate Change), integrating policy analysis with practical planning applications.

Dr. Lesnikowski leads multiple research initiatives, including projects on adaptation assessment in the electricity sector involving climate risk disclosure analysis and adaptation monitoring systems. She collaborates with international teams such as the Global Adaptation Mapping Initiative and contributes to IPCC assessments.