Charles Gyan

Charles Gyan is an Associate Professor at McGill University’s School of Social Work within the Faculty of Arts. He holds a PhD in Social Work (Wilfrid Laurier University, 2018), an MPhil (Social Work, University of Ghana, 2013), and a B.A. (Social Work, University of Ghana, 2010). His research focuses on social policy change, transnational social work practice, and community development, with a commitment to challenging oppressive structures and promoting marginalized groups’ inclusion through policies and programs. He is a fellow at the Social Policy Research Centre (SPRC), Tshepo Institute for the Study of Contemporary Africa (TISCA), and Manulife Centre for Community Health Research.

Dr. Gyan’s current research projects include exploring resilience among immigrant youth in Canada, gender-sensitive open-government in Ghana and Senegal, environmental justice in Accra, and social work education’s role in climate justice in Africa. He emphasizes rigorous educational practices to prepare students for ethical social work, policy formulation, and community engagement. His teaching excellence was recognized with the 2018 Anne Westhues Award and the 2023 Equity & Community Building Award.

Prior to McGill, he held Assistant Professor roles at the University of Regina (2019–2020) and Wilfrid Laurier University (2018–2019), alongside academic appointments at the University of Windsor and teaching roles in Ghana. He also served as Director of Research at the African Rights Initiative International (2015–2018) and held programmatic and educational roles in Ghana’s higher education sector.