معرفی
Christina E. Hoicka holds the Canada Research Chair in Urban Planning for Climate Change and is an Associate Professor of Geography and Civil Engineering at the University of Victoria. Previously, she was an Associate Professor at York University (2019-2021) and held the PowerStream Chair in Sustainable Energy Economics (2013-2017). Her interdisciplinary background includes a Bachelor of Engineering from McGill University, a Masters in Environmental Studies from York University, and a PhD in Geography from the University of Waterloo.
Dr. Hoicka's educational journey reflects her interdisciplinary approach to energy and climate issues. She holds a Bachelor of Engineering (McGill University), a Masters in Environmental Studies (York University), and a PhD in Geography (University of Waterloo), providing her with a unique perspective that bridges technical, environmental, and social dimensions of energy transitions.
Her research focuses on energy justice, renewable energy transitions, and climate change policy, with particular emphasis on Indigenous energy governance, community energy, and the socio-technical dimensions of low-carbon innovation. She investigates how disruptive clusters of renewable and low-carbon innovations diffuse through communities and impact energy system change, with special attention to equity, diversity, and inclusion in energy transitions. Her work examines the implementation of complementarity of renewable energy sources and the democratic and just forms of renewable energy governance and ownership.
Dr. Hoicka's recent publications reveal a strong trend toward examining the intersection of energy transitions with social justice, particularly regarding Indigenous communities and marginalized populations. Her research increasingly focuses on energy justice frameworks, the role of community ownership in renewable energy projects, and how climate action can be designed to avoid exacerbating existing inequalities. She has pioneered research on Indigenous utilities and First Nations power authority models in British Columbia.
- Canada Research Chair in Urban Planning for Climate Change (2021-present)
- PowerStream Chair in Sustainable Energy Economics (2013-2017)
- Co-founder and former Chair of Women and Inclusivity in Sustainable Energy Research (WISER) Network
- Member of the Core Team of the Geography of Sustainability Transitions Thematic Group for the Sustainability Transitions Research Network
Dr. Hoicka actively mentors students, including supervising Adam Regier's undergraduate honors thesis. Her grant portfolio is extensive and diverse, including principal investigator roles on projects like "PATHWAY TO ACCELERATE THE DIFFUSION OF DEMAND-SIDE LOW-CARBON INNOVATIONS" (Transition Accelerator, 2022) and "Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the Net Zero Carbon Economy" (McConnell Foundation, 2021). She has secured significant funding from SSHRC, NSERC, New Frontiers in Research Fund, and Natural Resources Canada, often focusing on community energy, Indigenous involvement in renewable projects, and inclusive green recovery initiatives. She co-leads the Re-Imagining Social Energy Transitions CoLaboratory (ReSET CoLab) at the University of Victoria, which investigates youth impact on energy transitions, green hydrogen information gaps, and scaling energy justice.
The ReSET CoLab, which Dr. Hoicka leads, employs a unique interdisciplinary approach that incorporates craft and Indigenous materials like beam paints into research discussions to create more inclusive and participatory research environments. The lab focuses on renewable energy, community energy, gender and energy, Indigenous energy, energy justice, participation, innovation and diffusion, with particular attention to how place-based approaches can lead to more just energy transitions.
