Flora Matheson

Flora Matheson is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Industrial Design at Carleton University and holds the Unity Health Chair in Homelessness, Housing, and Health. Her work bridges health and social sciences, focusing on vulnerable populations including justice-involved individuals, those experiencing homelessness, and those affected by gambling harms. She earned her PhD in Sociology from the University of Toronto, specializing in Crime, Deviance, and Socio-legal Studies.

Her research emphasizes participatory methods, co-designing solutions with communities. Notable projects include the Breaking the Cycle Solutions Network addressing brain injury in correctional populations, the SPRinG app for gambling recovery, and the Gambling Addiction Program in shelter settings. Funders include SSHRC, CIHR, and the Ontario Ministry of Health.

Matheson’s career spans academia and policy, with over a decade at Canada’s Correctional Service Research Branch. She has pioneered correctional data repositories on traumatic brain injury and led pandemic-related studies on re-entry challenges for incarcerated individuals. Her dual affiliation with Carleton University and Unity Health Toronto underscores her commitment to translational research.