Heather Castleden

Dr. Heather Castleden is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography and Planning at Queen’s University, holding the Canada Research Chair in Reconciling Relations for Health, Environments, and Communities. She specializes in community-based participatory research with Indigenous communities, focusing on health equity, environmental justice, and decolonizing methodologies. Her work bridges academic scholarship and advocacy to address systemic inequities.

Education:

• Bachelor of Arts (Anthropology and Native Studies), University of Manitoba (1996)
• Master of Education (Adult and Higher Education), University of Alberta (2002)
• PhD (Human Geography), University of Alberta (2007)

Research Focus: Dr. Castleden’s research emphasizes Indigenous-settler relations, participatory methodologies, and ethical research practices. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates qualitative tools aligned with Indigenous principles to address environmental and health disparities.

Awards:

• Canada Research Chair (current)

Labs & Teams: Director of the Health, Environment, and Communities (HEC) Research Lab (www.heclab.com), a collaborative space advancing community-driven research. Active in the A SHARED Future initiative and engaged with academic networks through Twitter (@H_Castleden).