Jennifer Veilleux

Dr. Jennifer Veilleux is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Cultural Geography at Wageningen University & Research. Her research focuses on water sovereignty, environmental justice, and the intersection of climate change with Indigenous knowledge systems. She employs interdisciplinary methods combining GIS, qualitative/quantitative data analysis, and participatory research with local communities to address water security challenges in transboundary watersheds such as the Nile, Mississippi, and Mekong Rivers. Veilleux emphasizes decolonizing spatial narratives through counter-mapping efforts to restore Indigenous placenames and perspectives.

Her work examines how scale and colonial histories influence policy impacts on frontline communities, particularly in dam development projects and extractive capitalism. She collaborates with governments, militaries, and international organizations to evaluate development project efficacy while advocating for equity-centered approaches. Recently, she led the Mindmapping Climate Change and Research Intersections Symposium, showcasing frameworks for integrating art-based methods and participatory visual communication into climate research.

Veilleux teaches courses on gender and diversity in transnational contexts, geopolitics, and climate entanglements. Her expertise spans environmental justice, human rights, and spatial policy analysis across Ethiopia, the USA, and other transboundary regions. She actively engages in policy advocacy through interdisciplinary research projects designed within the Sector Plan Spatial Issues framework at WUR.