معرفی
John Sandlos is a Professor of History in the Department of History at Memorial University of Newfoundland, where he has been a faculty member since completing his PhD. His academic work focuses on the intersection of environmental history, resource development, and Indigenous communities in Canada, with particular expertise in mining history and wildlife conservation.
His educational background includes a PhD (2004) and Master of Environmental Studies (1997) from York University, and a BA (1993) from McGill University. Following his PhD, he completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Western University (2004-06).
Professor Sandlos' research interests center on the environmental history of Canada with emphasis on three interconnected areas: the history of mining in northern Canada (particularly environmental legacies of mines and impacts on Indigenous communities), the history of wildlife conservation and national parks (especially impacts on Indigenous peoples), and the history of mining hazards including accidents, workplace pollution, and occupational health activism. His work consistently examines the colonial dimensions of resource extraction and environmental management in Canada.
His recent publications demonstrate a strong trend toward examining the long-term environmental and social consequences of mining, with particular focus on toxic legacies, intergenerational communication about hazards, and the experiences of Indigenous communities living with the consequences of industrial development. His scholarship bridges academic research and community engagement, often working directly with northern communities affected by mining legacies.
- Member, College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists, Royal Society of Canada (2018-2025)
- Winner of the Mary Lee Spence Documentary Book Award, Mining History Association
- Recipient of the Canadian Historical Association's Clio Prize
- Awarded the Forest History Society's Charles A. Weyerhaeuser Prize
- Recipient of the Canadian Studies Network Prize for Best Edited Collection
Professor Sandlos actively supervises graduate students in Canadian environmental history, with special interest in those researching mining history, occupational health, industrial pollution, and toxic legacies. He currently leads the SSHRC-funded Mining Danger Project (2023-28) and is involved with the Toxic Legacies Project and Resources and Sustainable Development in the Arctic (ReSDA). His work often involves interdisciplinary collaboration with scholars in environmental science, Indigenous studies, and public health.
He directs the Toxic Legacies Project (www.toxiclegacies.com), which examines the long-term environmental and social consequences of mining in northern Canada, with particular focus on arsenic contamination at Giant Mine in Yellowknife. This project involves collaboration with Indigenous communities, environmental scientists, and policy makers to address the challenges of managing hazardous mining legacies for future generations.
