Mariya Lesiv

Mariya Lesiv is an Associate Professor and Department Head in the Folklore Department at Memorial University of Newfoundland, part of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta and has expertise in Ukrainian and Canadian folklore. Her research focuses on folklore's role in national identity, diaspora studies, and religious folk practices, particularly modern Ukrainian Paganism. Dr. Lesiv has led projects on post-socialist diaspora communities in Newfoundland and served as President of the Folklore Studies Association of Canada and the Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Folklore Association (SEEFA).

Her academic background includes degrees from Lviv National University (B.A.), University of Alberta (M.A. and Ph.D.). Key research areas include the intersection of folklore with politics, belief systems, and cultural identity. Notable works include her book *The Return of Ancestral Gods* (2013) and a 2017-2019 SSHRC grant examining post-Socialist diasporas in Newfoundland. She has published widely in journals like *Western Folklore* and *Anthropologica*, exploring topics such as Ukrainian Pagan rituals, diaspora narratives, and culinary symbolism.

Awards include the SSHRC Insight Development Grant (2017-2019). She actively engages in professional leadership, shaping the direction of folklore studies in North America and globally.