معرفی
Najat Bhiry is a Full Professor in the Department of Geography within the Faculty of Forestry, Geography and Geomatics at Université Laval. She maintains her office at the Abitibi-Price Pavilion (office 3115) and serves as President of the Student Affairs Commission. Her research is closely affiliated with the Centre for Nordic Studies (CEN), where she is a regular member, and she actively participates in multiple research initiatives focusing on northern environments and Indigenous communities.
Dr. Bhiry's educational background includes a PhD in Quaternary Geology from Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris, a Master's degree in Quaternary Geology, and a Bachelor's degree in Geology and Biology. Her academic journey has positioned her at the intersection of earth sciences, environmental studies, and archaeology.
Her research interests span Quaternary geology and geomorphology (including stratigraphy, sedimentology, and micromorphology), natural hazards and risks, plant paleoecology, geoarchaeology, and paleoenvironments. She applies these interests to understanding Arctic and subarctic landscapes, with particular attention to the impacts of climate change on northern ecosystems and Indigenous cultural heritage. Her work often integrates geological, archaeological, and environmental perspectives to reconstruct past landscapes and human-environment interactions.
Dr. Bhiry's recent publications reveal a strong focus on Arctic and subarctic research, with particular emphasis on permafrost dynamics, geoarchaeology, climate change impacts, and Indigenous knowledge systems. Her work frequently involves international collaborations and addresses critical questions about northern landscape evolution, cultural heritage preservation, and environmental change. She demonstrates expertise in both field-based methodologies and advanced analytical techniques including remote sensing and micromorphological analysis.
Dr. Bhiry serves on several important committees and editorial boards:
- Member of the First Peoples Committee of the Nordic Institute of Quebec
- Member of the Editorial Board of the Nordicana D platform
- Member of the Steering Committee of the Ecoscience journal
- Member of the Steering Committee of the journal Études Inuit Studies
Dr. Bhiry currently supervises multiple graduate students including Rachid Addou (postdoctoral fellow), Sabrina Bujold, Laura Brassard, Vincent Filion, Danielle Chiasson, and Laurence Côté (all master's students with thesis). In the past five years, she has successfully guided Josuah Tremblay, Guillaume Pouliot, Jérémy Grenier, Rachel Labrie, Frédéric Mansau, and Sarah Robert to completion of their degrees. Her research is supported by numerous grants from organizations including Fonds de recherche du Québec, Ressources naturelles Canada, CNRS (France), MITACS Inc., and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
Her laboratory work primarily occurs through the Centre for Nordic Studies (CEN), where she collaborates with interdisciplinary teams studying northern environments. Her research often involves fieldwork in Arctic regions including Nunavik (northern Quebec), Nunatsiavut (Labrador), and international sites in Morocco and Iceland. These teams integrate geological, archaeological, and environmental science perspectives to address complex questions about landscape evolution and human adaptation in northern environments.
