Researchers-in-Residence 2021 - 2022

Dawn Hoogeveen

TERM: SEPTEMBER, 2021 - APRIL, 2022

Dawn Hoogeveen is a University Research Associate in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University. She is a cross appointed at the First Nations Health Authority where she is collaboratively progressing a program of work on land-based health and wellness indicators and health impact assessment. Dr. Hoogeveen’s work and experience is nested in environmental health justice and Indigenous studies. She has several current research projects, including a) Healing Indicators: Examining community led Indigenous health and wellness frameworks and Indigenous Health Impact Assessment; b) Examining the health and wellness benefits of Indigenous Protected Areas; d) Climate change and offshore drilling moratoriums in Canada and New Zealand; e) Climate Change and Intersectionality in British Columbia. Dr. Hoogeveen’s work is funded through CIHR and the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research. She has a longstanding interest in Indigenous self-determination in regard to resource regulations and jurisdictional challenges that arise within the context of land dispossession and Indigenous rights and title.

Habib Chaudhury

TERM: SEPTEMBER, 2021 - APRIL, 2022

Dr. Habib Chaudhury, Professor in the Department of Gerontology, has research experience in the field of environmental gerontology. His work includes community-based research in the following areas: physical environment for people with dementia in long-term care facilities, dementia-friendly communities and neighbourhoods for active aging. Projects have been funded by Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR), Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), CapitalCare Foundation and the Centre for Health Design. Published books include: Environments in an Aging Society: Autobiographical Perspectives in Environmental Gerontology (Annual Review of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Vol 38, 2018; co-edited with F. Oswald), Remembering Home: Rediscovering the Self in Dementia (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008) and Home and Identity in Later Life: International Perspectives (Springer Publications, 2005; co-edited with G. Rowles). Dr. Chaudhury also offers research consulting to national and international organizations/care providers in the areas of planning and design of seniors' housing and long-term care facilities. He serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Aging and Environment.

Dara Kelly

TERM: SEPTEMBER, 2021 - APRIL, 2022

Dr Dara Kelly is from the Leq’á:mel First Nation, part of the Stó:lō Coast Salish. She is an Assistant Professor of Indigenous Business at the Beedie School of Business, SFU. She teaches in the Executive MBA in Indigenous Business and Leadership program, and on Indigenous business environments within full-time and part-time MBA programs.

Dr Kelly is a recipient of the 2020 Early in Career Award for CUFA BC Distinguished Academic Awards. Her research helps fill in gaps in the literature on the economic concepts and practices of the Coast Salish and other Indigenous nations. She has presented in numerous conferences and public spaces in an effort to challenge conventional economical practices and inform positive change by drawing on knowledge of Indigenous economics. She is Co-Chair of the Indigenous Caucus at the Academy of Management and serves on the board of the Association for Economic Research of Indigenous Peoples. She conducts research using research methodology emerging from Coast Salish philosophy, protocols and worldview. A paper stemming from her thesis won the Best Paper in Sustainability Award at the Sustainability, Ethics and Entrepreneurship (SEE) Conference in Puerto Rico in February 2017.

In addition to her studies, Dara was a Researcher with the Mira Szászy Research Centre for Māori and Pacific Economic Development at The University of Auckland Business School. Dara also has professional experience in leadership development programming and seeks to maintain collaborative research ties with Aotearoa-New Zealand in the area of Indigenous economic development.

Dara Culhane

TERM: MAY, 2022 - DECEMBER, 2022

Dr. Dara Culhane, Professor of Anthropology, received her B.A. in Sociology and Anthropology in 1985 and her Ph.D. in Anthropology in 1994 from Simon Fraser University. Her early work concentrated on historical and contemporary relations between Aboriginal peoples and the Canadian Nation State; politics of indigenous women's health; collaborative research methodologies; and urban studies.  Culhane’s current research focuses on Anthropology/Ethnography and Performance Studies, Gender and Sexuality, and Irish Studies.  Two works in progress are:  Encore! Travels With The Ghost of Margaret Sheehy, a memory-work life story, and Hear Me Looking At You! a dramatic storytelling performance.

Learn more: http://www.sfu.ca/sociology-anthropology/people/faculty/dara-culhane.html

Taco Niet

TERM: JANUARY, 2022 - AUGUST, 2022

Taco’s research deals with energy systems modelling, energy storage technologies, integration of renewable/variable technologies and climate change mitigation and adaptation. Dr. Niet focuses on addressing systemic challenges in the energy system including integration of variable renewables and working with emerging economies. Recent modelling work has addressed the nexus of climate, land, energy and water interactions in a combined modelling framework and Dr. Niet is working on expanding these nexus models to consider equity and climate justice. Dr. Niet has taught a wide range of courses, including those on instrumentation, systems design and modelling, control systems, strength of materials, and technology and society. Dr. Niet supervises graduate students in research areas related to systems modelling, focusing on building tools that help society and policy makers effectively address climate and other system impacts and trade-offs.

Narges Sefid, Graduate Student

Narges is a Ph.D. student of Sustainable Energy Engineering at SFU, working with Delta E Plus research group.  She holds a master's degree in Energy Systems Engineering from the University of Tehran and has four years of industrial experience in the Energy sector, working on energy efficiency standards and solar systems.  Her primary field of research is energy modeling, and she is enthusiastic about working in multidisciplinary areas such as social planning and data science.

Narges is currently working on community engagement, energy justice, and equity in collaboration with Prof. Taco Niet and Prof. Andreanne Doyon for the Community-Engaged Research initiative.

Tira Okamoto, Graduate Student

Tira Okamoto (she/her) is a Masters of Resource Management (Planning) student at Simon Fraser University, located on the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm, Skwxwú7mesh, kʷikʷəƛ̓əm, and Səl̓ílwətaɬ First Nations. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in World Arts and Cultures from the University of California, Los Angeles. As a multiracial, white-presenting settler new to the Vancouver area, she brings knowledge from her previous work on sea level rise resilience and equitable community engagement within the unceded traditional territories of the Ramaytush Ohlone peoples, also known as San Francisco, California.

Tira's research interests include equitable climate adaptation, sea level rise, decolonization, just transition, and the multiplicities within justice and accountability. In addition to the Research Assistant role with Dr. Taco Niet and Dr. Andréanne Doyon on equity and justice within energy and climate modeling, she is currently a Research Assistant with the PICS-funded Living with Water: Coastal Adaptation project. Her research through Living with Water examines equitable coastal adaptation planning in False Creek with the City of Vancouver. Tira is also a Climate Resilience and Adaptation intern with SHIFT Collaborative.