ABOUT
Natalie is a Canadian conservationist with a passion for the wild landscapes and diverse cultures of our world. Nat uses participatory research to understand the root causes of biodiversity loss and climate change, and re-imagine our social-ecological systems to align with environmental justice and a sustainable future.
Nat was recently named the Scientific Exploration Society's 2023 Neville Shulman Explorer for her participatory research integrating traditional knowledge and conservation technology with the Kayapo Xingu communities in Brazil. She was also named a 2020 UN Young Champions of the Earth regional finalist and supported by the Adventure Travel Conservation Fund Grant and The Explorer's Club 2020 Rolex Grant.
She is concurrently a PhD researcher at the University of Waterloo's Interdisciplinary Centre on Climate Change investigating climate change impacts, adaptations and sustainability transitions in ski tourism and winter sports. This work is supported by a SSHRC Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canadian Graduate Scholarship, Sport Canada's Sport Participation Research Initiative. Natalie is also the Research Coordinator for Protect Our Winters Canada.
Natalie holds a Master of Science in Biodiversity, Conservation and Management from the University of Oxford, where she graduated with distinctions and earned a Blue Varsity Award for skiing. Previously she completed a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Geography at the University of Denver, while a member of Denver's NCAA Div 1 National Champion Ski Team. Natalie also competed on Canada's Alpine Ski Team at the World Junior Championships and World University Games.
Nat's PhD research at the University of Waterloo's Interdisciplinary Centre on Climate Change investigates climate change impacts, adaptations and sustainability transitions in ski tourism and winter sports. This work is supported by a SSHRC Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canadian Graduate Scholarship, Sport Canada's Sport Participation Research Initiative.
Nat's research is multi-disciplinary, drawing strongly on her background in Biodiversity Conservation, Geography, Ecology and Anthropology. With the aim of informing large scale transformative change, Nat focuses on participatory research to co-produce relevant knowledge, complex systems-thinking to understand the root causes of systemic challenges, and knowledge dissemination to ensure research reaches those working on the ground.
Over 15 peer-reviewed articles on climate change, conservation & sustainability.
MEDIA
Writing and speaking through podcasts, magazines, newspaper, film and more.
TEACHING
University of Waterloo Lecturer. Available for guest lectures and presentations.
