Members

Luke Copland is a full professor in the uOttawa Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics. He leads the Laboratory for Cryospheric Research. A glaciologist, he specializes in remote sensing and field‑based studies. His work examines how ice and snow systems evolve in regions such as the Canadian Arctic, the Himalayas, Patagonia, Antarctica and the Alps. It focuses on glacier mass balance, surge behaviour, iceberg discharge and impacts of cryospheric change on water security and natural hazards. He also teaches field courses in the Arctic and Iceland, advancing our understanding of how melting ice affects northern communities and environments.

Patricia DeRepentigny is an assistant professor in the uOttawa Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics. Specializing in the future of Arctic sea ice, she uses Earth system models to study processes that drive how sea ice forms, melts and drifts. She also examines how climate forcing agents, such as greenhouse gases, aerosols and biomass‑burning emissions, influence changes and long‑term declines in sea ice. She co-chairs the Sea-Ice Model Intercomparison Project, helping to co-ordinate international sea-ice modelling for Phase 7 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project and advance community standards. Since joining uOttawa in 2025, she has also taught climatology and mentored students in Arctic climate science.

Catherine Dussault is an assistant professor in the uOttawa School of Sociological and Anthropological Studies. Her research focuses on Indigenous self-determination, governance and decolonial approaches to education and research, with a strong emphasis on Inuit communities in Nunavik. She examines how climate change and energy transitions intersect with justice, equity and Indigenous knowledge systems. Dussault works on initiatives such as the British Academy’s Inuit Knowledge project and the Women and Inclusivity in Sustainable Energy Research network. She holds a PhD from Université Laval and teaches courses that challenge colonial frameworks, advancing community-driven approaches to climate resilience and social change.

Audrey Giles is a full professor in the uOttawa School of Human Kinetics. An applied cultural anthropologist, she specializes in injury prevention, sport and physical activity. Her focus is on Indigenous health and well-being in Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. She earned her PhD in physical education and recreation from the University of Alberta after completing degrees in psychology as well as physical and health education at Queen’s University. Her work centres on long-term partnerships with Indigenous communities. It examines drowning prevention, physical activity promotion, gender dynamics and cultural adaptation of health resources. She has secured sustained Tri-Council and sector-specific funding.

Sonia Wesche is an associate professor in the uOttawa Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, with cross‑appointments in environmental studies and Indigenous studies. Her research examines the human dimensions of environmental change in northern Canada. It focuses on climate impacts, food and water security and community adaptation. For this work, she partners with Indigenous communities in the Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut. She leads the Environment, Community and Health Lab, which advances work on food system resilience, water security and health equity. Wesche also mentors graduate students and collaborates on interdisciplinary projects that combine environmental science and Indigenous knowledge systems.