All projects align with three key areas of focus: urban sustainability, environmental protection of coastal areas, and sustainable approaches to resource-intensive industries, with a particular emphasis on the province of British Columbia. Research ranges from climate change to biodiversity loss, sustainable transportation, energy storage, urban water systems, biodiversity conservation, and more.
The inaugural recipients of these awards include Faculty of Arts researchers Dr. Kathryn Harrison (Professor, Political Science), Dr. Todd Handy (Professor, Psychology) and Jay Hilsden (MA student, Anthropology).
Individual Faculty Award
Dr. Kathryn Harrison (Professor, Political Science) received a research award of $80,000 for her project:
The New Politics of Fossil Fuel Subsidies
Dr. Kathryn Harrison, Professor, Political Science
BC has been a global leader on carbon pricing and aspires to deep emissions reductions to mitigate climate change, yet relies economically on production of fossil fuels. BC seeks to reconcile this contradiction by focusing exclusively on domestic emissions, even as we subsidize fossil fuel production for export. This study will compare fossil fuel subsidies in BC and other Canadian provinces by creating a database of subsidies and public finance, examining the politics of fossil fuel subsidies, and comparing the views of British Columbians and Canadians in other provinces on fossil fuel subsidies
Team Faculty Award
A Team Faculty Research Award of $200,000 was awarded to Dr. Todd Handy (Professor, Psychology), together with Dr. Alexander Bigazzi (Lead PI; Associate Professor, Civil Engineering), Dr. Kelly Clifton (Professor, School of Community and Regional Planning), and Dr. Eli Putterman (Associate Professor, School of Kinesiology) for their project:
Human-centered design for sustainable transportation in British Columbia: An inclusive approach to infrastructure design based on diverse experiences of walking and cycling
For BC to meet its aggressive targets of a 25% reduction in driving and a 30% share for sustainable travel modes (walking, cycling, transit) by 2030, structural change in how we design transportation systems is necessary. The current tools used to design infrastructure for active travel (primarily walking and cycling) lack grounding in empirical evidence and consideration of diverse individual experiences. This project will develop recommendations for transportation infrastructure design that equitably attracts people to use sustainable modes of travel and fosters positive experiences. The goal is to address the critical need for sustainable transportation systems by developing new methods for researchers worldwide and transforming active transportation design guidance in BC and globally.
Graduate Student Award
Jay Hilsden, Master of Arts student in Anthropology received a research award of up to $25,000.
Jay Hilsden, Master of Arts student, Anthropology
My research involves documenting the diversity of flatfish (halibut, flounders, soles) in BC’s archaeological record. Fish bones provide information on species’ ranges, abundances, and peoples’ diets through time; however, identifying fish species by looking at their bones is challenging. Therefore, I am adapting a method called ZooMS, which characterizes archaeological species by analyzing their bone collagen, to more accurately identify archaeological flatfish from BC sites. This research will allow future ZooMS analyses to determine the types of Pacific flatfish caught and consumed by Indigenous peoples and support reconstructing marine ecosystems prior to the advent of colonialism and commercial fishing.
