Gregory Lowan-Trudeau

Gregory Lowan-Trudeau, PhD, is originally from Moh-kíns-tsis (Calgary) in the Treaty 7 region. He is of Métis, Norwegian, and Swiss descent with family roots across the prairies and eastern woodlands. Early childhood experiences on the land, encouraging role models, and exposure to cultural teachings inspired Dr. Lowan-Trudeau's interest in Indigenous science and environmental education. Previously a SSHRC and Killam doctoral scholar, he worked and studied with a variety of school, community, and land-based educational organizations across Canada and internationally prior to joining the Werklund School of Education. Dr. Lowan-Trudeau has also served as Contract Lecturer in the Faculty of Education at Lakehead University as well as Assistant and subsequently Adjunct Professor in the Department of First Nations Studies at the University of Northern British Columbia. He is currently an Editor of the Canadian Journal of Environmental Education and Fulbright Canada Visiting Research Chair at the University of California, Santa Barbara (2019-20).

Dr. Lowan-Trudeau’s research and teaching interests include Indigenous environmental education, health, justice, and activism; renewable energy development in Indigenous communities; Critical media literacy and engagement; Japanese ecological knowledge and philosophy; and critical, interpretive, and Indigenous research methodologies.

Current and Recently Completed Projects

• Exploring Media Perspectives on Indigenous Environmental Issues in Canada and the United States: A Comparative Critical Discourse Analysis

  Funding: Fulbright Canada

• Renewable Energy Education Reconsidered: Exploring Sociocritical and Indigenous Perspectives in Alberta and Beyond

            Funding: SSHRC Insight Grant 

• From Reticence to Resistance: Exploring Educators' Engagement with Indigenous Environmental Activism

   Funding: SSHRC Insight Development Grant

PhD Educational Contexts, University of Calgary
Focus: Intercultural Indigenous Environmental Education

MEd (Thesis) Educational Studies, Lakehead University
Focus: Land Based Indigenous Education 

BEd (1st Class) Environmental Science Education (OE3), Lakehead University
Minor: Health and Physical Education

BKin Kinesiology, University of Calgary

• 2014 Canadian Education Association Pat Clifford Award for Early Career Research
• 2010 Killam Pre-Doctoral Fellowship (2 years)
• 2008 University of Calgary Dean’s Research Excellence Award (2 years)
• 2008 SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship (4 years)
• 2008 University of Calgary Queen Elizabeth II Doctoral Scholarship (Hon.)
• 2007 SSHRC Master’s Scholarship

Dr. Lowan-Trudeau offers his support formally and informally to a number of academic, professional, and community organizations. He regularly acts as a reviewer with a wide range of academic and professional journals, organizes and participates in conferences and community events, and partners with local educators and organizations in research and educational initiatives.

• Consulting Editor, Journal of Environmental Education
• Member, International Advisory Panel, World Environmental Education Congress
• Member, North American Environmental Education Association
• Member, American Educational Research Association - Environmental Education SIG
• Member, Canadian Assocation for Curriculum Studies

Books and Special Journal Issues

Lowan-Trudeau, G. (2019). Protest as pedagogy: Teaching, learning, and Indigenous environmental movements. New York: Peter Lang.

Lowan-Trudeau, G. & Niblett, B. (Eds.) (2017). Special Issue: Activism and environmental education. Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, 22.

Lowan-Trudeau, G. (2015). From bricolage to métissage: (Re)thinking intercultural approaches to Indigenous environmental education and research. New York: Peter Lang.

Journal Articles and Book Chapters

Lowan-Trudeau, G. (2019). Gatekeeper or gardener? Considering positioning and paradigms in Indigenous environmental education research. Invited manuscript for the 50^thAnniversary Special Issue, Journal of Environmental Education, 50(4-6), 348-357. 

Lowan-Trudeau, G. (2018). Indigenous methodologies revisited:Métissage, hybridity, and the Third Space in environmental studies. In B. Grimwood, K. Caton, L. Cooke (Eds.), New moral natures in tourism (pp. 181-193). New York: Routledge International.

Lowan-Trudeau, G. (2018). From reticence to resistance: Understanding educators’ engagement with Indigenous environmental issues in Canada. Environmental Education Research. [Online First]

Lowan-Trudeau, G. (2017). Narrating a critical Indigenous pedagogy of place: A literary métissage. Educational Theory, 67(4), 509-525.

Lowan-Trudeau, G. (2017). Indigenous environmental education: The case of renewable energy projects. Educational Studies: A Journal of the American Educational Studies Association. 0(0), 1-13. [Online First]

Lowan-Trudeau, G. (2017). A rose by any other name: Repressive tolerance, burnout, and hope in the New West. Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, 21, 51-71.

Lowan-Trudeau, G. (2017). Gateway to understanding: Indigenous ecological activism and education in urban, rural, and remote contexts. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 12(1), 119-128. DOI: 10.1007/s11422-016-9746-4

Lowan-Trudeau, G. (2017). Protest as pedagogy: Exploring teaching and learning in Indigenous environmental movements. Journal of Environmental Education, 48(2), 96-108. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00958964.2016.1171197

Lowan-Trudeau, G. (2015). Teaching the tension: Indigenous land rights, activism, and education in Canada. Education Canada, 55(1), 44-47.

Lowan-Trudeau, G. (2014). Considering ecological métissage: To blend or not to blend? Journal of Experiential Education, 37(4), 351-366 [originally published online first Dec. 18, 2013].

Lowan-Trudeau, G. (2013). Indigenous environmental education research in North America: A brief review. In R. Stevenson, M. Brody, J. Dillon & A.E.J. Wals (Eds.), International Handbook of Environmental Education Research (pp. 404-408). New York: Routledge & The American Educational Research Association.

Lowan, G. (2012). Expanding the conversation: Further explorations into Indigenous environmental science education theory, research, and practice. Cultural Studies in Science Education, 7, 71-81.

Lowan-Trudeau, G. (2012). Methodological métissage: An interpretive Indigenous approach to environmental education research. Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, 17, 113-130.

• Smith, C. (2018, April 16th). From reticence to resistance: Educators’ successes, difficulties, and strategies for engaging with Indigenous environmental issues. Research @ Werklund.
• Wilt, J. (2018, January 9th). How solar power is helping redefine this Alberta First Nation. The Narwhal.
• Smith, C. (2017, March 10th). Indigenous renewable energy: Indigenous communities lead the way in renewable energy developments and partnerships. Research @ Werklund.
• Muzyka, K. (2017, March 3rd). Education professor explores relationship between Western and Indigenous science: Gregory Lowan-Trudeau says the two perspectives can complement one another. CBC Edmonton Radio Active.
• Michaud-Sauvageau, G. (2016, February 23^rd). Enseigner aux élèves les droits environnementaux Autochtones. [Radio interview on research into teaching Indigenous environmental issues]. Ici Radio Canada Alberta.
• Lowan-Trudeau, G. (2015, November 10^th). The time has come: Towards ecosystem protection and Indigenous rights. Development Unplugged, Huffington Post
• Dronkers, B. (2015, September 30^th). Bringing renewables to microgrids. Pembina Institute Blog.
• Skehan, T. (2015, May 5th). Exploring education, activism and the outdoors. Lakehead Alumni Ezine.
• Allford, J. (2014, December 4th). Spotlight on sustainability: Raising social issues in the classroom. UToday Online Magazine.
• Marzolla, M. & Dubin, C. (2014, July 15th). Indigenous environmental issues and education in Canada. Radio interview with American Indian Airwaves & Latin American Journal. KPFK & KCSB Los Angeles/ Santa Barbara, CA. https://files.secureserver.net/0s1lV5bTUSrsJe
• Rice, B. (2014, March 13th). What we can learn from Indigenous knowledges: New ideas in education speaker series to contrast understandings of the natural world. UToday (online). Full lecture available at: http://werklund.ucalgary.ca/node/2712
• Lowan-Trudeau, G. (October 21st, 2013). Fracking protesters air legitimate concerns [Letter to the editor]. Calgary Herald, A11. http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=01e359c3-6e44-4bda-a1f4-d5c27ef6f096
• What we can learn from Indigenous philosophies and knowledge. Betty Rice, UToday. March 13th, 2014: http://www.ucalgary.ca/utoday/issue/2014-03-13/what-we-can-learn-indigenous-philosophies-and-knowledge?utm_source=UToday&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=March-13-2014&utm_term=What%20we%20can%20learn%20from%20indigenous%20philosophies%20and%20knowledge
• Lowan-Trudeau, G. (October 21st, 2013). Fracking protesters air legitimate concerns [Letter to the editor]. Calgary Herald, A11. Available at: http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=01e359c3-6e44-4bda-a1f4-d5c27ef6f096

• Courses