BC Studies no. 230 Summer 2026

Erica Dolman is the program coordinator for the Coastal Climate Solutions Leaders (CCSL) program at the University of Victoria. She holds a master of public administration from the University of Victoria and a bachelor of arts in political science from the University of British Columbia. Her research interests include climate change communication, public policy, knowledge mobilization, and public engagement. Her master’s research examined the use of podcasting as a tool to amplify the lived experiences of populations disproportionately affected by extreme heat and to foster more inclusive climate policy conversations. Through her work at CCSL, Erica supports interdisciplinary graduate training and collaboration to prepare the next generation of climate leaders.

Susan Frohlick is a cultural anthropologist at the University of British Columbia Okanagan in the Department of Community, Culture, and Global Studies, and teaches in anthropology and gender, women, and sexuality studies. A co-director of Storying Otherwise: A Hub for Creative Ethnographic Writing, and editor of Tourist Studies journal, Frohlick’s current research interests include atmospheric and sound studies and experimental tourism ethnographies.

Mona Gleason is a professor and historian in the Department of Educational Studies at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Her research focuses on the history of education, children, and youth ,and she is incoming director and research fellow at the Centre for Early Childhood Education and Research (CECER) in the Faculty of Education at UBC.

Matthew Horrigan is a media scholar whose teaching and research consider the intersections of production processes and digital representations. A musical multi-instrumentalist, Matt trained in electroacoustic sound at McGill University and sound art at Simon Fraser.

Michael Humeniuk is a PhD candidate in the Department of History at the University of Waterloo. His research focuses on Indigenous internationalism and the cross-pollination of political theories, language, rhetoric, goals, and actions through media and international travel among Indigenous Peoples in Canada during the global sixties, to advance their political goals and secure recognition of their rights. He plans to defend his dissertation, “The Indigenous Global Village: Indigenous Anti-Colonialism, Media and Exchange in the Global Sixties,” in fall 2026. 

Kirsten Mah grew up on Treaty 6 and Treaty 7 territory in Red Deer, Alberta, under the shadow of the Northern Alberta oil sands. She learned first-hand the tension that arises for many residents between their understanding and commitment to planetary health and their economic realities. She works for the Capital Regional District as a community health planner. In this role she supports the region’s Community Health Network, which strives to create healthy, holistic communities through research and partnership. She holds a master of public and international affairs from the University of Ottawa. She has worked in social and health sectors across Canada and internationally where she has learned the importance of equitable approaches to research and service delivery. 

Sarah Marie Wiebe is an associate professor in the School of Public Administration at the University of Victoria. Her research expertise includes democratic engagement and deliberative policy analysis, climate and environmental justice, and community-engaged research. She is a co-founder of FERN (Feminist Environmental Research Network) and author of several books, including most recently Hot Mess: Mothering Through a Code Red Climate Emergency. 

Walker Williams is an eclectic composer from rural West Virginia, whose compositional style runs the gamut from conservative tonality to avant-garde performance art. Walker holds a DMA in composition from the University of British Columbia (UBC), a MMus in composition from UBC, and a BA in music composition from Shepherd University in West Virginia. As a white settler, Walker has benefitted from the ongoing act of colonization in both the United States and Canada, and would like to acknowledge that their upbringing and education has taken place primarily on the homelands of the Massawomeck, Manahoac, and Musqueam nations. Walker’s compositions have been performed throughout Europe and North America, including the US National Saxophone Symposium, the Alba International Music Festival, the Vancouver Sonic Boom Festival, and the Blackstad in Residence program. In 2019, Walker’s Vandalia for string orchestra was selected as the audience favourite at The EAR Classical concert in New York City. 

Nassim Zand Dizari is a PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia Okanagan. Her interdisciplinary research lies at the intersections of feminist ethnography, sonic anthropology, migration, memory, and public space, with a broader interest in the sensory and everyday dimensions of place-making. Her doctoral research explores how Iranian women living in exile shape relationships with the public spaces of Metro Vancouver through sound, listening, and everyday sonic practices.