Our team of over 50 people includes Specialists in partner First Nation communities and Tribal Councils as well as staff and students based out of Laurentian University’s School of Natural Sciences.

Climate Change Specialists

Each participating community and council has a designated Climate Change Specialist. These specialists play a integral role in the project. They interview community Elders, learning what has changed in the lifetime of these knowledge keepers, in the weather, on the land, in the animals and plants. Specialists offer insights into life in the north and contribute local observations of current climate impacts in their communities. They host community meetings to encourage individuals and communities to think of their adaptation options in the face of coming climate change. Learn more about each of the communities involved in this project on the Community Map.

Chantal Sarrazin-Delay, MSc

Project Lead, Adjunct Professor, Climate Change Outreach Scientist

Chantal has worked closely with northern First Nations, engaging young people with hands-on science activities and adults in community climate adaptation since 2012. With a background in ecology, she has a particular interest in the changes that Elders and land users are observing on the land in northern Ontario. She studies aquatic invertebrates important for assessing water quality and has trained and certified community members in sampling and identification as well as water sampling. Chantal is currently working to build an online ESRI ArcGIS Hub to bring together climate change adaptation resources for First Nations.

Dr. David Pearson

Professor Emeritus, Climate Change and Science Communication

Dr. David Pearson is a Professor Emeritus in the School of Natural Sciences at Laurentian University. He studies how changing climate will affect the communities, landscape and wildlife of Ontario between the Great Lakes and Hudson Bay. He began working with First Nations in the north in 2009 and is very pleased to be participating in the project described on this site, visiting communities with a small team of scientists, speaking with chiefs, councilors, community members, and young people in school classes.

David was a member of the Geology Department at Laurentian for many years, teaching geology courses followed by some years as the co-director of the Science Communication program. Between 1980 and 1986 he was on leave from the university as the first Director of Science North, the public science centre in Sudbury. Ever since then he has been a strong supporter of engaging young people with hands-on science activities.

Kim Fram

Research Associate

As a research associate for the Climate Change Adaptation project, Kim has been enjoying learning from Traditional Ecological Knowledge and meeting people from participating communities.

Born and raised in Sudbury, Ontario, Kim got her Bachelor of Science in Ecology from the
University of Toronto in 2003. Shortly thereafter, she joined the Co-operative Freshwater Ecology Unit
where she’s worked on projects involving benthic invertebrates, zooplankton, and
lake monitoring. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, music, and spending time with her two small children.

Cassidy McAuliffe

Communications Specialist

Cassidy McAuliffe is the science communication specialist on the Climate Change Adaptation project creating graphics, social media materials and infographics about the observed changes, climate change projections and adaptations in northern Ontario.

She is also a photographer and filmmaker who has worked in the environmental non-profit sector telling sustainability stories. She is a graduate of the Laurentian University Science Communication Masters Program, the Fleming College Environmental Visual Communications Graduate Program and has an Undergraduate Degree in Environmental Studies.