The Faculty of Education is proud to share that Gisella Scalese, Education Librarian (Thunder Bay campus) has received the Academic Librarianship Award from the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA).

This prestigious award recognizes Gisella’s outstanding contributions and leadership in librarianship. As noted on the by OCUFA website, the award "embraces all aspects of librarianship that contribute to the scholarly achievement of all members of the university community."

Gisella has served as the Education Librarian since 2002. Her award nomination, led by Dr. Gerald Walton (Professor, Education), included letters of support from faculty, staff, and students that praised her dedication, her student-centered approach, and her advocacy for equity, diversity, and inclusion.  

Gisella’s work has earned widespread admiration. Lakehead University President Dr. Gillian Siddall commended Gisella’s alignment with the university’s commitment to social justice, while the Lakehead University Students’ Union (LUSU) praised her support for international, Indigenous, and marginalized students. Faculty members also highlighted her collaborative approach, pedagogical insight, and the welcoming, inclusive learning environment she fosters. Here are some highlights of Gisella’s accomplishments that earned her this award.

Co-leading the Anishinaabemowik – Indigenous Languages Program Historical Documents Digital Archive

In 2023, Gisella co-led the creation of a digital archive dedicated to preserving teaching resources and documents from the Native Language Instructors Program, dating back to the 1970s. This initiative, developed in collaboration with the Anishinaabemowik Program Coordinator and Lakehead’s archivist, includes materials from longtime instructor Tom Beardy, whose family gave their blessing for the project. The archive now serves as a vital resource for those teaching Ojibway and Oji-Cree.

Enhancing Community in the Education Library, Thunder Bay

In 2016, Gisella initiated a reorganization of the education library space at the Thunder Bay campus in consultation with faculty, staff, and students. Her vision reshaped the physical space of the library into a vibrant, collaborative environment that supports academic and emotional well-being. Events like therapy dog sessions, craft nights, movie screenings, Lunar New Year celebrations, and Drag Storytime have brought students together, fostering a sense of community and belonging. Significantly, the redesign was accomplished with no additional expenditures beyond the existing library budget.

Hosting Drag Storytime and Building 2SLGBTQIA+ Resources

Gisella introduced Drag Storytime events at the Thunder Bay campus. In partnership with the Pride & Gender Equity Centre, she has curated an expansive collection of Pride resources including picture books, young adult fiction, non-fiction, and teaching materials on gender expression, Two-Spirit identity, and inclusive education. Inclusive signage and Pride flags greet visitors at the library entrance, offering a visible sign of support of diversity and inclusion.

Supporting Research and Teaching Excellence

Gisella has developed over 40 specialized library guides on topics such as Indigenous education, language instruction, and social justice literature, directly supporting teacher candidates, graduate students, and faculty. She has taken a leadership role in exploring the implications of AI in education, developing workshops and surveys to help the university community adapt to emerging tools.

Her award nomination was supported by 61 students who shared their experiences through a survey. Their testimonials speak to impact Gisella has had on their experience at Lakehead:

• Gisella is genuinely interested in hearing about my research and always asks for updates. She also reaches out when she comes across a potential research paper that I may find helpful.
• Every time I am at one of the traditional First Nations ceremonies that are hosted in the Faculty of Education, Gisella is there. I believe this speaks volumes to the person they are and their willingness to learn, support, and advocate for First Nations culture.
• She is always willing to go the extra mile to ensure that we have all of the tools we need to be successful as researchers.
• Gisella brought my attention to modern research technologies that have helped tremendously with my grad school research. [She] did this in a way that made me feel heard, empowered, and supported.
• Gisella puts on amazing events that bond our school community. She works so hard to provide us with the best resources, teaches us about the various tech we have access to, and is always a friendly and caring presence. If anyone deserves this award, it is her!

These comments speak to depth of Gisella’s influence—not just as a librarian, but as a mentor, advocate, and community builder. This well-deserved award honours both her remarkable career to date and the transformative power of libraries as community spaces that support teaching and learning.

Dr. Pauline Sameshima (Professor, Faculty of Education) is part of an innovative, First Nations-led research initiative that aims to enhance health and wellbeing through arts integrated Indigenous research methods.

The five-year project, titled Dandhigu Yimbana: Listening on Country for Social and Emotional Wellbeing, has received a funding grant of $868,000 AUD through the Australian Research Council’s 2025 Discovery Indigenous grant scheme.

The research applies Arts-Informed Indigenist Research (AIIR) methods to explore how Indigenous arts and culturally grounded research practices can address epistemic violence, support healing, and foster culturally safe research environments that promote health equity. The team will work closely with communities engaged in Indigenous health and wellbeing research, aiming to shape how social and emotional wellbeing is understood and studied in Indigenous contexts.

The project is led by Dr. Vicki Saunders, a Gunggari researcher at CQUniversity’s Jawun Research Institute in Australia.Central to the research is the Gunggari concept of Dandhigu Yimbana that emphasizes deep listening with respect, on, for and with Country, a practice vital to both community and environmental wellbeing and to research integrity. 

This research is expected to contribute significantly to Indigenous scholarship and influence global conversations around arts, health, and decolonizing research practices.

Below:

The visual depiction of the research project is represented in the artwork called Idiwirra: nung Ulamai, which translates to Secret Business: Let us dance/do ceremony (Alngith language). The artwork was made by Dr. Fiona Wirrer-George Oochunyung. The artwork represents 5 different projects coming together, held by lore, symbolized by two green (new) quarter moon shapes. The work illustrates flow, interconnectedness and unfolding as offerings. 

Idiwirra: nung Ulamai (2025). Artist Fiona Wirrer-George Oochunyung

AJ Keene, Lakehead Faculty of Education alumnus (BEd, 1994) has been appointed as Director of Education for the Bluewater District School Board.

He previously served as Superintendent of Education with the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, and prior to that position he spent many years at Lakehead District School Board in Thunder Bay as Superintendent of Education, Board Math Lead, Early Years and Program Principal, and a school administrator.

For further details, please see this link: Bluewater School Board Appoints New Director of Education.

For a profile of AJ Keene, please see our January 2024 issue of Education Exchange newsletter.

Congratulations to Dr. Pauline Sameshima (Professor, Thunder Bay campus) for receiving the inaugural Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Award for her Community Arts-Integrated Research in the HOPE (HIV Obstruction by Programmed Epigenetics) Collaboratory.

This award was presented during Lakehead University’s 20th annual Research and Innovation Awards ceremony, which celebrated outstanding contributions to research and knowledge exchange.

HOPE is an innovative global research initiative focused on developing a cure for HIV. Supported by a $26.5 million grant from the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the project unites researchers from multiple institutions in developing a "block-lock-stop" approach to curing HIV (Block the virus from reactivating; Lock it in a dormant state; and Stop the virus by making it permanently ineffective through gene editing).

Community Arts-Integrated Research

A key component of HOPE’s mission—and a central focus of Dr. Sameshima’s contributions—is strong community engagement, in which the Community Arts-Integrated Research program plays an important role.

This creative approach facilitates dialogue between scientists and communities affected by HIV, ensuring that diverse voices shape the research process. CAIR activities include developing culturally relevant curricula, creating artistic and literary works to educate the public about HIV cure research, and organizing events to share findings.

Dr. Sameshima leads the Community Arts Integrated Research (CAIR) team alongside Dr. Patricia Defechereux (Community Engagement Coordinator, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco), Sydney Norman (HOPE Collaboratory Program & Community Development Coordinator, Gladstone Institues, San Francisco), Ebony Gordon (San Francisco AIDS Foundation Representative), the HOPE Community Advisory Board, representatives from Brazil and Uganda, as well as community advocates and student researchers.

Working closely with scientists and community members, the team gathers insights, raises awareness about HIV cure strategies, and prepares the public for potential new treatments. The CAIR work also addresses crucial issues of acceptability, cultural safety, and ethics, ensuring research outcomes align with the needs of diverse populations.

Advancing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Research

The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Research Award recognizes projects that effectively integrate EDI principles and actively involve historically underrepresented groups in research. HOPE exemplifies this commitment through its global partnerships, including:

• one of the largest transgender participant groups in HIV research history (Brazil team)
• focus groups hosted by the San Francisco AIDS Foundation’s Black Health Program and the Elizabeth Taylor 50 Plus Network
• collaborative efforts with researchers from 16 institutions worldwide to ensure a wide range of perspectives and cultural considerations inform the research.

Dr. Sameshima emphasizes that fostering trust, addressing power imbalances, reducing stigma, and integrating diverse perspectives are crucial to the team’s success. She also highlights the importance of continuing EDI efforts: “As Canadians, we stand and celebrate EDI. We will continue to build a world where everyone matters!”

Below, left to right: Dr. Pauline Sameshima accepts the award with three members of the research team: Tashya Orasi (PhD candidate), Colin Kutchyera (PhD student), and Emma Wurdemann-Stam (post-MEd Graduate Assistant).  

Congratulations to Sarah Tassone, a Bachelor of Education (BEd) teacher candidate in the Intermediate/Senior division at the Thunder Bay campus, for receiving the Ontario Modern Language Teachers’ Association’s Helen G. Mitchell Award.

This award recognizes one graduating student from each Faculty of Education in Ontario who exemplifies the qualities of an outstanding French as a Second Language teacher.

Sarah was nominated by James Steele, a Contract Lecturer in the Faculty of Education, with additional support from Mike Filipetti, Placement Experience Coordinator. Her nominations highlighted her excellence in BEd program courses and practicums, as well as her ability to apply effective second-language teaching methodologies that foster student success.

Sarah’s first teachable subject is French, which was also the focus of her undergraduate degree at Lakehead University.

Set to graduate in June, Sarah shared: "I have always been passionate about languages, and have been particularly dedicated to the French language for the past decade. Receiving this award is an incredible honour. As both a student and a future French teacher, I recognize the lack of resources available for French-as-a-Second-Language learners. I can’t wait to change that and make a meaningful impact on the next generation of language learners!"

Congratulations, Sarah!

Congratulations to Dr. Lisa Korteweg (Associate Professor, Thunder Bay) on being named Chair of the Robbins-Olivier Award for Excellence in Equity committee, administered by the Canada Research Chairs (CRC) program.

This prestigious award, launched by Canada’s three federal research funding agencies—CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC—supports bold initiatives that address systemic barriers, and promote equity in academia. 

The award honours the contributions of eight academics (Marjorie Griffin Cohen, Louise Forsyth, Glenis Joyce, Audrey Kobayashi, Shree Mulay, Susan Prentice, Michèle Ollivier and Wendy Robbins) whose 2003 Canadian Human Rights complaints led to a 2006 Settlement Agreement and its 2019 addendum, advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in the CRC program and Canada’s research ecosystem. 

The Robbins-Ollivier Award, named after two of the original complainants—the late Michèle Ollivier and Wendy Robbins—provides $100,000 to faculty-led projects that boldly challenge institutional barriers and spark long-term change. The funding supports initiatives that enhance understanding of systemic inequities, and drive innovative solutions within academic institutions. 

Lisa notes that "it is a great honour to be appointed Chair of the Robbins-Ollivier equity award committee, which plays a crucial role in challenging systemic barriers and advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion within academia and Canada's universities. Despite decades of effort, persistent inequities continue to disproportionately affect racialized individuals, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, women, and individuals from the 2SLGBTQIA+ community; thus, this new award is essential for funding bold, transformative initiatives that disrupt the status quo and create lasting institutional change."

Congratulations to Dr. Ellen Field — champion of climate change education — on being awarded tenure! 

Ellen is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at Lakehead University (Orillia campus) and a leading advocate for climate change education in Canada. Her research focuses on policies and practices in the K-12 education system, emphasizing the need to integrate climate literacy into schools and formal learning contexts. Committed to preparing young people for the socio-ecological challenges they face, she fosters collaborations across organizations and generations to build hopeful futures. Her work centers on connected learning — an approach that equips students with the skills needed for a rapidly changing world while addressing environmental and social justice issues.

Ellen joined Lakehead’s Faculty of Education in 2017. She earned a PhD in Education from James Cook University in Australia, where her dissertation, Constellations of Environmentalism: An Exploration of Learning and Activism Within Youth-Created Social Media Interest Groups, examined how young people worldwide use social media for environmental learning and activism.

“I was drawn to the field of climate change education because while doing PhD research in 2013, I discovered that teenagers around the world were using social media for environmental conversations and learning as well as for organizing community actions to address local climate issues,” she says. “They were taking matters into their own hands because they weren’t getting enough climate information in their classrooms.”

Since then, Ellen has made significant contributions to climate change education. Her research portfolio includes a SSHRC-funded national review of climate change education curricula. She has led extensive surveys with Canadian teachers, students, parents, and the public to assess perspectives on climate change education. Supporting teachers in integrating climate education into their classrooms is a priority of her work, and she has engaged hundreds of teachers in professional development workshops while collaborating closely with ministries, school boards, and community organizations to strengthen climate education nationwide.

At Lakehead, she teaches Environmental Education (BEd) and Climate Change Education (MEd), among other courses. She also serves as Associate Editor of the Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, Co-Chair of the Canada Regional Hub for the Monitoring and Evaluation of Climate Change Education (MECCE) Project, and Community Advisor for Climate Education Reform British Columbia.

Ellen’s advocacy extends beyond academia. Selected by UNESCO as one of six global scholars to develop a climate change education curriculum framework, she co-leads the Accelerating Climate Change Education in Teacher Education (ACCE-TE) Project, which provides a national course, webinars, and collaborative tools to enhance climate education for teachers.

Beyond her professional work, Dr. Field is a mom and outdoor enthusiast. Through her research, teaching, and advocacy, she remains dedicated to empowering educators and young people to take meaningful action in addressing climate change and building more just and stabilized futures.

Congratulations to Dr. Gary Pluim – educator, researcher, and advocate for global citizenship education – on being awarded tenure!

Gary joined Lakehead University’s Faculty of Education as a Contract Lecturer in 2012, and was hired on a full-time basis in 2021 as an Assistant Professor (Orillia campus). An accomplished educator, researcher, and advocate specializing in critical global citizenship, youth development, education for democracy, and intercultural education, Gary holds a PhD in Comparative and International Development Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto. 

Gary’s doctoral research, funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), explored youth participation in Haiti following the devastating 2010 earthquake. Since then, his research interests have been rooted in the intersections between critical global citizenship and education that is place-based, reflexive, and intensely local. Currently, Gary is leading a research project that investigates the nuances of education transfer – whether and how curriculum for youth and youth workers should be shared between small countries of the Commonwealth.

“Many of my current projects bring young people together from different parts of the world to examine how global trends affect local realities,” he says. “I am interested in questions such as how youth realities are impacted by the culture and politics of their own regions, how intersections between global and local citizenship might differ in various contexts, and how teaching and learning of global issues should respond to location variations.”

Much of Gary’s research focuses on voice, experiences and the perspectives of youth in education. These standpoints are essential to address complex global problems that older generations have been unable to solve.  

Gary has extensive international experience in educational leadership, having worked in various countries, including East Africa, the Pacific, the Caribbean, and Canada's Arctic region. His global exposure has shaped his understanding of education's role in fostering critical thinking, social justice, and intercultural awareness.

Through his teaching, research, and activism, Gary is a transformative figure in the field of education, promoting a vision that emphasizes the importance of critical thinking, intercultural understanding, and global citizenship in today's interconnected world. In 2024, his teaching earned him a Contribution to Teaching Award. In recent years, he has taught courses including Curriculum & Instruction in Social Studies, Social Difference in Education, Democracy and Education, Educational Psychology, and Place-Based Education in Simcoe County.

Gary is also an active participant in civil society, having served as a human rights monitor for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, a board director for Cycle Toronto, and a spokesperson for the Global Campaign for Education. His activism underscores his commitment to social justice and community engagement.

Gary lives in Huronia with his partner and three children. In his free time, he is an avid runner, cyclist, and cross-country skier, balancing his professional achievements with a passion for outdoor activities.

Congratulations to Faculty of Education Contract Lecturers Marilyn Ailey, Mohit Dudeja, and Steven Secord for being recognized as “WellU Champions for Mental Health.”

Each year, WellU Champions for Mental Health are nominated by students for showing compassion, encouraging a sense of belonging, inspiring health-promoting behaviours, and promoting student well-being. To see what this year’s champions had to say about their role in student well-being on campus, visit lakeheadu.ca/welluchampion. Excerpts from their quotes are included below:

Marilyn Ailey: “Asking for help can be difficult, so I make it a priority to remove any barriers by being readily available and ensuring students have access to the resources they need to improve their well-being. I’m open and transparent with my students, letting them know that while I may not always have the expertise to address every challenge, I am committed to helping them find someone who can. I have also created a resilience challenge as a significant assignment in my physical and health education courses. I encourage students to look at an area of their life that could benefit from some attention—whether it is for their physical, mental, or social health. They set individual goals, track progress, and research and reflect on how prioritizing an area of life for themselves affects their overall well being.”

Mohit Dudeja: “I actively work to disrupt traditional power dynamics in the classroom. I encourage students to see me not just as a teacher, but as a multidimensional human being, fostering open communication and mutual respect. Recognizing the diversity of challenges students face, particularly international students navigating culture shock, academic transitions, housing instability, and language barriers, I take proactive steps to support their mental health. Through empathy, advocacy, and meaningful relationships, educators and staff can help students thrive not only academically but also emotionally and socially.”

Steven Secord: “Mental health is as important as our physical health and needs to be prioritized whenever possible. It is critical for effective learning and allowing us to reach our full potential. I try to create space in my classrooms that allow students to feel comfortable being themselves and where they know their well-being is a priority. Teaching in the Faculty of Education, it is important to model this for future educators so they too are able to visualize how they will accomplish this with their students.”

Below, left to right: Marilyn Ailey, Mohit Dudeja, and Steven Secord.