{"id":30,"date":"2017-08-07T14:33:13","date_gmt":"2017-08-07T18:33:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lgbtq2sthrivingoncampus.ca\/?page_id=30"},"modified":"2025-03-02T15:38:48","modified_gmt":"2025-03-02T20:38:48","slug":"research-team","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/lgbtq2sthrivingoncampus.ca\/en_ca\/research-team\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Team & Trainees"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n

Academic Research Team & Collaborators<\/h3>\n

Michael Woodford<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>(he\/him) | <\/span><\/span>Professor, Faculty of Social Work | <\/span><\/strong>Wilfrid Laurier University<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>
<\/span>\"faculty_social_work_michael_woodford\"Michael\u2019s research addresses the social exclusion and inclusion of LGBTQ2S+ people, primarily focusing on university students. Much of his research examines the relationship between campus climate, including often-unintentional microaggressions (e.g. “you’re not a real woman\u201d said to a transwoman) and outcomes, such as mental health and academic development. Wanting to foster students\u2019 resilience to the negative effects of discrimination, he also studies the factors that promote strength and wellbeing in the context of adversity; this includes institutional factors, such as campus policies and services for LGBTQ2S+ students. Michael served as the\u00a0Principal Investigator<\/strong> on\u00a0Thriving On Campus’<\/em>\u00a0Insight and Connection Grant projects.<\/p>\n

This project builds on Michael\u2019s previous research on campus climate, which was conducted in the United States while he was a faculty member at the University of Michigan. In 2013, Michael and Kris Renn conducted the National Study of LGBTQ Student Success.<\/p>\n

LINK TO MICHAEL’S FACULTY PAGE<\/a><\/p>\n

Lee Airton <\/span><\/span>(they\/them) | <\/span><\/span>Associate Professor, Department of Gender & Sexuality Studies in Education, Faculty of Education | <\/span><\/strong>Queen’s University<\/em><\/strong>
<\/span>\"\"Lee\u2019s research examines how schools and universities respond to gender diversity, with a focus on policy, law, and the experiences of transgender and gender non-conforming students. Their work explores how K-12 education systems implement human rights protections for gender identity and expression, as well as how large-scale data collection can better reflect the complexities of gender. Committed to fostering more inclusive learning environments, Lee also leads projects that remove barriers for transgender teacher candidates and develops resources like www.gegi.ca<\/a><\/em>, a bilingual self-advocacy tool for K-12 students facing gender-based discrimination. A frequent speaker and media commentator, they advocate for practical, everyday approaches to supporting gender diversity. Lee was a Co-investigator<\/strong> on\u00a0Thriving On Campus’\u00a0<\/em>Connection Grant project.\u00a0<\/p>\n

LINK TO LEE’S FACULTY PAGE<\/a><\/p>\n

Simon Coulombe<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>(he\/him) | <\/span><\/span>Associate Professor, Industrial Relations Department, Faculty of Social Sciences | <\/span>Universit\u00e9 Laval <\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"faculty_science_simon_coulombe\"Guided by positive psychology and socio-ecological approaches, Simon\u2019s research examines resilience in LGBTQ2S+ individuals and people from other stigmatized communities, exploring how they can achieve wellbeing despite challenges and discrimination. Simon\u2019s work contributes to understanding and reducing inequities faced by communities in stigmatizing circumstances (e.g., LGBTQ2S+ people with mental disorders or disabilities, people living in public housing) by considering the social and ecological factors that impact their well-being. Simon\u2019s work supports the empowerment of these communities by ensuring that his research can yield positive impact \u2013 for participants, researchers, and practitioners. Simon was a\u00a0Co-investigator<\/strong> on\u00a0Thriving On Campus’\u00a0<\/em>Insight and Connection Grant projects.<\/span><\/p>\n

LINK TO SIMON’S FACULTY PAGE<\/a><\/p>\n

Antonio Duran<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>(he\/him) | <\/span><\/span>Associate Professor, Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation | <\/span><\/strong>Arizona State University<\/em><\/strong>
<\/span>\"\"Informed by his identity as a cisgender queer Latino man, Antonio\u2019s research involves understanding how historical and contemporary legacies of oppression influence college student development, experiences, and success. In particular, he is passionate about uplifting the perspectives of queer and trans communities of color, as well as theories and frameworks grounded in these experiences. He does so mindful of the diversity that exists within queer and trans groups, together with an attention to how different institutional environments (e.g., minority-serving institutions) address the needs of these populations. Antonio joined the\u00a0Thriving On Campus<\/em> team for our Connection Grant project as a co-editor of the special issue of the Journal of LGBT Youth<\/em> that we led.\u00a0<\/p>\n

LINK TO ANTONIO’S FACULTY PAGE<\/a><\/p>\n

Corey Johnson<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>(he\/him) | <\/span><\/span>Distinguished Professor of Social Justice Research, Department of Parks, Recreation, & Tourism Management | <\/span><\/strong>North Carolina State University<\/em><\/strong>
<\/span>\"\"Corey\u2019s inquiry focuses on power relations between dominant (white, male, etc.) and non-dominant populations in the cultural contexts of leisure and is also a qualitative research methodologist. He has co-authored seminal texts such as Fostering Social Justice for Qualitative Inquiry: A Methodological Guide, Promiscuous Perspectives: Sex and Leisure, and Contemporary Issues in Leisure. His current projects focus on technologically mediated social relations, including decreasing gender-based violence on dating apps like Tinder, Bumble and Grindr. He is coinvestigator on the project sponsoring this virtual conference series. Corey was a\u00a0Co-investigator<\/strong> on our Connection Grant project.\u00a0<\/p>\n

LINK TO COREY’S FACULTY PAGE<\/a><\/p>\n

Zack Marshall<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>(he\/him) | <\/span><\/span>Associate Professor, Department of Community Health Sciences | <\/span><\/strong>University of Calgary<\/em><\/strong>
<\/span>\"\"With over 14 years of experience in the areas of health and mental health, Zack\u2019s practice has focused on working with sexual and gender minority youth and communities, people labelled with intellectual disabilities, and people who use drugs. Committed to transformative social change, his interdisciplinary program of research explores ethics, engagement, and knowledge synthesis with respect to marginalized and underrepresented communities. Zack was a Co-investigator<\/strong> on Thriving on Campus’ <\/em>Insight Grant project\u00a0and was at McGill University when the study was conducted.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

LINK TO ZACK’S FACULTY PAGE<\/a><\/p>\n

Lauren Munro (she\/her) | <\/span><\/span><\/strong>Assistant Professor, School of Disability Studies, Faculty of Community Services | Toronto Metropolitan University<\/em><\/strong>
<\/span>\"\"Lauren is an activist-academic, artist, and writer whose personal and professional life is driven by a commitment to social justice. Munro has extensive experience as a community-based researcher and her scholarship to date has involved a wide array of projects focused on the health and wellbeing of 2SLGBTQ+ communities, body diversity and weight stigma, disability justice in arts-based research, transformative approaches to mental health, sexual health service access for women with psychiatric disabilities, centering service user epistemology in medical education, and issues related to sexual health and HIV vulnerability. In addition to her skills in qualitative research design, Munro has experience with arts-based methods such as photovoice, digital storytelling and digital fictions. As an instructor, Munro is committed to cultivating compassionate classrooms where students, instructors, and teaching assistants are all positioned as vital contributors to the learning environment. Lauren served as a\u00a0Collaborator<\/strong> on\u00a0Thriving On Campus’\u00a0<\/em>Insight Grant project.<\/p>\n

LINK TO LAUREN’S FACULTY PAGE<\/a><\/p>\n

Z Nicolazzo (she\/her) | <\/span><\/span><\/strong>Associate Professor, Trans* Studies in Education, Center for the Study of Higher Education | Department of Educational Policy Studies and Practice | University of Arizona<\/em><\/strong>
<\/span>\"ZZ\u2019s research focuses on mapping gender across the college\/university contexts, with particular focus on trans* student resilience and kinship building. \u00a0Hir specific areas of interest include: gender in higher education, research methodologies, and trans* studies. In particular, Z\u2019s research highlights students\u2019 experiences of the intersections of race, disability, and gender identity. \u00a0Z also writes about the use of alternative methodologies, epistemologies, and representations of knowledge. \u00a0Z is originally from New Hampshire, and in hir free time, Z enjoys cycling, reading, and spending time with hir 11 year old Westie, Grrtrude Anne. Z served as a\u00a0Collaborator<\/strong> on\u00a0Thriving On Campus’\u00a0<\/em>Insight Grant project.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

LINK TO Z’S FACULTY PAGE<\/a><\/p>\n

Kristen<\/span> Renn (she\/her; they\/them) | <\/span><\/span>Professor of Higher, Adult & Lifelong Education, <\/span><\/strong>Department of Educational Administration, <\/span>College of Education | <\/span><\/strong>Michigan State University<\/em><\/strong>
<\/span>\"KristenKris\u2019 research focuses on the intersection of student success with issues of identity in higher education, including studies of mixed-race identities, LGBTQ2S+ students and leaders of identity-based student organizations. Kris is co-principal investigator of the National Study of LGBTQ Student Success.<\/a> Kris served as a\u00a0Collaborator<\/strong> on\u00a0Thriving On Campus’\u00a0<\/em>Insight Grant project.\u00a0<\/p>\n

LINK TO KRIS’ FACULTY PAGE<\/a><\/p>\n

Tin D. Vo\u00a0(he\/they) | <\/span><\/span>Assistant Professor | Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Tin\u2019s equity-focused and interdisciplinary research program explores social exclusion and belonging as determinants of health for marginalized communities to shape socially and culturally responsive systems of care. Tin contributed to the Thriving On Campus<\/em> study (Insight Grand) as a member of the BIPOC workgroup that focused on findings related to BIPOC students\u2019 experiences and as a Collaborator<\/strong> on the Connection Grant project that mobilized research findings and supported change on campuses.<\/p>\n

LINK TO TIN’S FACULTY PAGE<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

\u00a0Current Research Staff & Trainee<\/h3>\n

The Thriving On Campus<\/em> research team is dedicated to training and mentoring students at all levels in 2SLGBTQ+ research. We pride ourselves on engaging 2SLGBTQ+ students and allies in this important work.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Eric J Van Giessen\u00a0(he\/they) | <\/span><\/span>PhD Candidate | York University<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"Eric<\/a><\/b> (he\/they)\u00a0is a sixth-year doctoral student in Sociology at York University. His SSHRC-funded dissertation, Queer Religious Futures: Exploring the Lives, Stories, and Practices of Mainline Protestant Queer Clergy in Canada<\/em>, examines how queer clergy navigate religious institutions, reorient heteronormative religious spaces, and imagine alternative queer religious futures. Grounded in queer phenomenology, lived religion, and queer utopianism, Eric\u2019s research explores how queer clergy\u2019s embodied experiences and spiritual practices challenge and reconfigure Christian traditions. Using narrative and arts-based methodologies, his work highlights the anticipatory and transformative dimensions of queer religious life. Eric has been involved with the Thriving On Campus<\/em> project since 2019, first as an Interviewer and later as a Research Assistant and Project Coordinator, contributing to webinar projects, podcasts, and the 2022-2023 Virtual Conference Series.<\/p>\n

\n

Former Research Staff & Trainees<\/h3>\n

Throughout the Thriving On Campus<\/em> and Querying Higher Education In Canada<\/em>, we have emphasized working with and mentoring the next generation of social justice scholars. Throughout the study and change project, over 60 undergraduate, masters\u2019, and doctoral students and post-doctorate graduates supported our project while strengthening their research and knowledge mobilization competencies. Many of our former trainees have continued their studies, while some have started their work careers in academia as faculty members or in the non-profit or public sectors working in community development and advocacy, human services, student affairs, policy and program development, and other fields.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n