Planetary Health Archives - Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research

James Stinson

natpat — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 17:19:37 +0000

James Stinson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University, specializing in environmental and planetary health communications. With a PhD in Cultural Anthropology, James Stinson is an interdisciplinary scholar and educator specializing in political ecology, protected area management, planetary health and sustainability education.

A primary focus of James’ research and teaching is the political ecology of biodiversity conservation and protected area management. James’ graduate research examined the promotion and practice of community-based and Indigenous-led conservation in Belize, Central America. His most recent research in this area examines the phenomenon of “smart conservation” and the us of digital surveillance technologies, big data, and artificial intelligence to facilitate “real time” pre-emption and “predictive policing” of poaching and wildlife crime in parks and protected areas.

A second area of James’ research and teaching is the field of planetary health and sustainability education. As a member of the Young Lives Research Lab and Dahdaleh Institute of Global Health Research at �첥��Ƶ, James has collaborated with a transdisciplinary group of scholars and community-based partners across the Americas on several projects of youth-led research and educational outputs related to wellbeing, climate change and planetary health. This work has involved participation in several collaborative projects at the Dahdaleh Institute, including the Planetary Health Film Lab (Mark Terry PI), the Partnership for Youth and Planetary Wellbeing (Kate Tilleczek PI), New Journey to Save Fish (James Stinson PI), and the Planetary Health Partnership: Anishinaabe youth guardians, land-based learning, and the practice of living well with the world.

Previously, James was a Postdoctoral Fellow, Planetary Health & Education with the Dahdaleh Institute

Research Keywords

Biodiversity conservation; planetary health; Indigenous wellbeing; youth wellbeing; digital ecologies

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Sarah Merghani

natpat — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 13:45:40 +0000

Sarah Merghani is currently pursuing an Honours BSc in Global Health at �첥��Ƶ, specializing in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, along with a general certificate in Refugee and Migration Studies.

She serves as both Lab Coordinator and Research Assistant at the Wellness Impact Lab, under the mentorship of Dr. Harvey Skinner and Susan Harris. Her work includes facilitating Climate Cafés, assisting with program evaluations and manuscript preparation, and supporting knowledge synthesis. She also develops outreach materials and manages digital communications through content creation and social media. Currently, she is contributing to a scoping review on arts-based interventions for climate emotions.

Sarah is also a Research Assistant at the Global & Environmental Health Lab, mentored by Dr. Godfred Boateng. Her current research explores the health impacts of rising temperatures on older adults in Canada, with a focus on climate change, aging, and health equity.

With a long-term goal of supporting vulnerable populations through medicine and public health, Sarah is passionate about translating research into practical action and is deeply committed to advancing health equity, humanitarianism, and community-based approaches in global health.

Research Keywords

climate change; health equity; global health; public health research; aging populations; climate emotions; displacement; community-based research; youth engagement; arts-based interventions; digital health communication; planetary health; humanitarianism; mental health; knowledge translation

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Pravin Pillay

natpat — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 18:54:28 +0000

Pravin Pillay is the Creative Director of MOVE37XR, a non-profit creative studio and emerging media research lab dedicated to leveraging immersive storytelling to foster empathy and cultural exchange. With decades of professional experience as an artist, Pravin maps the space at the nexus of emerging technology, consciousness, and nature. His work explores the intersections between ancient wisdom practices, traditional bioregional knowledge, and cutting-edge technology.

Pravin holds an MBA with a focus on Organizational Development, as well as a Master of Fine Art (MFA) from the University of Saskatchewan, where he specialized in Human Computer Interaction and developing systems-based artworks. His MFA work involved exploring how technology-based art installations engage publics, laying the foundation for his future endeavors in immersive media.

At the Presencing Institute, which evolved from MIT's Center for Organizational Learning, Pravin developed MOVE37XR, refining his expertise in organizational development and integrating processes to generate transformative storytelling experiences. As an entrepreneur, he cultivates conscious organizations and growing networks, working on progressive interdisciplinary projects across private, public, and not-for-profit sectors.

Pravin's roles include co-founder and Managing Director of Humanitas Smart Planet Systems and Senior Advisor in Technology, Innovation, and Strategy at the Global Centre of Indigenomics. His leadership in these roles, combined with his current position at MOVE37XR, adds invaluable insight to the community of engaged Global Health researchers and practitioners.
Under Pravin's leadership, MOVE37XR has launched several groundbreaking projects:

-"Breathe": An immersive experience integrating bioregional wisdom, scientific research, and interactive art to honor Humpback whales and their relationship with the Nuu’chah’nulth people. This project fosters empathy, cultural exchange, and proactive engagement with marine conservation.
-"The Rain is the River is the Ocean": An interactive multimedia performance exploring the interconnectedness of water cycles and human life cycles, reflecting on planetary and spiritual health.
- "Global Indigenous Technology House": A central hub launching at SXSW to develop and distribute immersive and interactive experiences, blending indigenous wisdom with XR technology to promote sustainability, inclusivity, and empathy.
- "HyperObject 108 - The Dreaming": An immersive media and interactive experience endeavouring to make hyperobjects more perceptible to humans.

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