Jebunnessa Chapola

Dr. Jebunnessa Chapola is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Earth, Energy, and Environment at the University of Calgary, Canada. She is a racialized settler woman of colour, her scholarship is grounded in anti-racism, decolonial feminism, and community-engaged approaches to climate justice and social equity. She is a community-engaged scholar, educator, activist, and author. She earned her PhD in Women's, Gender and Sexualities Studies from the University of Saskatchewan. She subsequently served as a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Postdoctoral Fellow at the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Regina, while also teaching as a contract faculty member at Mount Royal University in Calgary.

Dr.Chapola's research explores Indigenous and racialized women's leadership in climate action, decolonial education, community-engaged scholarship, and equitable public policy. Her work bridges academic research and community practice, fostering collaborative approaches to social and environmental justice. In recognition of her academic excellence and community leadership, Dr. Chapola has received numerous awards and honours, including Saskatchewan's CBC Future 40, the Betty Szuchewycz Anti-Racist Champion Award, the University of Saskatchewan Graduate Students' Association Excellence in Community Service Award, Student Changemaker MOMA Award 2023 from the International Association of Maternal Action and Scholarship (IAMAS),USA. and several other distinctions acknowledging her outstanding contributions to scholarship, advocacy, and community engagement. In addition to her academic accomplishments, she is also engaged in decolonial social justice community activism and community-building activities.