Vivian Forssman
Program Manager
Vivian is a consultant focused on transforming access to education through technology, openness, and fresh approaches to curriculum design. She has held leadership roles at several post-secondary institutions, working at the intersection of curriculum and technology. She was Director of Centre for Teaching and Educational Technologies at Royal Roads University; Director, Learning and Technology Services at UBC Sauder School of Business; and Director, Centre for Instructional Technology and Development at SAIT Polytechnic Calgary. Vivian has designed and taught post-secondary courses in both credit and non-credit programs, including project management, knowledge management, experiential learning, and e-business. She holds a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Cape Town.
Austin Lang
Research Associate
Austin supports various communication and administrative tasks to connect and promote courses and project activities. Austin holds a Master's Degree in Environmental Education and Communication from Royal Roads University and has a social innovation and social enterprise background. Austin previously worked for the Calgary Stampede, where he headed the ISO 14001 environmental management system, developing employee engagement and training programs to reduce risks and adapt to future climate impacts. Witnessing the power of employee training and education, Austin has dedicated himself to exploring educational models to empower communities. Driven by his passion for food systems, Austin is always looking for opportunities to enable climate adaptation through permaculture. He believes these models will help create a resilient future where all beings can thrive.
Michelle Hamilton-Page
RbD Lab Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr. Michelle Hamilton-Page’s research focuses on gender and sexual orientation in the workplace, with research exposing the harassment and discrimination faced by gender non-conforming queers in the workplace and an emergent non-binary leadership model, or Unbound Leadership. Michelle also consults on health and technology, having worked in the public health and the international humanitarian tech sectors, in harm reduction, sexual health promotion and education and training in an academic teaching hospital and community-based health organizations. Hamilton-Page utilizes art (holography), video and podcasts in a commitment to making accessible, relevant research knowledge mobilization. Michelle’s post-doctoral focus will combine her research on Unbound and intersectional leadership with emerging best practices in Climate Adaptation Leadership.
Robin Cox
Director
Dr. Robin Cox advances leadership in climate and disaster resilience. Drawing on design thinking and open- learning approaches, Cox cultivates climate action leadership through an innovative open-learning master program, the M.A. in Climate Action Leadership (RRU). As the Director of the ResilienceByDesign lab (RbD) at Royal Roads University, she designs and oversees a diverse applied research agenda focused on building leadership for climate action and disaster risk reduction. Working with an interdisciplinary team of faculty, students and external (government, business, academic) partners to conduct regional, national and international research and capacity-building projects. This work aims to enable and optimize the capacity of working professionals, youth, and communities to design and implement innovative strategies and collaborative projects that contribute to climate adaptation and resilience, disaster risk reduction, and youth empowerment.
Former Lab Team
Robin Cox
Director
Michelle Hamilton-Page
RbD Lab Postdoctoral Fellow
