The Climate & Local Energy Action Network Lab is a research group led by Dr. Chad Walker at Dalhousie University's School of Planning. Read more about Staff and Students below. For more information about research opportunities, please visit 'Grad student opportunities'.
Current Staff and Students
Current Postdoctoral Research Fellows
Lazaro Sanchez Elizondo
Lazaro is an interdisciplinary ecological social economist focused on public participation, environmental education, and justice. He specialises in the socio-economic valuation of natural resources and public policy regarding water resources, wastewater, waste management, climate change, and sustainable development. In his dissertation, Lazaro concentrated on understanding governance in a water-scarce region in Mexico and assessing farmers' perceptions using groundwater for irrigation and their willingness to pay for the restoration of the aquifers. He is honoured to have this opportunity to pursue his postdoctoral research at Dalhousie University under the supervision of Drs. Chad Walker, Megan Fuller, and Graham Gagnon. He looks forward to learning, sharing knowledge and contributing to the team of the CWRS, AFNWA, the First Nations Communities, and the Ulnooweg Education Centre, on the project titled "Advancing Water Stewardship Across Wabanaki." He aims to apply the Two-Eyed Seeing approach to value groundwater resources and incorporate traditional knowledge into future research projects. Lazaro completed his master's, concentrating on ecological economics and economic policy for sustainability at York University in Toronto. He obtained his PhD in Environment and Development from the Autonomous University of Baja California, Mexico (2019). Recently (2020-2024), Lazaro worked with local government and NGOs in Ensenada, Baja California. He also collaborated with the Kumiai Women's Indigenous Communities on a waste management project funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Project: Advancing Water Stewardship Across Wabanaki
Project: Advancing Water Stewardship Across Wabanaki
Current Masters Students
Lewis Blagogie (MPS Student)
What fuels you? For me, it is a natural curiosity about our planet and how it responds to change. My interests revolve around renewable energy, environmental health and justice, remote sensing, and GIS techniques. My goal is to advance the field of environmental research and improve community well-being through impactful and interdisciplinary work. Originally from Ghana, I am thrilled to have been accepted into Dalhousie University's School of Planning with Dr. Chad Walker and the Climate and Local Energy Action Network Lab (CLEAN Lab), where I plan to further explore these interests and make a meaningful contribution to the field.
Project: [Em]powering Communities: An Analysis of Particpation, Inclusivity, Equity and Support for Solar Energy in Halifax
Project: [Em]powering Communities: An Analysis of Particpation, Inclusivity, Equity and Support for Solar Energy in Halifax
Alitta Patles (MPS Student)
My name is Alitta Patles. I graduated with a double major in anthropology and history from Cape Breton University and I am currently studying for my Master of Planning Studies at Dalhousie University with Dr. Chad Walker. I live in Eskasoni and I am a Mi’kmaw. Currently, I work at the Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources (UINR) as a Research Liaison Coordinator. In my work at Dalhousie and the Sharing Our Knowledge project, I really want to focus on the aquatics and to bring in Netukulimk and Etuaptmumk into the research. These Mi’kmaw cultural concepts are related to sustainability and practicing a reciprocal relationship with the environment. L’Nuey defines Netukulimk as “the use of the natural resources provided by the Creator. It encompasses Mi’kmaq sovereign law and guides individual and collective beliefs and behaviours in resource protection, procurement, and management to ensure sustainability and prosperity for future generations” and Etuaptmumk or Two-Eyed Seeing is defined as “learning to see from one eye with the strengths of Indigenous knowledges and ways of knowing - and seeing from the other eye with the strengths of Western knowledges and ways of knowing”.
Project: Sharing Our Knowledge: Incorporating Indigenous knowledge systems to built governance for climate resilienccy
Project: Sharing Our Knowledge: Incorporating Indigenous knowledge systems to built governance for climate resilienccy
Past Graduate Students and Staff
Myah Shantz (MPlan Student)
Hello, my name is Myah (She/Her), a Master of Planning student at Dalhousie University. My passion lies in justice, equity, sustainability, and climate change resilience. I am focused on building a career as a professional planner within the renewable energy sector and assisting Canada’s renewable energy transition. Currently, I am working as a research assistant in the CLEAN Lab, assessing levels of participation and equity within Halifax's solar energy transition. Our team is working to identify pathways toward a Just solar energy transition for Halifax and beyond.
Project: [Em]powering Communities: An Analysis of Particpation, Inclusivity, Equity and Support for Solar Energy in Halifax
Project: [Em]powering Communities: An Analysis of Particpation, Inclusivity, Equity and Support for Solar Energy in Halifax