Name
GLADWIN, Derek
Position and Affiliated Institution
Associate Professor of Education, and Faculty Associate in the Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability, at the University of British Columbia
Degree
Ph.D. in English
Education and Academic Employment
| Education | |
| 2010-2014 | PhD in English and Film Studies, Department of English and Film Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
| Academic Employment | |
| 2015-2017 | SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of English Language and Literatures, Faculty of Arts, The University of British Columbia |
| 2017-2018 | Banting Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Arts, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada |
| 2018-2023 | Assistant Professor of Education, Department of Language & Literacy Education, Faculty of Education, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada |
| 2024-present | Associate Professor of Education, Department of Language & Literacy Education, Faculty of Education, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada |
Research Topic
My research considers the conditions necessary for education to drive social and ecological change for greater wellbeing in a complex world. Working across ecology, language, philosophy, arts, and systems theory, I build bridges between disciplines and between educational spaces, organizations, and communities to tackle “wicked” and tangled challenges. This research involves collaborative, transdisciplinary engagement: how we think, communicate, and relate together is inseparable from our capacity to create more just and sustainable worlds.
Fields of Research Interest
Philosophy and theory of education, ecological literacy, energy literacy transition, systems literacy, complexity education, regenerative and transformative education, ontological education and inquiry, transdisciplinary and collaborative education, futures literacies, textual literacies (through media, literary, and visual culture), narrative inquiry and storytelling, arts-based research and creativity.
Academic Publications
- Gladwin, D. & Ellis, N. (forthcoming, Jan. 2027). Being in the mess: Thriving in our complex world together. (Aevo, trade imprint University of Toronto Press).
- Gladwin, D. & James, K. (2026). Becoming ecological: Navigating language and meaning for our planet’s future. (Aevo trade imprint of University of Toronto Press).
- Gladwin, D. & Ellis, N. (2024). Systems beings: Educating for a world of complexity. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 56(7), 683-695.
- Gladwin, D. & Ellis, N. (2023). Energy literacy: A conceptual framework for energy transition. Environmental Education Research, 29(10), 1515-1529.
- Gladwin, D. (2021). Rewriting our stories: Education, empowerment, and well-being. Atrium (trade imprint of Cork University Press).
HP
- Faculty website: https://lled.educ.ubc.ca/derek-gladwin/
- Personal website: https://derekgladwin.com/
- Systems Being Lab: https://systemsbeingslab.ubc.ca/
- Transdisciplinary Collaborative PhD program: https://climateaction.collabphd.ubc.ca/
- Environmental Educational Design: https://dneducationdesign.ca/
