Gail Hochachka, Ph.D. is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of British Columbia, based in the Forests and Communities in Transition (FACT) Lab, Faculty of Forestry. She studies the human dimensions of climate change and transformations to sustainability. Her current research focuses on the meaning-making, worldviews and values that shape climate perceptions in BC. Her previous postdoc research at UBC looked at how to accelerate urban climate action using novel transformative-change heuristics to assess key barriers and untapped opportunities for climate action. Her work has been widely published and includes novel insights for climate policy design, communications, and engagement.

Prior to this, Hochachka did her PhD research at the University of Oslo with a focus on climate change adaptation and transformations to sustainability. Her field work involved coffee-producing communities in Guatemala and actors across a global value chain. That experience led to a writing contract on climate adaptation with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) as part of its 2021 report “From recovery to resilience: The development dimension.”

Alongside this academic work, Gail has substantial experience working in sustainable development in Latin America and Africa, and this global perspective continues to deeply influence her research questions and her approach to climate justice. This work was largely carried out with non-profit organizations with partners in the global South, but which also included research projects funded by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC).

She currently teaches a graduate course at UBC on Climate Communications and Engagement, cross-listed in Forestry and IRES, and is also frequently invited to speak at conferences, conduct workshops, and facilitate learning in both academic and non-academic settings.

As a scholar dedicated to impact for sustainability, Gail works in partnership with non-governmental organizations, including MakeWay Foundation (Canada), OneEarth Living (BC/International), and Community Resilience to Extreme Weather (Toronto). She is also on the Board of Directors of Metro Vancouver’s Zero Emissions Innovation Centre (ZEIC).