Leslie King
Professor Leslie King’s life has been dedicated to environmental education and inspiring and empowering people to enter and excel in the environmental field, solving local to global environmental problems. She designed and implemented new, innovative, applied environmental programs, departments and faculties in Canadian, US, and African Universities.
Leslie has degrees from the University of British Columbia, York University, University of Toronto and the London School of Economics. Most recently she was the founding Chair of Environment at UNBC, Founding Dean of the Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth and Resources at the University of Manitoba and the Vice President Academic at Vancouver Island University. She is currently Professor in the School of Environment and Sustainability at Royal Roads University in Victoria, Canada. She directs the Canadian Centre for Environmental Education and is program head of the Masters in Environmental Practice and Bachelors in Environmental Practice programs.
Her research sites are primarily in Africa (where she has lived and worked for many years including as a Fulbright fellow to Zimbabwe) and the Arctic as well as First Nations and local communities in North America. She has focused on helping local and First Nations communities address linked environmental and social issues in their communities and was adopted by Kitselas and Nisga’a Nations. Recent research projects include Protected Areas and Poverty Reduction: a Canada/Africa Research and Learning Alliance, (International Community-University Research Alliance –IDRC/SSHRC funded) Meeting the Climate Change Challenge (MC3) with Dale et al, Arctic Climate Modeling: Pathways to Sustainable Arctic Futures, (ARCPATH) (A Nordforsk Centre of Excellence) Northern Knowledge for Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Change in the Circumpolar Arctic and Eco-cultural Restoration of Clam Gardens in Coastal BC: She serves on the boards of several environmental, humanitarian, and arts organizations. Leslie recently participated in the Paris COP 21 Climate talks in Paris, France and has recently been engaging communities in addressing the challenge of the Paris agreement.
Leslie has recently begun singing, including with the Sooke Philharmonic Choir, and at the Victoria Conservatory of Music, where she studies with Kathryn Whitney. Leslie has taken part in the Summer Academy Choral Program and the Solfa Chamber Choir Workshops. The Schoene Muellerin Project, 2017, which she joined as an understudy, was her first foray into solo singing performance.
Past Art Song Projects:
- The Schoene Muellerin Project 2017
- The Vaughan Williams Project 2018
