Dr. Wilson is a scholar of settler origin (born in Treaty 7 Territory) whose research focuses on Indigenous peoples, environmental governance, and climate change. Her research examines the many ways that Indigenous peoples are asserting their self-determination and revitalizing their governance systems to respond to various stressors including climate change and resource development.
She is passionate about water governance, politics, and security. Indigenous water rights, responsibilities and authorities are a major component of her research program. She has worked in partnership with Yukon First Nations to examine the implications of the water rights acknowledged in their modern land claim agreements for water governance and decision-making in the territory. Examining the linkages between Indigenous-led community-based water monitoring and water governance are also central to her work.
Much of her research program focuses on the Arctic. However, she is also working to build research collaborations and projects in Manitoba. Strong partnerships with Indigenous governments and organizations are central to her community-based research approach.
Nicole is Canada Research Chair (TII) in Arctic Environmental Change and Governance. She currently holds a SSHRC Insight Development Grant (PI) in which she is conducting a pan-Arctic survey on the connections between Indigenous-led Community-Based Monitoring and environmental governance and decision-making. She is also co-I on a large scale interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary project called “GENICE II: Reimagining Monitored Natural Attenuation as an Oil Spill Response Strategy in the Arctic” (Funder: Genome Canada), conducted in partnership with Chesterfield Inlet in Kivalliq, Nunavut.