Andrew Caldwell
Research Assistant
Areas of interest
Andrew is passionate in exploring Indigenous health, Elder engagement and advice, truth and reconciliation, Anishinaabe cultural perspectives, social justice, cultural safety, trauma-informed practices, wellness, diversity and inclusion, decolonizing spaces, Indigenous research methods, Indigenous criminology, and Two-Spirit resurgence.
Education
- BGS, Simon Fraser University
- M.A. (Honours), Criminal Justice/ Criminology, University of the Fraser Valley
- PhD, Individualized Interdiscplinary Studies, SFU (in-progress)
Biography
Andrew Caldwell (he/they) is a PhD student in the Individualized Interdisciplinary Studies (INS) program at Simon Fraser University (SFU). Andrew is a registered band member of the Algonquin (Anishinaabe) First Nations from the Kitigan Zibi ("River Desert") Anishinabeg (Peoples) in Maniwaki, Quebec, and has European settler ancestry. His Anishinaabe name is Wa-Wa-Ti-In-In-Ne, meaning "Northern Lights Man," and is Nijodoyiye (Two-Spirit in Algonquin).
He earned a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice/ Criminology from the University of the Fraser Valley. He graduated with distinction, where he argued the need to update programs and policies for incarcerated Two-Spirit people in the Correctional Services of Canada (CSC). His doctorate studies at SFU involve collaboration with the Indigenous Studies program, the School of Criminology, and the Faculty of Health Sciences, which proposes to research the lived experiences and challenges of formerly incarcerated Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer people.
Andrew has worked in the federal public service for fifteen years and is an Indigenous policy officer at Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). Before this role, he spent ten years as an Indigenous correctional program officer with the CSC, gaining experience in maximum, medium, and minimum-security levels and community corrections.
His deep-rooted efforts and dedication to fostering diversity and inclusion resulted in his receiving the 2018 Inclusion and Diversity Excellence Award (IDEA) for his Positive Space training sessions on 2S/LGBTQQ+ issues at the CSC and the 2023 Public Service Pride - Agent of Change Award for presenting education on the Two-Spirit identity for ESDC.
Andrew brings academic and professional experience and is passionate in his position as a Research Assistant for the Indigenizing Health Research Ethics project.
