Maeva Gauthier supports Arctic communities through participatory video and storytelling

Embracing a community-based research approach

That focus brought her to Tuktoyaktuk in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region of the Northwest Territories, where she collaborated with youth over several years to share their stories of the impact of climate change in their community, which is estimated to be uninhabitable by 2050 due to coastal erosion, the rise of sea levels and permafrost thaw.

“Sitting with Inuvialuit youth as they watched and discussed footage they had filmed about their changing environment was transformative,” says Maeva. “Through those conversations, I began to understand what I described in my research as relational resilience—the idea that resilience is rooted in relationships to land, culture, and community.”

A documentary about this work, called, “Happening to Us” is currently in post-production. Maeva is also co-authoring a journal article with the youth co-researchers.

“The overall goal of my project goes beyond the research; it aims to develop youth agency and leadership skills, bridge lived experiences of climate change with policy, and value their knowledge in those spaces,” says Maeva.

Embracing cross-cultural knowledge sharing

Maeva also participated in an international marine plastics course in Nuuk, Greenland through the University of the Arctic.

“Learning alongside students from across the circumpolar North highlighted how shared environmental challenges are experienced differently across contexts and how important it is to center local voices in research and solutions.”

A community-engaged research perspective

During her time on campus, Maeva spent time in the Community-based Research Lab, and later the Centre for Global Studies, where she connected with staff and colleagues working on diverse community-based projects.

“Both communities were incredibly supportive and intellectually stimulating, bringing together students and scholars working on projects from around the world.”

She also worked closely with UVic Emeritus Professor and UNESCO Co-Chair in Community-based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education Budd Hall.

“Through his mentorship, I connected with the broader international movement of participatory research, which took me to places like Barcelona, Spain, for the UNESCO World Higher Education Conference and Gulu, Uganda, for an international meeting. These experiences reinforced the importance of co-creation and valuing diverse knowledge systems in research.”

Working in community through Community-Engaged Learning (CEL)

Maeva is also two-time Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) program participant—she took part in several courses that integrated community-based work.

“I truly enjoyed taking the CEL courses at UVic,” she says. “Beyond learning about community-based approaches and methodologies, I got to meet other grad students working with communities. It was a great peer-to-peer experience. This also allowed me to engage more deeply with some youth co-authors in writing an article related to our project ('Shared Waters, Shared Futures').”

An impactful future

Before she completed her PhD, Maeva secured a full-time position at the Marine Environmental Observation, Prediction and Response Network (MEOPAR), where she’ll be supporting community-led research in coastal communities in Canada.

“I hope to continue working at the intersection of community-based research, storytelling, and environmental change,” she says. “It is a privilege to collaborate with communities and support work that reflects their priorities, knowledge, and aspirations.”

More information

• Maeva’s website
• Canadian Geographic interview with the youth from Tuktoyaktuk
• Environmental Canada and youth leader discussion
• Music video made by the youth in Tuktoyaktuk (produced by N’we Jinan)
• Papers published by the youth co-authors:
  • Shared Waters, Shared Futures: Reflections on Climate and Indigenous Knowledge
  • “We’ll Never Go”: Inuvialuit Youth and the Geographies of Climate Refusal
  • Communicating science from the Arctic: A collaborative protocol to mitigate harm