Dr. Ulises Charles Rodriguez
Positions
Postdoctoral Associate
Contact information
Web presence
Background
Educational Background
PhD Population Studies in Health, University of Lethbridge, 2023
Specialist Mental Health and Psychological Interventions on Immigrants, Minorities and the Socially Excluded, Universitat de Barcelona, 2017
MA Transpersonal Psychology, Sofia University, 2014
BA International Studies, Universidad de Guadalajara, 2013
Biography
Dr. Ulises Charles-Rodriguez is a transdisciplinary Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Calgary, working at the intersection of health equity, environmental change, and inclusive governance. His work advances participatory, community-based approaches that center relational accountability, OCAP® principles, and Indigenous methods, with a strong emphasis on co-creation and ethical engagement across diverse partners and knowledge systems.
His research program is grounded in land-based and culturally appropriate approaches to health promotion, particularly in Arctic and northern contexts. He works in close collaboration with Indigenous communities, Elders, and organizations to support climate resilience and community wellbeing through initiatives that integrate traditional knowledge, land-based pedagogies, and intergenerational learning. A central component of his work includes the development of consensus-based governance processes, including a province-wide project engaging Elders in what they conceptualize as “Ceremony of Dialogue”—a relational approach to consensus-building that creates space for multiple voices, including dissent, to inform collective decision-making.
Dr. Charles-Rodriguez’s trajectory reflects a multidisciplinary foundation spanning population health, psychology, and international studies. His doctoral research in Population Studies in Health at the University of Lethbridge explored nature-based approaches to health promotion among immigrants and refugees, where he led a coalition to co-develop community garden spaces that enhanced sense of place, mental health, and social integration. Across his academic and professional experience—including roles in social work, counseling, and community advocacy—he has worked with diverse and equity-deserving communities. His broader program of research continues to bridge governance innovation, land-based health, and climate adaptation, contributing to systems-level change that is locally grounded, culturally meaningful, and responsive to community priorities.
Awards
- 2024-2025 Innovation Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Calgary. 2024
- Prentice Graduate Research Fellowship, The Prentice Institute for Global Population and Economy. 2021
More Information
Selected work
Charles-Rodriguez, U., Datta, R., & Lawless, K. Intersecting Indigenous youth mental health promotion and Arctic climate change adaptation through land-based programming (manuscript in preparation).
Charles-Rodriguez, U., Hardcastle, L., Markides, J., et al. “Consensus is the ceremony of dialogue”: Indigenous Elders’ teachings on collective decision-making. (manuscript in preparation).
Charles-Rodriguez, U., Hardcastle, L., Roach, P., & Bharwani, A. Implementing a novel inclusive governance model at a medicine school: An ethnographic assessment (manuscript in preparation).
McRae, N., de Lannoy, L., Duncan, S., James, M., Charles-Rodriguez, U., & Kira, G. The state of play in outdoor play: Exploring Indigenous outdoor play (manuscript in preparation).
Datta, R., Charles-Rodriguez, U., Billah, M., & Lawless, K. (2026). Permafrost as a social and relational crisis: Indigenous knowledge, climate change, and the limits of technocratic adaptation. Journal of Human Ecology (submitted).
Charles-Rodriguez, U., Damag, S., Hardcastle, L., Lorenzetti, D., Markides, J., Roach, P., Smith, M. S., Wildcat, M., & Bharwani, A. (2026). Consensus decision-making models and approaches: A realist review for higher education organizations. The International Journal of Educational Organization and Leadership. https://doi.org/10.18848/2329-1656/CGP/A168
Pierson, A., Doctor, J., Charles-Rodriguez, U., Kwaghbo, N., Brown, L. M., & Larouche, R. (2026). “We take a risk when we allow independent mobility, but we take a risk when we don’t”: Social-ecological factors associated with children’s independent mobility in Southern Alberta, Canada. Active Travel Studies, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.16997/ats.2003
Charles-Rodriguez, U., Ngwezi, D. P., Damag, S., Johnson, N., Bharwani, A., Ladha, T., et al. (2025). Uncovering systemic barriers related to equity, diversity and inclusion in child health research: A scoping review. BMJ Global Health, 10, e015824. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2024-015824
Charles-Rodriguez, U., & Larouche, R. (2024). Being “outdoors” in a new country: Associations between immigrant characteristics, outdoor recreation activities, and settlement satisfaction in Canada. Leisure Studies, 1(15). https://doi.org/10.1080/02614367.2024.2328087
Charles-Rodriguez, U., Khatiwada, K., Aborawi, A., Shahi, A., Koso, S., Prociw, S., Sanford, C., & Larouche, R. (2023). Hands-on-ground in a new country: A community-based participatory evaluation with immigrant communities in Southern Alberta. Global Health Promotion, 30(4), 25-34. https://doi.org/10.1177/17579759231176293
Charles-Rodriguez, U., Venegas de la Torre, M. D. L. P., Hecker, V., et al. (2022). The relationship between nature and immigrants’ integration, wellbeing, and physical activity: A scoping review. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-022-01339-3
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