Meet the ResiliencebyDesign Lab Team

Robin Cox, PhD

Dr. Robin Cox is the Director of the ResiliencebyDesign Lab. She is a Professor and Core Faculty Member of the Disaster and Emergency Management Program at Royal Roads University. Her background in theatre, film, and research have inspired her to pioneer the Creative Action Research methodology, an approach to participatory action research that combines the transformative potential of creative process and social innovation. Her research focuses on disasters, climate change, and community resilience.

Vivian Forssman, MBA

Vivian Forssman is Program Manager with the Lab. She is also a Consultant offering specialized services to post-secondary clients with her expertise in higher education program development, online learning strategy, learning design, and technology operations. Her work intersects knowledge mobilization, curriculum change and technology-enabled learning. From 2013 – 2017, Vivian was Director, Centre for Teaching and Educational Technologies at Royal Roads University, in which she worked to advance faculty development services; implement and maintain learning technologies; and improve curriculum alignment. She has held similar roles at UBC Sauder School of Business, SAIT Polytechnic, and BCIT.

Nigel Deans

Nigel’s interest in climate change adaptation stems from his first-hand experience of disaster. Following the flooding in southern Alberta, and his hometown of High River, in 2013, he and his family were evacuated and spent two weeks living with nearby friends and relatives. In the following months and years, he witnessed the lasting impact of the Southern Alberta floods on the people and places affected by them. His love of nature, experience with the impacts of climate change, and grounding in the behavioural sciences have since grown into a passion for the environment, focused on the extreme risks of our changing climate.

Nigel is an avid backpacker, and recently concluded over a year of living and working in the mountains of Perú by solo-trekking a 130 km circuit in the Cordillera Huayhuash, during the area’s wet season. Despite camping at an altitude of between 4000 m and 4500 m every night, he’s never had a better night’s sleep.

Brigit Forssman

Brigit is the Program Coordinator for the Inspiring Climate Action project at the RbD lab. She provides day-to-day coordination of the project including logistical support, network building, and communication with our stakeholders. Brigit holds a Diploma of Tourism: Adventure Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Management from Capilano University. Brigit also has a background in Anthropology and Gender Studies.

Brigit has spent time as a Grizzly Bear naturalist and interpretive guide on Vancouver Island north coast and BC’s central coast and has witnessed firsthand the undeniable effects of climate change on sensitive ecosystems. Since her years in the remote regions of the province, she has worked in environmental education focusing on youth engagement. Brigit’s interest has been in facilitating young people’s relationships with their local wild space to try to give them a more intimate understanding of the flora and fauna that surrounds them.

Brigit is an avid outdoors person who loves to spend time hiking, snowboarding, surfing, and sailing as much of beautiful British Columbia as she can.