Andrew Caldwell
PhD Candidate, Individualized Interdisciplinary Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
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, 51社区黑料
- M.A. (Honours), Criminal Justice/ Criminology, University of the Fraser Valley
- PhD Candidate, Individualized Interdiscplinary Studies, 51社区黑料(in-progress)
Biography
Andrew Caldwell (he/they) is an Interdisciplinary PhD student in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. He is a registered member of the Algonquin (Anishinaabe) First Nations from Kitigan Zibi ("River Desert") Anishinabeg in Maniwaki, Quebec, and also has European settler ancestry. His Anishinaabe name is Wa-Wa-Ti-In-In-Ne, meaning "Northern Lights Man," and he identifies as Nijodoyiye (Two-Spirit in Algonquin).
He holds a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice/Criminology from the University of the Fraser Valley, graduating with distinction. His thesis focused on program and policy updates for incarcerated Two-Spirit individuals within Correctional Service Canada (CSC). His doctoral research examines the experiences of formerly incarcerated Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer individuals in sex-segregated correctional facilities, as well as the Elders who supported them. He is affiliated with the Faculty of Health Sciences, supervised by Dr. TJ Salway, and collaborates with Dr. Krista Stelkia, Dr. Lyana Patrick, and Dr. June Scudeler in Indigenous Studies and Gender, Sexuality, and Women鈥檚 Studies.
Andrew has 15 years of federal public service experience and currently serves as an Indigenous policy officer at Employment and Social Development Canada, Office of Indigenous Initiatives, Innovation and Information Technology Branch. He previously spent 10 years as an Indigenous correctional program officer with CSC, delivering programs for incarcerated Indigenous people and supporting conditional release at all security levels and in community corrections. During a year dedicated to his studies, he achieved PhD candidacy and worked part-time as a Research Assistant at the Centre for Collaborative Action on Indigenous Health Governance, contributing to the Indigenizing Health Research Ethics study through scoping review, data collection, and analysis.
His commitment to diversity and inclusion has been recognized with several awards. He received the 2018 Inclusion and Diversity Excellence Award (IDEA) for Positive Space training on 2S/LGBTQQ+ issues at CSC, and the 2023 Public Service Pride - Agent of Change Award for educating on the Two-Spirit identity at ESDC. In 2024, he and his team at ESDC鈥檚 Office of Indigenous Initiatives, Innovation and Information Technology Branch received the Public Service Award of Excellence for launching a program that hires Indigenous women and gender-diverse individuals who are formerly federally incarcerated into Information Technology roles.
