Liz (Elizabeth) Williams
Research interests
I hold an honours degree in psychology (UWinnipeg), MSc in resource management and environmental studies (UBC), certificate in knowledge mobilization (York), and a 2-year accredited certificate in post-secondary teaching (UVic). As a SSHRC doctoral candidate, I work on climate anxiety, ecological grief, and hope. I also focus on human attitudes and behaviour toward other species, especially in the context of conservation, the wildlife trade, pet-keeping, and ecotourism.
I am a graduate fellow of the Animal and Society Research Initiative, and a volunteer with the SPCA (Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). I helped establish the Psychology Graduate Student Council, and trained TAs for 2 years as a Teaching Assistant Consultant. I have taught hundreds of students (including: UWinnipeg, UVic, UPEI).
My teaching and research are informed by professional experience in health, business, and non-profit settings. As an interdisciplinary research professional, I specialize in social-environmental topics, outdoor recreation, sustainability management, and mental health.
Representative publications
Park, A., Williams, E. A., Zurba, M. (2020). Understanding hope and what it means for the future of conservation. Biological Conservation, 244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108507
Scannell, L., Williams, E. A., Gifford, R., & Sarich, C. (2020). Parallels between interpersonal and place attachment: An update. In L. C. Manzo & P. Devine-Wright (Eds.), Place attachment: Advances in theory, methods, and applications (pp. 45-60). Routledge.
Hiebert-Murphy, D., Williams, E. A., Mills, R. S., Walker, J. R., Feldgaier, S., Warren, M., ... & Cox, B. J. (2012). Listening to parents: The challenges of parenting kindergarten-aged children who are anxious. Clinical child psychology and psychiatry, 17(3), 384-399. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359104511415495
Representative Presentations
Williams, E. Addressing climate anxiety and ecological grief. Course offered through UVic Continuing Studies, online, March and November, 2022.
Williams, E. Using the psychology of prejudice to improve human-animal relations. Spoken presentation (1 hr) at Humane Canada’s Summit for Animals, online, May 3, 2022.
Williams, E. Environmentalism as a social identity. Spoken presentation at American Psychological Association Conference, online, August 13, 2021.
Recent Awards
- Graduate Award (UVic)
- Graduate Award for Conference Presentations (UVic)
- Graduate Award for Leadership and Outreach (UVic)
- President’s Research Scholarship (UVic)
- SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship
- Pagani Scholarship in Sustainability: Outstanding Master’s Thesis (UBC)
- Robert Sommer Award for Best Student Paper (CPA)
- SSHRC Joseph Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship
- Graduate Scholarship (UBC)
- Graduate Entrance Scholarship (UBC)
- Gerry McVay Book Prize (UWinnipeg)
- Dr. A.R. Cragg Scholarship (UWinnipeg)