Chantel Chizen

Hello! My name is Chantel Chizen, and I am a dedicated soil scientist and educator with a deep-rooted interest in sustainable land management. I pursued an education in soil science, earning a BSc in Applied Biology (Major in Plant and Soil Sciences) and a MSc in Soil Science from the University of British Columbia. I am currently a PhD Candidate at the University of Saskatchewan, researching wetland soil carbon storage in agricultural landscapes across the Prairie Pothole Region. My work centers on advancing digital soil mapping, pedometrics, and our understanding of soil carbon dynamics. Beyond research, I am dedicated to teaching, mentorship, and extension. 

I live, explore, teach, and conduct soil science research on Treaty 6 Territory, the traditional lands of the Nêhiyawak (Plains Cree), Nahkawininiwak (Salteaux), Nakota (Assiniboine), and Dakota (Sioux) peoples, and the Homeland of the Métis. This place carries the history of the forced removal of Indigenous culture and peoples who walked here thousands of years before us. Soil is often described as the memory of the land, holding stories from the past and responding to our actions today. I commit to reconciliation by connecting with Indigenous stories and perspectives of this history as well as by respecting the teachings from the land. This knowledge can help guide us in our work as stewards of the land for future generations.