Former Panel Members

Marlene Brant Castellano

Marlene Brant Castellano is a Mohawk of the Bay of Quinte Band and Professor Emeritus of Trent University. She held a faculty appointment in Trent's Native Studies Department from 1973 to 1996, providing leadership in the development of the Department and in the emerging discipline of Native Studies. From 1992 to1996 she served as Co-Director of Research with the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP) with particular responsibility for drafting the integrated research plan, directing social-cultural, historical and community-based research, and editing and writing major portions of the final report under the direction of Commissioners. She facilitated the work of the Aboriginal subcommittee which drafted RCAP's Ethical Guidelines for Research now widely used as a reference for ethical research in Aboriginal contexts.

Professor Castellano's formal education is in social work (MSW 1959) and adult education (OISE/UofT 1980-81). Her teaching, research and publications are deliberately bicultural, promoting discourse between the worlds of Aboriginal knowledge and experience and the language and protocols of academics and policy makers. In recent years her writing has focussed on respectful treatment of Aboriginal knowledge in research. The inaugural issue of the Journal of Aboriginal Health published by the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) includes her paper on "Ethics of Aboriginal Research."

Professor Castellano serves on the Institute Advisory board of the CIHR Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health and the College of Reviewers for Canada Research Chairs. She has been honoured with LLDs from Queen's University, St. Thomas University and Carleton University, induction into the Order of Ontario and a National Aboriginal Achievement Award. Most recently, Dr. Castellano has been named an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Date modified:

2010-12-07