Dr. Josephine Godwyll

The Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreations’ newest faculty member, Josephine Godwyll is a geospatial scientist. The environmental justice lens she adopts drives her passion for community and environmental development. She works to improve the health and well-being of vulnerable populations by increasing their access to recreational resources.

“There is a plethora of opportunities to collaborate with world-class researchers,” says Godwyll. “I am looking forward to contributing to the groundbreaking cross-disciplinary research in physical health, sports, leisure, and recreation being pioneered at KSR.”

Get to know Godwyll a little more through this Q & A and hear more about her research, inspiration, pet peeves, and, oh wait, she’s a yet-to-retire basketball player?  

What will you be teaching?
My teaching will be centred around courses in the BARST (Bachelor of Arts, Recreation, Sports, and Tourism) program. In the fall, I will be teaching a class on leisure planning – “RLS 225 Prog Plan for Leisure.” This course will take students on a journey to explore the multiple dimensions of leisure and recreation planning.

What is the focus of your research?
I anticipate that the environmental justice lens I adopt will be key to advancing research in KSR, which is focused on critical issues. I am excited to pursue an understanding of the linkages between access to recreational resources (in virtual and physical environments) and the well-being of marginalized and minoritized populations such as racialized groups, first nations, people living with disabilities and LGBTQ+ populations. I expect to further focus on how access emerges from well-being related outcomes of socio-physical exchanges (such as exchanges across user communities and elements in recreational environments) and socio-technical interactions (such as interactions among user communities and design professionals of recreational environments). 

What do you love about the profession? 
The thing I love most about my profession is the opportunity to centralize marginalized and minoritized populations in research and teaching towards more just recreational experiences. 

What inspires you about the profession? 
I am most inspired by the opportunity to conduct impactful research and I am looking forward to teaching and mentoring students who are conscious of the key role they play in creating equitable recreational environments in their future professional roles. 

What’s something people would be surprised to learn about you?
I am an introverted social butterfly! While I love meeting new people, engaging and making new friends, I get really excited about some good reflective alone time.

What’s something your coworkers do not know about you?
I am a yet-to-retire basketball player with experience from middle school, high school and college. I can still throw a three-pointer on a really good day!

You can invite anyone — alive or dead, real, or fictional — to dinner. Who would it be?
I would invite my late dad. I would love to tell him about how his vision of me becoming a prof is unfolding and thank him for being such an amazing support. 

What is your favourite hobby or pastime?
I love to bike and hike!  

What’s a weird pet peeve you have?
Not too weird, but I can’t stand motorists who don’t look out for riders and pedestrians at turns. Squinting through tinted glass to catch the eye of a driver before you cross, even when you have the right of way, is needlessly hard.

What advice would you give your 18-year-old self?
Trust the process. Keep your head up. Believe in your dreams. The future is beautiful!

What attracts you to the City of Edmonton? 
I love that Edmonton has a variety of highlights for every mood. Whether it’s the beautiful outdoors for a reflective hike, a humongous shopping centre for an urban feel, or sporting activities for a super fan, Edmonton seems to have it all. I am excited to explore all it has to offer!