UW System Women in Color in Education Award [2022]

Heidi Nicholls

Nicholls is an assistant anthropology professor at UW Oshkosh and until recently served as the chair of the Indigenous Studies Committee and is the proud advisor to the Inter-Tribal Student Council (ITSC). She is an economic anthropologist teaching in anthropology, Indigenous studies and environmental studies who explores power dynamics, race, ethnicity and inequities. Nicholls teaches courses such as Cultural Diversity in the U.S., Indigenization, Economy and Environmentalism, Tourism, and Political Resistance. Nicholls collaborates with variety of stakeholders to offer diversity, equity and inclusion workshops and talks, was a part of the Voices of Vision podcast centered on social justice and served as a TEDx speaker on the importance of having the tough conversations. 

Nicholls sits on the board of the Higher Education Interest group through the Society for Applied Anthropology and much of her current research is exploring inclusivity at a predominately white institution. She has been afforded the honor to work with Jim Feldman and Elizabeth Barron on the Conversation, Sustainability and Environment collaborative program with Norway through the DIKU grant which begins this winter. Nicholls also is a part of the UWO interdisciplinary research team that is completing a grant through WiSys and was recently awarded a National Science Foundation grant focused on harmful algal blooms, public perception and policy making. All are opportunities to center student research, development and leadership.