Austin Oswald, PhD

Education

PhD Social Welfare, City University of New York
MPhil Social Welfare, City University of New York
MA Applied Health Sciences, Brock University
BSc Therapeutic Recreation, Dalhousie University

Certificate in Demography, City University of New York
Certificate in Critical Theory, City University of New York
Certificate in Qualitative Research, University of Georgia
Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (ID: 57497)
 

Bio

Dr. Austin Oswald, CTRS, is an Assistant Professor of Therapeutic Recreation in the School of Health and Human Performance at Dalhousie University. With clinical experience in geriatric psychiatry, Dr. Oswald specializes in delivering culturally responsive care to marginalized groups, particularly 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and other sexual and gender diverse identities) and racialized communities, with a focus on advancing health equity.

Dr. Oswald’s research integrates qualitative, quantitative, and archival methods, all grounded in community-led inquiry that is intersectional and committed to promoting equity and justice. Guided by critical theories, their work not only contributes to academic research but also fuels social change, collaborating closely with communities impacted by systemic injustice to design studies with tangible, real-world outcomes.

Currently, Dr. Oswald is leading two major research projects: a federally funded study supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and a provincially funded project through Research Nova Scotia. These projects aim to explore the health, social, and economic disparities affecting 2SLGBTQIA+ populations, with the ultimate goal of fostering equity. Dr. Oswald welcomes inquiries from graduate students interested in contributing to these impactful areas of research.