Biography
Dr. Jason Gilliland is Director of the Urban Development Program and Full Professor in the Department of Geography at Western University. He is also cross-appointed to Western’s School of Health Studies (Faculty of Health Sciences) and Department of Paediatrics (Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry), and is a Scientist with the Children’s Health Research Institute and the Lawson Health Research Institute based in London, Ontario.
He received his Honours BA in Geography from McMaster University, as well as a Master of Arts (Geography), Master of Architecture (Affordable Homes), and PhD (Geography) from McGill University. Before taking up a faculty position at Western in 2003, he was a SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellow in Geography & Planning at the University of Toronto.
Professional and Academic Experience
Dr. Gilliland is an award-winning teacher and researcher who is known internationally for his research on urban planning and public health issues.
In 2012 he was awarded the title of “Faculty Scholar” at Western for “sustained excellence in all scholarly activities”. In 2009 he was recognized with a prestigious award from the Canadian Association of Geographers for significant research achievement by an early career scholar for his contribution to research on “children in the city”, and in 2012 he was honored with the ESRI Canada Award for Excellence in GIS for “innovation in the field of Geographic Information Systems” for his child health atlas.
He is a multiple winner of Western University Students’ Council Teaching Excellence Award.
Profession
Appointments
Director - Urban Development Program, Western University
Professor - Department of Geography, Western University
Professor - Department of Paediatrics, Western University
Professor - School of Health Studies, Western University
Scientist - Children’s Health Research Institute
Scientist - Lawson Health Research Institute
Website
Research Group
Research Interest Area
Research Overview
Dr. Gilliland’s current research examines the relationship between modern urban planning and development practices and the rise of children’s health and quality of life issues such as healthy eating, physical inactivity, obesity, gastro-intestinal illnesses, injury, mental health, and sleep.
His work is funded by organizations such as the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, and various other governmental agencies and foundations.
He has published over 100 articles, chapters, reviews and reports, which have appeared in leading international venues such as the American Journal of Public Health, Health & Place, Preventive Medicine, and Public Health.
Publications
Keywords
Other Professional Roles and Affiliations
Children’s Health Research Institute