Nat Knowles is a climate scientist, wilderness conservationist, and outdoor athlete. Her research focuses on mitigating climate change, managing its inevitable impacts, and using outdoor recreation and tourism for sustainable socio-economic development. She completed a Master of Science on these topics at the University of Oxford and is now a PhD candidate at the University of Waterloo. While currently an avid backcountry adventurer, as a former alpine ski racer she won two NCAA National Championships with the University of Denver, and represented Canada at the World Junior Championships and the World University Games.