Lindsey Richardson

Lindsey Richardson is an Associate Professor of Sociology at UBC, a Research Scientist at the BC Centre on Substance Use and holds the Canada Research Chair in Social Inclusion and Health Equity. As a medical sociologist, she uses quantitative, qualitative and experimental methods to examine the dynamics and health consequences of poverty and socioeconomic disadvantage among people who use illicit drugs, with a focus on public policy reform, community economic development, improved substance use disorder treatment outcomes and harm reduction.

Dr. Richardson prioritizes asset-based, solutions-oriented and intervention research that has been published in high-impact venues such as The Lancet Public Health, Addiction, AIDS, Bulletin of the World Health Organization, and Social Science and Medicine. She pairs her scientific work with a dedication to integrated knowledge translation and exchange with people with lived and living experience, community groups, policy makers and public-facing audiences, which was recognized in 2024 with the Angus Reid Applied Sociology Award from the Canadian Sociological Association.