Dr. Joshua Jodoin (Dr.J)
Dr. Joshua Jodoin is a leading scholar and educator at the intersection of linguistics and environmental sustainability. His work focuses on how language education can be leveraged as a powerful tool to address global ecological challenges and promote sustainable development goals within academic and local communities. He is an Associate Professor at Konan University in the Hirao School of Management (甲南大学 マネジメント創造学部 CUBE西宮) in Nishinomiya, Japan.
Through his research at LESDHub, Dr. Jodoin bridges the gap between theoretical linguistic frameworks and practical, sustainability-focused pedagogy. He collaborates with international institutions to develop curricula that empower students to communicate effectively about climate change and social equity.
The story behind LESD
Before becoming an associate professor, Dr.J worked in an aboriginal community in the Canadian oil sands and later lived and worked in Turkey, China, and Japan. Those experiences exposed him to very different societies, each with its own strengths, challenges, and perspectives on development. He saw remarkable examples of economic growth, environmental stewardship, cultural richness, and social inequality—and he came to realize that no country has all the answers.
Across these experiences, one lesson became clear: meaningful change begins with communication. The world’s greatest challenges—from climate change and sustainability to misinformation and artificial intelligence—cannot be solved by science or policy alone. They require people who can communicate across languages, cultures, and perspectives.
Language Education for Sustainable Development (LESD) grew from this belief. It reimagines language education not simply as learning grammar or vocabulary, but as preparing learners to participate thoughtfully, critically, and compassionately in shaping a more sustainable future.
Dr. J's hope is that LESD will help educators empower the next generation to use language not only to understand the world, but to change it.