About Madeleine
Postdoctoral Fellow, Strategy (Management), University of British Columbia, 2021
PhD, Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, 2020
M.S., Natural Resource Sciences and Management, 2018
MSc, International Event Management, 2015
Dr. Madeleine Orr is Assistant Professor specializing in sport ecology. She holds a PhD in Kinesiology from the University of Minnesota and completed a postdoc at UBC Okanagan in management (strategy). Dr. Orr is the founder of The Sport Ecology Group, a global network driving climate action in sport through research and public engagement. Her work focuses on the sport sector's vulnerability to climate risks and its strategies for adaptation, resilience, and sustainability. Her book, "Warming Up," was published in 2024 and named 'Top 5 Sports Books of 2024' by The Guardian. She has been recognized by Forbes, Corporate Knights, and the North American Association for Environmental Education for her leadership in sport and climate research.
Mullen, D., Barr, I., Brannigan, N., Flod, N., Gibson, O.R., Hambly, C., Kennedy-Asser, A.T., Aimée, C.K., Matthews, T., & Orr, M. (2025). Extreme heat risk and the potential implications for the scheduling of football matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. International Journal of Biometeorology. Ahead of print.
Kellison, T., Orr, M. & Watanabe, N. (2023). The nonexcludable function of sports stadiums in climate-changed cities. Sport in Society, 26 (12), 1979-1998.
Orr, M., Murfree, J. & Stargel, L. (Re)scheduling as an opportunity for climate adaptation, increased revenues, and equity in sport. Managing Sport and Leisure 30(4), 1-6.
Wilby, R., Orr, M., Depledge, D., Giulianotti, R., Havenith, G., Kenyon, J., Matthews, T., Mears, S., Mullan, D., & Taylor, L. (2022). The impacts of sport on climate: measurement, mitigation, and making a difference. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1519(1), 20-33.
Orr, M., Inoue, Y., Seymour, R. & Dingle, G. (2022). Impacts of climate change on organized sport: A scoping review. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, e760.
Orr, M. & Ross, W.J. (2022). Assessing climate suitability of three cities for the 2027 Women’s World Cup. Case Studies in Sport Management, 11(S1), 14-18.
Ross, W.J. & Orr, M. (2022). Predicting climate impacts to the Olympics Games and FIFA Men’s World Cups from 2022 to 2032. Sport & Society.
Orr, M. (2021). Finding consensus on indicators for organizational climate capacity in sport. Measuring Sport & Leisure.
Kellison, T.B. & Orr, M. (2021). Climate Vulnerability as a Catalyst for Early Stadium Replacement. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship.
Orr, M. (2020). On the potential impacts of climate change on baseball and cross-country skiing. Managing Sport & Leisure, 25(4), 307-320
Orr, M. & Inoue, Y. (2019). Sport versus Climate: introducing the climate vulnerability of sport organizations framework. Sport Management Review, 22(4), 452-463.
Orr, M. & Schneider, I. (2018). Substitution interests among active-sport tourists: The case of a cross-country ski event. Journal of Sport & Tourism, 22(4).