Dr. Solina Richter

Dr. Solina Richter joined the University of Alberta Faculty of Nursing in 2003, following extensive community health experience in South Africa. She is also a trained midwife and has managed a private clinic in South Africa focusing on perinatal educational and postnatal care. 

Her research program focuses on the social determinants of health, and more specifically research on homelessness to inform public policies and frontline practices that protect and promote health of the low socioeconomic and homeless populations. Dr. Richter believes that global collaboration has always been a fundamental part of scholarly development; globalization is accelerating the scope, rate and importance of international research.  She highlights that global collaboration is a prerequisite to bring different perspectives to dialogue on key national and global issues; it facilitates our contribution to the global collection of knowledge and expertise on the management of the social determinants of health. It is essential that researchers combine resources and expertise on an international scale to adequately address complex and interconnected global issues.

Dr. Richter's research program focuses on building capacity for partnerships and collaboration to address global health related to homelessness. She has completed a large study on the Canadian media’s interest and perception of the homeless and homelessness. Some of the findings of this study indicated that people that are experiencing homelessness are seen as a homogeneous population; although the needs of the subpopulations within the homeless populations are very different. Her interest has shifted to address some of these needs. Current projects relate to homelessness in the university student population, youth that is at risk of becoming homeless, homeless mother and experiences of health care workers delivery care to homeless women.

Selected Publications

  • Richter, M.S., Kovacs Burns, K & Botha A.D.H (In Press) Planning for Global Homelessness Research: A Joint Canadian-South African Initiative. Online Journal of Social Sciences Research (Accepted June 2012).
  • Mao, Y., Richter, M.S., Kovacs Burns, K. & Chaw-Kant, J. (In press). Homelessness Coverage, Social Reality, and Media Ownership: Comparing A National Newspaper with Two Regional Newspapers in Canada. Journal of Mass Communication and Journalism (accepted June 2012).
  • Richter, M.S., Mill, J., Muller,C.E., Kahwa, E., Etowa, J., Dawkins, P. & Hepburn, C. (In Press). Nurses Engagement in AIDS Policy Development. International Nursing Review (Accepted April 2012).
  • Kovacs Burns, K. & Richter, M.S. (In Press). Alberta’s Urban Homelessness Research Capacities: A Comprehensive Environmental Scan from 1990 to 2010. Canadian Journal of Urban Research (Accepted March 2012).
  • Richter, M.S., Kovacs Burns, K., Mao, Y, Chaw-Kant, J., Calder, M., Mogale, S., Goin, L. & Schnell, K. (2011). Homelessness Coverage in Canadian newspaper: 1987 to 2007. Canadian Journal of Communication, 36 (4), 619-636.

Solina Richter

Solina Richter RN, DCur
Associate Professor

Email: solina.richter@ualberta.ca
Phone: 780.492.7953
Fax: 780.492.2551
Office: 5-269 ECHA

Mailing address:
Faculty of Nursing
Level 3, Edmonton Clinic Health Academy 
11405 87 Avenue
University of Alberta
Edmonton Alberta T6G 1C9


  • Postdoctoral fellowship, Health Sciences Council, University of Alberta.  (July 2005 – June 2008).  
  • D Cur Nursing, Rand Afrikaans University (2001)
  • M Cur Nursing, University of Pretoria (1997)
  • BCur (Hons), University of Pretoria (1994)
  • BA (Cur) (Community Nursing Science, Nursing Management and Nursing Education). University of South Africa (1990)
  • Diploma in Midwifery (Cum Laude). S G Lourens Nursing College, Pretoria, South Africa (1985)
  • Bachelor of Nursing Science (General and Psychiatric Nursing). University of Stellenbosch (1984)