Born in Banff, Alberta, and raised in Whitehorse, Yukon, Coates is a renowned and well-respected scholar, educator and commentator. He is passionate about the topics of Indigenous rights, northern development, northern Canadian history, science, technology and society.
Coates has taught and led at universities across Canada, including the University of Waterloo, University of New Brunswick, University of Northern British Columbia and University of Saskatchewan. He also spent two years at the University of Waikato in New Zealand, an institution known globally for its work on Indigenous education.
