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Mar.26 – Starting the Conversation with Bonny Lynn Donovan

March 21, 2025

Please join Bonny Lynn Donovan for her Starting the Conversation talk:

Visiting with the tmxʷulaxʷ: Indigenous ecocultural literacy in the early learning years  

Wednesday, March 26
12:00 to 1:00 pm
Arts 368, In-person
Via Zoom, please e-mail: Icer.ok@ubc.ca 

Bonny Lynn’s qualitative study addresses ecological sustainability through Indigenous language reclamation and the intergenerational transfer of traditional ecological knowledge to early learners, as Indigenous anti-colonial praxis.  

 In this culturally sustaining/revitalizing Indigenous Early Childhood Education for Sustainability (ECEfS) study, a traditional mentor/apprenticeship education model was used with four-year-old preschoolers and middle years students (grades six to eight) from a Syilx/Okanagan band school.  

 An Indigenous Participatory Action Research (IPAR) design centered the voices of the children, the nsyilxcǝn language, and ecological knowledge from the Land. 

 Bonny Lynn was a recipient of The ICER Student Community Engaged Research Award in 2024.

Bio: 

Bonny Lynn is a Métis PhD candidate in the Community Engagement, Social Change, and Equity (CESCE) Theme. Her co-supervisors are Dr. Jeannette Armstrong and Dr. Leyton Schnellert. Bonny Lynn’s research interests include Indigenous ecocultural identity and literacy, Indigenous language reclamation, and early childhood education.  

 

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Mar.12 – CER Storyteller Series with Dr. John Wagner

March 11, 2025

Join us on Wednesday, March 12 for a conversation between Dr. John Wagner, and ICER director, Dr. Christine Schreyer!

11:00 am to 12:00: Storyteller conversation

12:00 to 1:00: Pizza lunch for in person attendees

John Wagner 

John is an environmental anthropologist situated on the UBC Okanagan campus. He has been studying water governance issues in the Okanagan Valley and the Columbia River Basin since 2004, focusing especially on the role of agriculture in water governance systems. He also conducts research in Papua New Guinea and currently collaborates with other researchers and the Kala Language Committee on a language documentation project focused on Kala knowledge of their aquatic environment.  

To register: Please email icer.ok@ubc.ca

Please indicate if you’ll be joining on-line or in-person. In-person registration is limited to 25. If you’re joining in-person, kindly include any dietary restrictions and allergies in your email.

 

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Feb. 26 – On Air: Podcasting 101 Workshop with Kailee Fawcett

February 13, 2025

Wednesday, February 26,
1:00 to 2:30 pm
Arts 368, in person
Zoom – email icer.ok@ubc.ca for the link

Kailee Fawcett is a 4th year Bachelor of Media Studies student and ICER’s Podcast and Video Editor, hosting a beginner-friendly workshop on podcasting essentials.

What you will learn:

  • Planning and Pre-production
  • Recording and equipment
  • Editing and publishing
  • Promotion and marketing

 

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Feb. 5 – Starting a Conversation with Denica Bleau: Indigenous Land-based Program Framework for Criminalization and Institutionalization

January 28, 2025

Please join Denica Bleau for the next Starting the Conversation!

Woman looking off to the right, standing in front of a brick wall.

Denica Bleau (she/her). Photo credit: Yarrow Froehler

Wednesday, Feb. 5

12:00 noon to 1:00 pm, PST

Arts 368 in person

Zoom: please email icer.ok@ubc.ca for the link

 

Indigenous Land-based Program Framework for Criminalization and Institutionalization 

Imprisonment within Canada has been used as early as 1849 to exercise control over Indigenous populations and extinguish Indigenous rights, resulting in trauma and detrimentally effecting mental, emotional, spiritual, physical, and economic health of Indigenous people and Nations.  

Denica has been working with Splatsin, an Indigenous community within the Secwepemc Nation, to develop an Indigenous Land-based Program Framework, for individuals who have been criminalized and/or institutionalized (prison) and are returning to community. Through Story, Denica will reflect about her approach to research, community partnership, and being led by an Indigenous Land-based Story Methodology.  

Bio:

Denica Bleau (she/her) is a Métis counsellor, advocate, and artist, originally from Treaty 4. Denica has worked/volunteered within the Indigenous communities of Turtle Island, Pictish and Gaelic Celt (Celtic), and Incan Territories, in the realms of counselling within prison and following release. Denica’s research is focused on Indigenous Land-based healing from the effects of criminalized and institutionalized trauma. 

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Jan. 29 – Starting a Conversation with Dante Carter: Nanâtawihowin (Healing & Finding Place) through Economic Self-Determination

January 28, 2025

Please join Dante Carter for the next Starting the Conversation!

Image of woman with longer brown hair, wearing a green top, facing the camera. Background is trees in front of a brick wall.

Dante Carter

Nanâtawihowin (Healing & Finding Place) through Economic Self-Determination

Wed. Jan. 29, 2025

12:00 pm to 1:00 pm, PST

2:00 pm to 3:00 pm CST

Arts 368, or via Zoom (email: icer.ok@ubc.ca for the link)

Everyone is welcome!

 

Nanâtawihowin (Healing & Finding Place) through Economic Self-Determination

This study explores the relationship between economic abuse, wellbeing, and economic self-determination among nêhiyawak women and Two-Spirit individuals in Onion Lake. Inspired by personal experiences growing up in the community, the research investigates how participants navigate economic abuse to foster wellbeing and identifies protective factors that support healing. Drawing on literature about gender-based violence—particularly economic abuse as a form of intimate partner violence (IPV)—as well as historic and present-day economic influences, the study aims to deepen understanding of the connections between economic challenges and nêhiyawak wellbeing. This work highlights the resilience and self-determination of Indigenous women and Two-Spirit individuals.

Bio:

Dante Carter is a nêhiyaw-iskwêw from Onion Lake Cree Nation, SK. She is in her second year of her masters program in the IIGS Indigenous Knowledges Theme. Her community-based research, focused on nanâtawihowin (Healing & Finding Place), delves into economic development that enhances community supports for Indigenous women and Two-Spirited folx within her home community.

Dante received an ICER Student CER Award in 2024 to support her research.

 

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2025 ICER student CER award applications are now open!

December 10, 2024

In recognition of ICER’s commitment to supporting students involved in community engaged research, we are providing three $1000 awards 2025.

The awards offer financial support to current UBC Okanagan graduate, or in exceptional circumstances, undergraduate, students. The recipients should be actively involved in community engaged research projects or activities and have a community partner. The purpose of the award is to assist with supporting research and building closer ties with the community.

Application Deadline: Monday, January 13, 2025 (at midnight)

Eligibility:
• Applicants must be students of UBC Okanagan;
• Graduate, or in exceptional circumstances undergraduate, students; and
• Actively involved in community engaged research.

Following the completion of their research, award recipients are invited to present their research at a ‘Starting the Conversation’ – ICER’s brown bag discussion series. And their names will be published in the ICER newsletter and social media.

APPLY HERE

The applications are reviewed by a panel of three reviewers who use the matrix below to guide their decisions.

  1. Research and research question exemplifies collaboration with community partners. The application indicates that project is initiated by or is research desired by the community. /15
  2. Research Methods are appropriate to community engaged research? /5
  3. Research Methods are feasible and well thought out? /10
  4. Student have thought of how to effectively report the findings of their research to the community. /10

If you have questions, please email icer.ok@ubc.ca

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Nov.27 Starting a Conversation with Rheanne Kroshinsky, Marni Turek and Natalie Forssman!

November 26, 2024

Watersheds and the Institution: Extension as a Bridge for Hydrosocial Communities

We hope you can join us for tomorrow’s Starting the Conversation with Rheanne Kroshinsky, Marni Turek and Natalie Forssman!

Wednesday, Nov. 27
1:00  to 2:00 pm
Arts 368, UBC Okanagan, in-person and via Zoom.

Please register by emailing: icer.ok@ubc.ca

The University of British Columbia, Okanagan, is uniquely positioned to expand the development of a robust watershed extension program, catalyzing the institution’s blossoming community partnerships and bridging internal and community expertise into synergistic opportunities. This theoretical and applied research offers an exploration of the current context of extension and extension-related programming in Canadian and American institutions, and provides suggestions toward the implementation of such a program at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan, situated in place-based knowledge and focused upon the challenges faced by regional multi-use source watersheds.

 

Speakers:

Rheanne Kroschinsky: PhD student in water governance at UBC Okanagan and visiting fellow at the POLIS Project on Ecological Governance, University of Victoria. Her research focuses on governance frameworks for community watersheds in British Columbia.

Marni Turek: Watershed Research Extension Facilitator at UBC Okanagan. Marni develops programs to enhance community engagement and knowledge sharing on watershed topics.
 
Natalie Forssman: Assistant Professor in Community Culture and Global Studies at UBC Okanagan, specializing in environment, culture, and science communication. She leads pedagogical efforts for UBCO’s new Bachelor of Sustainability program.

Starting the Conversations is an informal speaker’s series – everyone is welcome!

Please share with interested audiences. Thank you!

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Institute for Community Engaged Research (ICER) Introductions and Updates 

October 30, 2024

The Institute for Community Engaged Research (ICER) is located on the third floor of the ARTS building in Arts 368 (UBC Okanagan campus).  

Effective July 1, Dr. Christine Schreyer assumed the director’s role from Dr. Jon Corbett. Many of you know Dr. Christine Schreyer through her work with the Nsyilxcn Language Fluency program. You can read more about her work here. Her office continues to be ARTS 368C. 

Jon Corbett has become the department head for Community, Culture and Global Studies and his new office is now on the second floor in Arts 267.  With Jon’s departure, we’re delighted to welcome Dr. John Lyon and Dallas Goodwater to the ICER space where they are sharing ARTS 368B.  Dr. John Lyon teaches in the Bachelor of Nsylxcn Language Fluence degree, and Dallas is the Community Liaison and Instructional Coordinator for Community, Culture and Global Studies.  

We’re also delighted to welcome Dr. Aaron Derrickson to the ICER space. Dr. Derrickson is a lecturer in the department of Community, Culture and Global Studies and is working out of Arts 368D while Dr. Berg is on sabbatical.  

The Institute has a social drop-in hour on Tuesdays from 11:30 to 12:30, and “Shut-up and Write” drop- in hours on Thursdays from 10:30 to 12:30. Everyone is welcome! 

And if you have any ideas for collaborations or a topic for our Starting the Conversation noon hour series – please contact us at icer.ok@ubc.ca . And you can keep up with events in ICER through our website and our Instagram and Facebook accounts, or sign up for the ICER monthly newsletter: icer.ok@ubc.ca 

 

 

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Nov.6 – Elements of Community Engaged Research: Co-Writing and Collaboration

October 29, 2024

Wednesday, November 6
1:00 to 2:00 pm PST
Arts 368 In-person (max 20 registrants)
Via Zoom

Please register by clicking here.

Join Amanda Brobbel, Senior Manager, Writing & Language Learning Services. Centre for Scholarly Communication, and Robin Metcalfe, PhD Candidate in IGS – Community Engagement, Social Change, and Equity, who will lead a workshop on co-writing, including what it is, the benefits, and approaches to co-writing. We will also discuss tips for researchers and community collaborators who might want to develop a co-writing practice.

Amanda Brobbel is the Senior Manager for writing and language learning services at UBC Okanagan. Amanda has worked with the Centre for Scholarly Communication since 2013 and has overseen UBCO’s peer to peer writing and language learning supports since 2014. Amanda is passionate about ensuring that all students can access services that will support them in achieving their goals.

Robin Metcalfe is completing a PhD at UBC Okanagan and supporting research projects with the UBC Canadian Institute for Inclusion and Citizenship, Canada’s only university-based research centre with a dedicated focus on social policy and issues concerned with the full inclusion and citizenship of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. An area of Robin’s focus is the new BC accessibility law.  Collaborative writing projects include feminist creative activism and disability justice knowledge from a Fiji perspective. 

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Oct. 16, 2024 – Join us for the next ICER Storyteller’s series with Dr. Rachelle Hole!

October 8, 2024

You’re invited to the next I-CER Storyteller Series featuring Dr. Rachelle Hole in conversation with ICER director, Dr. Christine Schreyer.

Wednesday, Oct. 16

Talk will be 11:30 am to 12:30 pm, and lunch from 12:30 to 1:30 pm

Via Zoom and In-person in Arts 368

NB Lunch will be provided, and in-person registration is limited to 25 people.

Registration is via Qualtrix: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_41MuOyASeNdlIlo

Rachelle is a professor in the UBC Okanagan School of Social Work, co-director of the UBC Canadian Institute for Inclusion and Citizenship, and a Tier 1 UBC Okanagan Principal’s Research Chair in Critical Disability Studies. She is passionate about community engaged research, particularly research informed by the principles of disability justice.

We hope you can join us!

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