The Canadian Indigenous Science and Engineering Society, a
National Chapter of AISES – the American Indian Science and Engineering Society,
hosted their second National gathering at McGill University last weekend. From
February 28 – March 3, Indigenous Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
students and professionals gathered from across the country. Sponsored this
year by McGill University, Rio Tinto and Engineers Canada, many incredible
presentations and workshops took place. These presentations showed the students
that not only have we, as Indigenous people, been engineers and innovators
since long before contact, but that Indigenous STEM professionals often walk
the journey of two eyed seeing, and naturally bring their Indigenous
perspectives into everything that we do. The University of Manitoba, Queens
University, the University of Saskatchewan, the University of Toronto and the
University of British Columbia are really paving the way in
Aboriginal/Indigenous Access to Engineering programs, there were great tips and
suggestions on how best to do this. Since I am developing a similar program for
the University of Calgary, I was excited to learn that there was a wealth of
experience I could draw upon.
Many Indigenous STEM professionals presented on their
journeys. I was especially inspired by the multiple conversations around virtue
ethics and duty ethics, and how we can ensure both are integrated into the
Engineering Profession. A few universities, including the University of
Calgary, the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, University of British
Columbia and University of Victoria, are starting down the first steps of
“Indigenizing” STEM curricula. It is wonderful to know we are not alone in this
work.
Most inspiring to me was the students, and the feedback I
received from them reminded me why we do this work. Many expressed feeling
isolated as often the only Indigenous student in their class. To now have a
community and a network for support with like-minded students and professionals
was life changing for them.
