The sexual assault trial of five former World Juniors hockey players has spotlighted issues around sexual assault and consent.

Sexual assault, intimate partner violence and other forms of gender-based violence aren’t inevitable. Kindergarten to Grade 12 public schools have an ethical obligation to enact sexuality education that is responsive to current contexts, respects human diversity, empowers young people and is rooted in human rights.

We argue for harnessing popular media to advance sexuality education. Children and youth learn about a great deal about gender, relationships, sexuality and consent from popular media.

Although there is strong theoretical rationale for using popular media to confront sexual assault, many teachers identify and experience barriers to putting this into practice in their classrooms.

Read the full article here. 

The SISF provides support for initiatives from faculty and staff that align with UM’s strategic goals – creating knowledge that matters, empowering learners, and reimagining engagement – while also advancing UM’s core commitments to fostering a vibrant community, advancing Reconciliation, and building a sustainable future. For the 2025-2026 year, projects focused on advancing unit-level priorities that moved forward our shared institutional goals.

A MomentUM Implementation Plan will be shared this summer to guide faculties and units in aligning their planning efforts with university-wide goals. In the meantime, recent SISF projects illustrate the kind of transformative work already underway.

A new hub for digital and media literacies in the Faculty of Education

With SISF support, the Faculty of Education has transformed its traditional computer lab into the new Digital Literacies Lab – a digital media production space designed to advance novel and inclusive teaching, learning, and research, and foster creative, transformative knowledge mobilization and community engagement through digital media. The new lab includes audio and video production and editing equipment and software, GenAI tools, and a podcast production room.

Officially opened in January of this year, the Digital Literacies Lab is already enabling faculty innovation and enriching student learning experiences, involving forms of media such as video and audio podcasts, video essays, sound postcards, digital stories, and documentaries. The lab has facilitated digital and media literacies education, media-integrated research, computer-assisted qualitative data analysis and Generative AI workshops, and knowledge mobilization initiatives.

The Digital Literacies Lab is also fostering cross-faculty collaborations and engaging the wider community. Several classes of newcomers from the River East Transcona School Division have already visited the lab, and upcoming visits are anticipated by Grade 7-9 students in the Faculty of Education’s CanU afterschool program. The lab has supported several UM student podcast initiatives, and through additional funding from the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Seed Fund, Amir Michalovich, SISF Project Lead and Faculty of Education Assistant Professor, will use the technologies to explore live podcasting in class for student engagement, dialogic learning, and communicative skills development.

Michalovich notes, “Digital and multimodal literacies are essential in today’s world, particularly for critically and equitably thinking, meaning, relating, doing, and becoming through digital media. We are very excited about the ways the new Digital Literacies Lab will strengthen innovative and inclusive teaching and research, while also providing a valuable service to K-12, post-secondary, and adult learners across Manitoba.”

Students and staff recording a podcast in the Digital Literacies Lab.

Engineering students witness the realities of hydro development in Northern Manitoba

A collaboration between Jillian Seniuk Cicek (Department of Engineering Education, Price Faculty of Engineering) and Peter Kulchyski (Department of Indigenous Studies, Faculty of Arts) resulted in a week-long immersive learning experience that brought classroom teachings on decolonizing and Indigenizing engineering into the field.

Last summer, eleven undergraduate and graduate students, along with an engineer, an architect, four faculty members, and one community guide, visited six Cree Nations in northern Manitoba – Misipawistik (Grand Rapids), Nisichawayasihk (Nelson House), Pimicikamak (Cross Lake), Makso Sakahigan (Fox Lake), Tataskweyak (Split Lake), O-Pipon-Na-Piwin (South Indian Lake), and Kinoa Sipi (Norway House) – to learn directly from community members about the social, environmental, and cultural effects of hydroelectric development. Indigenous community members spoke of environmental destruction, experiences of racism, broken promises, and internal community division over proposed and implemented projects. Participants also heard powerful accounts of strength and resilience shown by local leaders in the face of these challenges. Their stories left a lasting and profound impact on the participants.

“The trip changed the way we understand the experiences of these Cree communities, and the devastating impact of engineering projects on community members’ lives and ways of being, knowing, doing, and relating,” says project co-lead and tour participant, Seniuk Cicek. “This understanding is crucial for engineering students and faculty as we work to learn the Truth and walk the path of Reconciliation in both engineering education and the profession.”

Grand Rapids Generating Station, visited by a group of engineering students and faculty members to learn about the impact of hydroelectric development on Northern Indigenous communities.

Ernest Turner (left) from Misipawistik Cree Nation (Grand Rapids) speaks with Peter Kulchyski and the group. They stand on the dry riverbed where the Grand Rapids once flowed, a place of deep cultural, spiritual, and economic significance to the community.

Enhancing student wellness through improved private spaces

The Student Wellness Centre (SWC) is an important resource hub for student health and mental well-being, offering drop-in and appointment services with health and wellness professionals and trained peer educators. It also hosts a variety of preventive and promotional health initiatives.

Since opening in 2023, the SWC has seen steady growth in both programming and student engagement. As awareness of these resources grows, students are increasingly seeking one-on-one health-focused support from Healthy U peer volunteers, highlighting the need for a private space for these important and confidential conversations. To meet this need, the SWC received funding from the Strategic Initiatives Support Fund and the Bell Let’s Talk Implementation Grant to install a four-person privacy pod. Since its installation, the pod has significantly enhanced the Centre’s ability to offer confidential, student-centered care, helping students feel supported and empowered to thrive.

Arlana Vadnais, Associate Director, Wellness and Prevention, Student Support, says, “The pod allows us to offer students seeking peer support a comfortable, welcoming, and much more private space than before. It also greatly enhances the multi-purpose use of the Student Wellness Centre, as it is used for team meetings, planning sessions and trainings.”

The newly installed privacy pod room in the Student Wellness Centre.

Learn more about projects funded

These projects are just three examples of how the Strategic Initiatives Support Fund is helping the University of Manitoba move from strategic planning to meaningful action. As the new funding cycle begins, the university community looks forward to seeing how this year’s recipients will continue to advance shared priorities through creative and impactful initiatives.

Visit the Strategic Initiatives Support Fund intranet page for a list of 2025-2026 fund recipients.

Ahead of his TEDx Winnipeg talk, Dr. Mizzi shares what he learned from attending Pride events across Canada, how they build resilience in the face of rising hate, and why supporting queer and trans lives in rural communities is deeply personal for him.

To listen to the entire conversation, please follow the link to CBC Manitoba.

Hosted by the Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic), the event honoured recipients of teaching awards, community engagement awards, Merit Awards, and those granted Tenure.

Dr. Michael Benarroch, President and Vice-Chancellor, and Dr. Diane Hiebert-Murphy, Provost and Vice-President (Academic), presented each award and expressed their gratitude to faculty members for their dedication, innovation, and meaningful contributions to the university.

Together, these faculty members are leading the change envisioned in our strategic plan – advancing knowledge, empowering learners, and strengthening connections with communities within and beyond the UM community.

Congratulations to all the honourees:

Olive Beatrice Stanton Award for Excellence in Teaching (2024)

• Sarah Cooper (Faculty of Architecture)

University of Manitoba Graduate Students’ Association (UMGSA) Teaching Award (2024)

• Nandika Bandara (Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences)

Dr. and Mrs. Ralph Campbell Outreach Award (2024)

• Deborah McPhail (Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences)

Community Engagement Fund Award (2024)

• Jacquie Dawson (Desautels Faculty of Music)
• Katrina Dunn (Faculty of Arts)
• Blair Fornwald (School of Art)
• David Herbert (Faculty of Science)
• Richard Milgrom (Faculty of Architecture)
• Victoria Sparks (Desautels Faculty of Music)
• Qiuyan Yuan (Price Faculty of Engineering)

Merit Award (2023)

Each year, Merit Awards are awarded to faculty members for their outstanding achievements in teaching, research, scholarly work and creative activities, and service in three different categories. View the 2023 recipient list here.

Tenure (2025)

• Karen Alley (Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources)
• Mandy Archibald (College of Nursing, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences)
• Ahmed Ashraf (Price Faculty of Engineering)
• Shawn Bailey (Faculty of Architecture)
• Matthew Bakker (Faculty of Science)
• Katherine Boyer (School of Art)
• Kirstin Brink (Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources)
• Jacob Burgess (Faculty of Science)
• Sean Carleton (Faculty of Arts)
• Jeremy Chopek (Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences)
• Sarah Cooper (Faculty of Architecture)
• Bruno De Oliveira Jayme (Faculty of Education)
• Lucy Delgado (Faculty of Education)
• Elsie Duff (College of Nursing, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences)
• Katrina Dunn (Faculty of Arts)
• Paul Durkin (Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources
• Sherif Eltonsy (College of Pharmacy, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences)
• Amy Farrell (Faculty of Education)
• Moni Fricke (College of Rehabilitation Science, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences)
• Lauren Goegan (Faculty of Education)
• Gayle Halas (Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences)
• Sreemali Herath (Faculty of Education)
• Junyon Im (I. H. Asper School of Business)
• Meaghan Jones (Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences)
• Muhammad Kabir (I. H. Asper School of Business)
• Aaron Kim (Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences
• Karl Kohut (Desautels Faculty of Music)
• Kaarina Kowalec (College of Pharmacy, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences)
• Susan Logue (Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences)
• Shannon Moore (Faculty of Education)
• Vimi Mutalik (Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences)
• Shaylene Nancekivell (Faculty of Arts)
• Chris Pascoe (Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences)
• Kiran Pedada (I. H. Asper School of Business)
• Beryl Peters (Faculty of Education)
• Julie Pfeffer (Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences)
• Dake Qi (College of Pharmacy, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences)
• Fabio Ragnelli (Faculty of Music)
• Diana Sanchez-Ramirez (College of Rehabilitation Science, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences)
• Jill Stobart (College of Pharmacy, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences)
• Patricia Thille (College of Rehabilitation Science, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences)
• Brandon Trask (Faculty of Law)
• Dana Turcotte (College of Pharmacy, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences)
• Miguel Uyaguari (Faculty of Science)
• Shaowei Wang (Faculty of Science)
• Jennifer Watt (Faculty of Education)
• Ratchel Zeng (I. H. Asper School of Business)

The year associated with each award differs due to the timeframe of program. Learn more about the awards on the Faculty Awards webpage.

A Commitment to Inclusion

“This work is deeply important and personal to me,” said Delgado, whose accomplishments also include co-founding  Pawaatamihk: Journal of Métis Thinkers and  Mamawi Project . “I have been involved in Métis community organizing for years, and I want to ensure that Métis women and 2S/IQ people feel welcome, supported, and able to be all parts of themselves. This research will help us better understand how to create spaces that are safe, supportive, and culturally sustaining.”

The project aims to develop a Framework of Métis Gathering Design (FMGD) and implement it through three gatherings across the Métis homeland—Winnipeg, Saskatoon, and Edmonton—in partnership with Métis educational institutions such as the Louis Riel Institute and Rupertsland Institute.

Meaningful goals

Delgado will aim to identify cultural markers that contribute to culturally sustaining spaces, create a framework for gathering design, and assess the impact of these gatherings on health outcomes. “Through this work, we hope to provide clear directives for public institutions—such as universities, hospitals, and schools—on how to create and support Métis-specific spaces,” Delgado explained.

More about Lucy Delgato and Research Collaborators

The historic grant adds to Delgado’s impressive body of work, which has consistently focused on Métis-specific initiatives and advocacy for Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer communities.  Delgado can also be seen featured in the new City of Winnipeg video series From Time Immemorial to Tomorrow: Indigenous Perspectives on Winnipeg 150

Regarding the work ahead, Delgado will collaborate with Co-Principal Applicant Dr. Laura Forsythe (UWinnipeg), Co-Investigator Dr. Michelle S. Driedger (UManitoba, Community Health Sciences), and Co-Investigator Dr. Heather Foulds (University of Saskatchewan).

Learn more about CIHR (Canadian Institutes of Health Research) Project Grant here.

Chris Hay, “Place Writing in Educational Contexts: Studies of Practice”
Research Supervisor: Michelle Honeyford

Part of my role on the research team was to co-facilitate and transcribe interviews and focus groups with educators who participated in Summer Writing Institutes led by the principal investigators of the study, Dr. Michelle Honeyford and Dr. Jennifer Watt. Their experiential framework was designed to engage educators in “profoundly impactful writing experiences through which they learn to see themselves as writers”. I  analyzed the data that emerged from the interviews through poetic inquiry and arts-based research.

I was inspired by Dr. Honeyford’s instruction in “Teaching Senior Years English Language Arts” on multi-modalities, and thinking about texts and assessments in broader, deeper, and nontraditional ways. This study prompted me to critically reflect on my practices as a teacher candidate, writer and teacher of writing, and visual artist, intentionally developing a responsive practice that aligns with the principles of Mamàhtawisiwin.

I have developed a deeper understanding of how to address sensitive topics like consent and gender-based sexual violence in educational settings, which will be invaluable in creating a safe and inclusive classroom environment for my future students.

Working with my supervisors, I was given the freedom, trust, and encouragement to use my skills, knowings, and passions to further expand on the project. They also offered me the following feedback: “Chris made significant contributions to the research and to the project. Her sensitivities as a teacher, visual artist, and researcher were invaluable. She brought her tremendous insights to the data as a visual artist, utilizing poetic inquiry and collage to create stunning pieces from/with the data.”

Faatimah Kamalodeen, “Towards decolonized and transformative educational practices: Insights from refugee family narratives of their exilic journeys”
Research Supervisor: Dr. Sreemali Herath

Currently, I am pursuing my B.Ed to become a certified teacher in Manitoba. We are receiving many refugee students in our schools that have disrupted education and heartbreaking life experiences. This research project helps me to have trauma-informed approaches by understanding the background of my refugee students.

We worked with multi-generational refugee families using narrative and arts-based methods to generate data to gain a deep understating of the exilic journey these families took. We aimed to understand the journey through refugee family narratives of their journeys to Canada. We did this by assembling artifacts refugee families associate with the journey and collecting and then analyzing historical fiction on refugee journeys by Canadian refugee authors.

Our team consisted of multicultural and multilingual team members and Dr. Sreemali values and appreciates and each of their work. Since our human study that involved trauma, Dr. Sreemali lead the way by ensuring humanity for our research participants by makinf them feel comfortable to share their traumatic journeys. Learning from her example, this has encouraged me to become a thoughtful leader whenever I assume a leadership role.

Dr. Sreemali also provided the following feedback: “As a pre-service teacher, Faatimah was curious to learn more about what teachers in Manitoba can to do support children and families of refugee backgrounds to provide the language support they need. This curiosity stemmed from what she experienced first-hand during her practicum experiences. The research gave her a unique opportunity to learn about refugeeism and the challenges students faced in school.”

Brooke Jackson, “Missing the Point: A Critical Discourse Analysis of the Manitoba Education Grades 9 and 10 Human Sexuality Curriculum Resources”
Research Supervisors: Shannon Moore and Jennifer Watt

My research examined the Manitoba Grades 9 and 10 Human Sexuality curriculum through a Critical Discourse Analysis to identify gaps in how it addresses key concepts such as gender, consent, and gender-based sexual violence (GBSV). Findings revealed that ‘consent’ is mentioned only minimally, and that the curriculum lacks inclusive, research-informed content on gender and sexual orientation.

My inspiration for this research comes from my passion as a Physical & Health Education preservice teacher and my belief in the importance of addressing gender-based sexual violence in the classroom. I see it as essential to empowering students with knowledge about consent and gender roles, especially as these issues are portrayed in media and shape young people’s perceptions.

Through this experience, I have developed a deeper understanding of how to address sensitive topics like consent and gender-based sexual violence in educational settings, which will be invaluable in creating a safe and inclusive classroom environment for my future students. My faculty mentors provided invaluable support, especially as we navigated the sensitive topics within our research. Their professionalism and encouragement made me feel confident in exploring complex issues, and their guidance helped shape my approach to addressing these subjects effectively. 

I would advise other undergraduate students to pursue research topics they are truly passionate about, as this will keep them motivated especially through challenges. Also, don’t hesitate to reach out to mentors for guidance at any time!

Lauryn Handoga, “Can’t Fold Now: Producing critical feminist media resources to enact ethical sex education”
Research Supervisor: Dr. Jennifer Watt and Dr. Shannon D. Moore

As a URA, I contributed to a research initiative focused on empowering educators to address Gender-Based Sexual Violence (GBSV) in classrooms through critical feminist media literacy education. Recognizing that media profoundly shapes young people’s perceptions of gender, consent, and relationships, I designed and co-developed a deck of “I Spy with My Feminist Eye” pedagogical playing cards grounded in critical media literacy and feminist theory for teachers to use in their classrooms. The cards provide popular media examples alongside prompts for reflection, analysis, and creative production, to help teachers facilitate discussion on gender, consent, and sexual violence, in the classroom through a critical feminist media literacy lens.

In my future career, I will be teaching students who are in arguably the most formative ages of their life (ages 10-14), and who are internalizing harmful messages about consent, relationships, and gender from the media. If left uncontested by educators, these harmful messages from popular media will continue to shape their understanding of themselves and others. I believe it is my responsibility as an educator to teach about consent, gender, and relationships through this lens.

If you are an undergraduate students considering to engage in research, I would encourage you to find a faculty member that is researching something that personally interests you and be brave – and go for it. It will be such a rewarding and profoundly impactful experience that you will carry into your career.

2024 URA recipients from the Faculty of Education also included:

Serena Chan, Levelling Up, “Developing a Game for Students with ADHD and LD Transitioning from High School to Postsecondary Education”
Research Supervisor: Dr. Lauren Goegan

Meghan Young, Katie Anderson, Lauren G. Hallett, “Mending the gap: A guide to Indigiqueering the curriculum”
Research Supervisor: Dr. Lucy Delgado

“Congratulations to these researchers who are probing new directions in social sciences and humanities research,” said Mario Pinto, vice-president (research & international). “The success of these projects speaks highly of the quality of emerging fundamental research at UM.”

UM 2024 Insight Development Grant recipients include:

Namita Bhatnagar, Professor & F. Ross Johnson Fellow, Marketing Department

Sensitive women and rational men: Bridging the gender divide in consumer and employee green behaviours

This project seeks to facilitate greater participation of both men and women in pro-environmentalism by identifying de-stigmatizing strategies in the current discourse. Men may worry about a “green-feminine” or “caring women” stereotype, while women may be hindered by heightened anxiety in male-dominated domains associated with a “tech-savvy men” stereotype. Bhatnagar proposes a multi-phase consumer and organizational exploration of the interplay between varied gender stereotypes and environmental sustainability in contexts that are traditionally homemaking adjacent and those that are affiliated with the contemporary green tech movement.

David Drewes, Associate Professor, Department of Religion

Early Scholarship on Buddhism

Focused on the beginnings of scholarship on Buddhism in the first half of the nineteenth century, Drewes seeks to examine two lesser known but significant sources of ideas and influence. This includes early publications of the Wesleyan Methodist Mission to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and the work of Horace Hayman Wilson, the first Boden professor of Sanskrit at Oxford.

Amy Farrell, Assistant Professor, Curriculum, Teaching and Learning

Ikwe and Amik: Indigenous storying and feminine being within and beyond the Fur Trade, an educational inquiry

Farrell seeks to address the urgent need for Indigenous women’s voices in the history of the fur trade, which have been largely excluded from literature and records. This research employs an innovative Indigenous storying methodology to intricately blend culturally significant Indigenous knowledge and worldview. Using creative fiction to portray collective experiences, the enduring value of women’s roles can be emphasized.

Jennifer Watt, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Education

We Interrupt this Programming: Confronting Gender Based Sexual Violence through Critical Media Literacies in K-12 Schools

With this project, Watt and co-investigator Shannon Moore aims to confront barriers to teaching about consent, gender-based sexual violence and support survivors in K-12 schools using popular media as a catalyst for change. This research is urgently needed by educators and school systems to understand how critical media literacies can be harnessed to confront and disrupt the many ways that gender-based sexual violence exists in society. Learn more on the We Interrupt this Programming webpage.

Bruno De Oliveira Jayme, Assistant Professor, Curriculum, Teaching and Learning

Social Movement Learning – An Exploration of Quality Education Through Participatory Video

De Olivera Jayme seeks to address the gaps between formal and informal education with actionable steps for more equitable and participatory learning practices. What and how Canadian school system can learn from educational grassroots movements from South America? Working with the vibrant Slum Defense Movement from São Paulo, Brazil, this study uses arts-based participatory action research to identify insights that can inform formal education in North America.

Muhammad Kabir, Assistant Professor, Accounting & Finance Department

Auditor Liability, Firm-level Audit Quality, and Investment: The Effect of the Livent Case on Canadian Firms

This project will test how changes in auditors’ litigation risk affect audit quality and investments in Canada, providing empirical evidence supporting the work of regulators. Kabir will mobilize this evidence to inform how increased liability may positively or adversely affect audit quality and demonstrate how firms respond to their investment decisions as their auditors’ liability changes. Read Muhammad Kabir’s most recent publication on ScienceDirect.

Jody Stark, Associate Professor, Desautels Faculty of Music

Developing and Piloting a Local Music Pedagogy

This collaborative research project engages local music educators along with representatives of various community arts organizations to create a decolonizing framework for music education in Treaty 1 territory. The results of this innovative project will allow the Stark research team to pilot a locally-informed music pedagogy and provide guidance to educators, policy makers and community arts organizations for community-school collaborations as a way to decolonize and Indigenize music education. Read Jody Stark’s publications on Academia.

Jie Yang, Assistant Professor, Business Administration Department

My Turf, My Rules: Investigating the Roles of Customers in Product Categorization

This project will offer a more holistic understanding of product categorization by investigating the roles of individual customers in the categorization process. Product categorization involves assigning one or more category labels to a product. Existing literature has predominantly focused on how producers, for the purposes of capturing monetary value, dominate the categorization of their products. Yang seeks to address the imbalance in category literature by reframing the relationship between product categories and economic outcomes within a customer-centered framework. Read Jie Yang’s most recent publication on SageJournals.

Xiumei Li, Assistant Professor, Business Administration Department

Entrepreneurial Success in Crowdfunding: The Art and Science of Sensemaking

Li employs a mixed method approach to investigate how entrepreneurs develop effective referencing strategies to actively engage audiences and secure necessary resources with crowdfunded ventures. This study will examine popular crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter, with a focus on entrepreneurs’ sensemaking around the relative nature of novelty and other key reference points.

Rawia Azzahrawi, PhD Student

Rawia Azzahrawi

Thesis: Translanguaging and Language Maintenance Among Arab Students: Immigrants and Refugees

This research study analyzes how participants develop positions and translanguaging identities, examining the distribution of rights, duties, and obligations through conversations and narratives. It delves into how Arab students utilize their linguistic abilities to acquire knowledge, enhance comprehension, and cultivate global identities. Through the use of English, Arabic, and translanguaging in various contexts among immigrant and refugee students, Rawia uncovers both similarities and differences influenced by their diverse experiences, cultural backgrounds, and social environments. It highlights the challenges these students face in communicating in their non-dominant language. Immigrant and refugee students acknowledge the value of bilingualism.

Ahmad Zirak Ghazani, PhD Student

Ahmad Zirak Ghazani

Thesis: “Mommy, Can We Speak English? Because It’s Embarrassing”: Exploring Identity Construction in Plurilingual Iranian-Canadian Children

This study looks at how kids who are first-generation Iranian-Canadians in Canada develop their identities when it comes to speaking different languages, and how they shape their plurilingual identities across various socio-cultural and educational settings. Using interviews, visual representations, and artifacts, Ahmad’s research explores three key themes: parents’ access to resources and capital, the significance of heritage language and identity, and the role of families and communities in language development support. Research findings reveal family language practices and emotional ties to their heritage are pivotal in fostering and preserving heritage language and identity. This study helps us understand how minors form plurilingual identities and and emphasizes the importance of comprehending social contexts and implementing effective language and socialization strategies to address these challenges.

Cara Colorado

Thesis: Policy Coordination to Support Manitoban Students with Mental Health and Substance Misuse

This dissertation looks at how policies can better support youth with Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders (MHSUD) in Manitoba’s public schools. Research findings reveal a lack of coordination in Manitoba from groups like schools, healthcare, and social services, resulting in inequity and barriers to care. Comparisons with British Columbia highlight models of higher-level coordination and coordinating actors. Despite efforts toward restorative responses, research highlights a lack of treatment and support options for youth with MHSUD. Comparisons with British Columbia highlight models of higher-level coordination and coordinating actors.

Heather Eckton, PhD student

Heather Eckton has worked as a teacher for 21 years in the Seven Oaks School Division and serves as the Climate Action Divisional Teacher Team Leader. In her role, she supports 28 schools with over 12,500 students in embracing climate actions rooted in climate justice, sustainability, and global citizenship. “I believe in student and educational leadership and the inherent gifts of all learners, nurturing these gifts to inspire hope and action.”

“I have a tremendous gratitude to the Indigenous peoples that have cared for these lands since time immemorial and continue to fight for land and water protection. Indigenous knowledge and wisdom offer invaluable opportunities to restore the Earth, as the deepest understanding of these lands, come from the Indigenous peoples.”

At the heart of the research is Eckton’s conviction in the capacity of children and youth to “make the world more beautiful and to inspire communities to create meaningful change. My vision involves helping learners and educators to embrace Participatory Action Research (PAR) as a catalyst for transformation.” This fellowship is not only about conducting research but also about Eckton’s efforts to support and assist Manitoba’s public schools and boards.

With increasing concerns over the mental health impacts of climate change, including eco-anxiety among youth, the role of educators includes becoming agents of change and empowering students. “By channeling fear into collective community climate action, we cultivate agency, purpose, and hope. Utilizing pedagogies like inquiry, project-based learning, land-based education, and experiential learning, we can ignite learners’ passion to become active participants in creating solutions and furthering their global competencies.”

Through longitudinal qualitative research, Eckton seeks to understand the evolving practices and perceptions of teachers as they engage in climate action projects with their students. “The goal is to develop recommendations for transforming schools and empowering learners as agents of change. Teachers must go beyond teaching the scientific facts of climate change, involving students in creating solutions and fostering an ethic of hope. This year-long Participatory Action Research study aims to achieve excellence in climate change education in Manitoba public schools.”

To new graduate students, Heather Eckton offers her own guided principle: to follow your North Star and inspire others to do the same. “The key takeaway from climate change education literature is that awareness alone does not lead to action; action leads to action, which can be transformative. It is crucial to invite children and youth to re-imagine a more beautiful world by embracing an ethic of care, eco-literacy, resilience, and empowering climate action for a more equitable world.”

The conference kicked off with the keynote address by Dr. Rheanna Robinson drawing on her lived experience as an Indigenous disabled scholar to discuss being an “unexpected academic” and how her scholarly research within Indigenous Disability Studies represents a compelling example of Indigenous knowledges offering the world meaningful representations of inclusion in diverse and varying ways.

The Education Graduate Student Research Conference was a three-day event which included presentations, round table discussions and posters around practice, research and theory themes. Panel discussions delved into topics such as culturally responsive teaching, equitable access to education and how to build inclusive communities.

Harnessing Technology for Learning

Technology continues to play an important role in education, sessions at the conference delved into AI technologies and their problems related to academic integrity and their implementation in K-12 education in Manitoba. One of the roundtable discussion with University of Manitoba PhD student Kevin Oliver explored the implementation of AI empowered EdTech within Manitoba K-12 education and how a (post) qualitative methodology to critically explore artificial intelligence may be appropriate.

Wellbeing and Mental Health

The conference provided a space to discuss strategies to support wellbeing and mental health of children and youth. Researchers explored challenges on academic performance and stress. One particular presentation by Roza Gray, Education PhD student, University of Manitoba “shared findings of a systematic and rigorous search of Department of Education websites across Canada to determine how student WB and MH and is conceptualized and prioritized. Common approaches, emerging trends and perceived gaps will be explored.”