Defining ‘Resilience’

The term resilience has many definitions, including those for psychological resilience and engineering resilience. Advanced Introduction to Resilience treats it as a systems concept, informally defined as “the capacity of a system to deal with perturbations” or “the ability to persist and adapt”, or even “the ability to successfully deal with change”. Maintaining diversity is one of the ways to build resilience. For example, biodiversity can provide resilience in the face of climate change, as illustrated by the example of Potato Park (Parque de la Papa) in Peru.

The Park is home to eight known wild and cultivated potato species, and some 1,300 varieties. It is located near the center of the domestication of potatoes and therefore at the center of potato genetic diversity. The Park is an internationally recognized protected area and Biocultural Heritage site. It has high landscape heterogeneity and varieties adapted to a diversity of habitats. By conserving a high level of potato biodiversity, the Park provides “insurance” for potato farming everywhere.

Potatoes are grown all over the world, but only a limited handful of varieties are used in various localities, including parts of Canada. This results in a high degree of vulnerability given the accelerating change in environmental conditions. The world will most likely need new potato genetic resources to modify the widely used varieties to enable them to adapt to deal with warmer or dryer conditions or new diseases.

A sample of potato biodiversity in Parque de la Papa, Peru, which serves as a source of potato genes and therefore resilience for the impacts of climate change on potato farming all over the world. Photo: Vanesa Ramos.

The book is of interest to students and academics in the area of environment and related disciples. One critical acclaim regards the book as “…a crucial ingredient of healthy environments, societies, and communities…” (Dr. Anthony Charles, Community Conservation Research Network based in Halifax). Another review characterizes the book as “…a brilliant synthesis of resilience scholarship. It provides a fresh perspective on ways that society can address its most urgent challenges despite prevailing uncertainties about the future” (Dr. F. Stuart Chapin III, University of Alaska).

Additional Information

Advanced Introduction to Resilience is published by Edward Elgar as part of the Elgar Advanced Introduction Series. https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/usd/advanced-introduction-to-resilience-9781802202212.html

Dr. Berkes has published some 250 peer-reviewed papers, and is the author or editor of 14 books, including Sacred Ecology (Routledge, 2018) which has recently been translated into Chinese. At over 100,000 citations, he has the highest Google Scholar score at the University of Manitoba. His profile and list of publications are in: https://umanitoba.ca/environment-earth-resources/dr-fikret-berkes-profile-page

The landscape as seen from Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania.

Although it became famous as “Olduvai Gorge,” the name is a misnomer: it is correctly referred to as “Oldupai Gorge,” named for a spiky flowering plant that grows commonly in the region. In the early 1900s, German geologist Hans Reck discovered the fossils of 17,000-year-old human ancestors in Oldupai Gorge. Teams led by famous archeologists Louis and Mary Leakey spent decades working here, uncovering stone tools and hominin fossils (members of our own taxonomic tribe) dating back about two million years.

Oldupai Gorge continues to yield important findings about hominin evolution. University of Manitoba Earth Sciences professor Paul Durkin contributes to this work as part of the Stone Tools, Diet, and Sociality at the Dawn of Humanity (SDS) project.

I had lunch with Paul in Fall of 2022 to chat about mutual interests; I’d started as a professor in the Department of Environment and Geography during the Covid-19 pandemic, and hadn’t yet had the chance to hear much about Paul’s work.

Paul is a sedimentologist, and he told me about the projects he’s been leading on sedimentary and river systems in Canada, using a variety of techniques including mapping with Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems. He also mentioned his work in Tanzania, which piqued my interest. I was in the midst of planning a safari to Kenya and Tanzania with seven other members of my family – our itinerary was set, and I was eager to hear what he could tell me about the travel experience. As we chatted, we realized that my family would be passing within a couple kilometers of the SDS field site, at a time Paul was planning to be in the field. He very generously invited us to visit the field site and learn more about his work.

Visiting Oldupai Gorge

Tanzanian safaris consist mostly of dirt roads, and the route to Oldupai Gorge is no exception. We traveled south out of Serengeti and watched the landscape get drier, until we turned off the main road to drive out onto a dusty plateau. At the end of the public road, past scrubby trees and the occasional giraffe, is a recently renovated museum at the edge of a beautiful gorge. We spent a little while learning about the important fossils displayed there, including the famous 1.75 million-year-old skull of Paranthropous boisei discovered by Mary Leakey in 1959.

The skull of Paranthropus boisei in the Olduvai Gorge Museum.

From there, we met Paul and a couple other field-team members, who had driven up from their field site in a truck to meet us at the gate. We drove off the public roads and onto the tracks that lead into the gorge itself. Steep terrain of sometimes bare rock and sometimes sand made for challenging driving that our safari vehicles were, fortunately, well-equipped to handle. About half an hour down the road we could see a cloud of dust and a group of workers.

The Excavation Site

Members of the SDS team are systematically excavating several sites at different levels – corresponding to different sediment ages – on the edge of the gorge. The team is working to better understand the environments that early hominins experienced and how those hominins adapted to their environment using stone tools.

Excavations at the edge of the gorge.

Paul’s role is to analyze the sediments in which the fossils are found. Fossils are preserved at Oldupai Gorge because this is an area where sediments were collecting at the time that early hominins lived here. The layers of soft sediment and rock in the gorge include deposits from a large lake that came and went with streams on its edges, along with volcanic layers.

Paul and a team of graduate students he works with spend lots of time mapping the various geologic units in the region. Then, they take samples and detailed measurements of the various types and size of sediments, which help them reconstruct the environment where early hominins lived. In 2021, their team discovered the oldest record of Hominin occupation and documented the earliest tools they were using.

Although Oldupai Gorge has yielded many important hominin fossils and is one of the richest sites ever discovered, hominin fossils are still extremely rare. The team doesn’t expect to discover any themselves. However, their excavation sites are still filled with fossils. Paul casually pointed out several bones from an ancient Bovidae just sticking out of the edge of the cliff.

The variety of fossils helps the team learn more about the environment in ancient Oldupai Gorge. More importantly, the team has uncovered many stone tools that reveal the adaptability of ancient human relatives to their changing environment.

A transect that Paul and PhD student Stephen Magohe (UCalgary) excavated and analyzed, measuring sediment types and sizes in each layer.

Paul pointing out a fossilized Bovidae bone in the cliff.

The SDS Camp

After spending some time telling us about the geology and the work at the excavation site, Paul took us to their camp, which we had passed on our way down the gorge.

Scientists, students, technicians, cooks, and other members of the team camp in tents during the season. Some come for a few weeks at a time, while others might be there for a few months. Along with sleeping tents, the team has a kitchen tent, and tents for storage, science, and a solar charging setup. While the landscape may seem a bit inhospitable, the team was more than welcoming, and a cold drink in the shade was very pleasant.

SDS is a multi-disciplinary and multi-national project, including partners from Canada, Tanzania, and other institutes in North America, Africa, and Europe. Their important work is shedding light on the heritage of all of humanity. It is a complex logistical endeavour that requires the dedicated efforts of many groups of people, and it was a privilege for us to get to visit and see the work in action.

Oldupai plants in the foreground with some of the team’s tents in the background.

SDS is aiming to expand their scope and capabilities with a New Frontiers in Research Fund Transformation Grant application for funding a multi-national interdisciplinary project called ‘Dawn: Tracing the Nature of Early Human Life’.

This course is a unique opportunity for students to travel abroad with peers while enhancing their knowledge of religion, history, architecture, and culture. Past travel study courses have taken students to such locations as Italy, Spain, and China. The course will be led by Assistant Professor Dr. Meredith Bacola, who is best known for her thoughtful planning, enthusiastic teaching style, and wealth of knowledge about medieval history. The travel study will be preceded by one week of in-person classes at the U of M Ft. Garry campus, where students will be introduced to topics relevant to their overseas stops, while also getting to know one another. Students can earn six credit hours by participating in both the in-class and travel portions of the course, and completing the required evaluations for the course.

Past participants describe their travel study experience as “life changing”. One student from the 2015 trip to Ireland said, “Truly, it was two of the best weeks of my life. From the sites we visited, to the places we stayed at and the people we talked to, I looked forward to each and every day and was never disappointed.” Another student raved, “The travel study provides such a unique learning experience for students. You are able to learn about the history and significance of various places and then visit them in person. It tops all other courses. I would definitely recommend this course to others.”

This travel study course is open to all U of M students and spots are filling up fast. To find out more visit the Catholic Studies Travel Study web page. Interested students are invited to complete this interest form to be considered for the course. Final approval for all student applicants will be granted by the instructor prior to Summer Session registration.

For questions related to this travel study course please email catholic@umanitoba.ca or visit the Jesuit Centre at 118 St. Paul’s College.

At the University of Manitoba, over 50 international student exchange agreements are offered to over 20 destinations through the UM Student Exchange Program. The program allows students to see the world while earning credits toward their degree and paying regular tuition fees.

There are also opportunities to travel and study outside of the formal exchange program. These could be through summer travel study courses offered by the Faculty of Arts, internship/research/teaching opportunities abroad or even through short-term language and culture programs offered by other universities such as the University of Iceland, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem or the Canadian Summer School in Germany, to name a few.

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” – Saint Augustine

We invited Eric Chartier, a student in the Faculty of Arts, to answer a few questions on what could be expected from a summer program. Chartier attended the Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies International Summer School in Modern Icelandic Language & Culture in Reykjavik.

Eric Chartier. Credit: Simonetta Positano

FACULTY OF ARTS: HOW LONG WERE YOU GONE AND WHEN?
CHARTIER: I was gone from July 2 to August 2, 2022. The course I took ran for one month from July 4 to July 27.

WHY TRAVEL? WHY ICELAND?
I knew over the course of my undergraduate studies that I wanted to do an exchange somewhere for something. When COVID-19 hit I thought that I had missed my window, but Peter John Buchan (instructor and department head of UM’s Department of Icelandic Language and Literature) encouraged us to apply for this course. Since I was completing my minor in Icelandic, I thought that would be a good way to cap my undergraduate studies. I should also thank the Olson-Jonsson Scholarship fund as their financial support greatly helped me enjoy this opportunity.

WHAT DID YOUR PROGRAM INCLUDE?
It included 80 hours of instruction at the University of Iceland in Reykjavik. Seventy of those hours were focused on language and 10 were focused on modern Icelandic society and culture. In those 10 hours we received lectures on Icelandic music, art, architecture and current issues, among other subjects. We also had field trips scheduled for a variety of culturally significant locations not just in Reykjavik but also in the surrounding area such as Þingvellir, Reykholt, and the highlands.

WHAT WAS THE MOST MEMORABLE PART OF YOUR EXPERIENCE?
For me, it was actually the day I arrived. After arriving in Reykjavik, I met with a representative of the Árni Magnússon Institute in order to get set with my accommodations. I got my assigned unit and keys so went to go get set up in my dorm. When I arrived at the dorm however, I couldn´t open my door! After talking with the representative, they had me go to another dorm while they sorted out the key situation. Turns out they had accidentally switched my key with another participant´s. This experience did quickly introduce me to some of the other students and staff in the program so I think it actually helped some of my nerves in settling in socially. It also was NOT indicative of how the program was ran for which I am also thankful!

HOW HAS THE PROGRAM HELPED YOU NOW THAT YOU ARE BACK IN CANADA? WHAT DID YOU LEARN?
The biggest thing this program helped with was getting myself exposed to another culture. While I have been to other countries such as Cuba and Mexico, I had never been abroad for an extended period of time. Being in Iceland for a month made me feel like a resident as opposed to a visitor or a tourist. I feel like I actually got to properly experience Icelandic culture as opposed to merely being exposed to it. This has helped me change how I see the world and has made me a more informed human being.

My time in Iceland was big for my personal growth. I learned a lot of things about myself that I didn´t know of or wasn´t sure of before. I also got to meet a lot of new people, some of whom I´m still actively friends with to this day.

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND TRAVEL STUDY OR EXCHANGE TO OTHERS?
I would highly recommend this opportunity. Everyone I met was super friendly and helpful. I got to experience Iceland in a way that I never would´ve considered or thought possible before. It´s the kind of thing where you get out what you put in, and the program makes you want to put as much in as you can.

The various student travel study programs available at UM are a great way to broaden horizons, gain practical experience and have life-changing personal experiences.

Those interested in travelling for one or more semesters can visit the UM Student Exchange Program webpage and book a meeting with an exchange coordinator to find out more. The deadline to apply for general Summer 2023, Fall 2023, Winter 2024 and Summer 2024 exchanges is January 31, 2023.

Those looking for short-term summer opportunities can check with their instructors or contact the Faculty of Arts Language Centre (103 Isbister Building) for guidance. The deadline to apply for the Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies International Summer School in Modern Icelandic Language & Culture is February 15 of each year. Other programs will have different deadline dates.

To discover a variety of internship, research and teaching opportunities available to UM undergraduate and graduate students, visit the Faculty of Arts Language Centre.

To find out more about UM travel courses (individual courses taught by UM professors in locations other than Winnipeg), check Aurora, ask your instructor or visit the Faculty of Arts Language Centre.

Tell us about your background, past degrees and how you got to be where you are in your education.
I’m from Kenora, Ontario. After high school I went to the University of Waterloo and completed my B.A. in History with honours. During my B.A., I became increasingly interested in museums and decided to go to Fleming College to complete the Museum Management and Curatorship program. After I received my Ontario College Graduate Certificate I worked at the Halton Region Museum (now Halton Heritage) and volunteered at the Oakville Museum. Then, I moved to the West Parry Sound District Museum. It was while I was in Parry Sound working with members of the public researching their family history that I knew I wanted to switch to archives. But, I recognized that I would need to pursue a Masters degree. 

Why did you choose Archival Studies? Why UofM? And, where do you hope your MA in History (Archival Studies) will lead you?
I chose Archival Studies after a personal experience assisting a daughter find her late father’s photograph album that had been donated to the museum. It was a powerful moment that cemented my decision to apply to archival studies programs in Canada.

I chose the University of Manitoba for a number of reasons. U of M is close to home, tuition is more affordable in comparison to other Canadian programs, the student to professor ratio is exceptional, I was fortunate to be offered a Manitoba Graduate Scholarship, and our professors Tom Nesmith (now retired) and Greg Bak are well known in the archival community. 

I hope that my degree will keep me in the Heritage and Culture field. Whether it is in a large archives or a small community museum, I have always enjoyed the challenge of connecting people to the past.

What can you tell us about your internship this summer?
My internship this summer took me to Yellowknife, North West Territories. I was part of a project at the NWT Archives to describe 5000 digitized photographs from the Native Press newspaper. The Native Press was an Indigenous newspaper which covered stories in the western NWT from 1971-1993. For my phase of the project we described photographs from 1971-1977. The NWT Archives partnered with the Tłı̨chǫ Government on this project and I worked from April to June with a Tłı̨chǫ contractor to describe the images.

Additionally, we conducted two identification workshops in Behchokǫ̀. Elders were invited to attend the workshop and identify people and places in the images. The workshops were about sharing images back with the community and improving the descriptions. The NWT Archives was invited to attend the Tłı̨chǫ 15th Annual Gathering in Gamèti. We brought 50 large scale photographs, two photo albums with over 300 photographs, and the 5000 digitized images to be displayed on a loop. The trip to Gamèti offered the chance to share photos with as many people from the four communities as possible.

My final task in August was to write the fonds description for the Native Communications Society (the parent organization of the Native Press from 1975-1993). I had the chance to interview former staff from the Native Press which helped me understand better the daily operations and administrative structure of the Native Press in addition to personal stories that brought the records to life. 

What’s the most exciting or unique thing that happened to you during the internship?
There were many unique experiences that I had during my trip to Yellowknife. Eating Easter dinner on a house boat off of Jolliffe Island in Yellowknife, seeing the arrival of the paddlers on the Trails of Ancestors annual canoe journey at 2:00 am in Gamèti, walking across Frame Lake in -20 C weather in May and sitting above Cameron Falls in July. 

How does the internship add value or benefit your studies and research?
The internship component of the M.A. History (Archival Studies) allows students to put into practice the theory they have learned. Additionally I will base part of the third chapter of my  thesis on my internship experience.

I am currently working on my last chapter of my thesis. It is on archives in the Canadian territories – on the challenges archives face in the north and how they have addressed them. I am also looking at the value and meaning of archives and why they are important for the north. I am highlighting how projects such as the NWT Archives Native Press digitization project are meaningful. 

What’s next for you?
I am currently working part-time as a student at the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. I plan on defending my thesis sometime in early 2020 and graduating in the summer of 2020. After I finish my M.A., I hope to continue to work in Winnipeg. There are some amazing archives and culture and heritage organizations in the city.

What advice would you give to those considering this M.A. program?
My advice to prospective students is simply to apply. Our program has had students with an array of educational backgrounds. The class sizes are small. The first year can be tough but, you come out with a strong understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of the profession. The internship will provide you with practical experience and often leads to part-time work and helps build a network with other professional archivists. Our students have interned in Winnipeg at places such as the NCTR, the Hudson’s Bay Company Archives, the Manitoba Archives, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights among many other great places in the city. Students have also travelled nationally and internationally for their internships and had amazing experiences. The thesis component allows students to explore a topic of their interest in-depth and contribute to archival literature. Students from the program have gone on to publish in journals such as Archivaria. Students can also join the U of M Association of Canadian Archivists Student Chapter and the History Graduate Student Association which provide opportunities to network with other students and professionals in the field. 

To close, my experience has and continues to be extremely rewarding, I’ve had so many opportunities that would have been impossible outside this program. I’ve enjoyed my time working with fantastic professors and my fellow students. I’ve had phenomenal internship experiences at the Hudson’s Bay Company Archives, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation and the NWT Archives. During my time with the History Graduate Student Association I was lucky to volunteer with many exceptional students and professors who helped make the Fort Garry Lectures event a success each year. Thank you again for the opportunity to be featured.

Interested in pursuing a graduate degree in History (Archival Studies)? Attend the History M.A. Information Session on Friday, October 11, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm in Room 111 St. John’s College to hear about all of the available History M.A. programs.  No registration required. 

Community Service-Learning has extended the application deadline for two summer programs in Leaf Rapids (Northern Manitoba) and Belize. Program fees are all-inclusive, including round-trip airfare or ground transportation, accommodations, three daily meals, activities and training. Interested students can easily apply for both the program and CSL Bursary in one application form on Community Link.

Leaf Rapids 2019

Community Engagement Training: April 29 – May 3
Northern Placement: May 6 – June 2 (four weeks)
Program Fee: $1,000 – $300 bursary = $700
Apply on Community Link by March 31.

Leaf Rapids takes place in a beautiful region, the boreal forest. Students will learn a lot about northern food security through this experiential placement – living under a boil water advisory, shopping at the town’s only grocery store, and learning about gardening and harvesting from the community. Our Elder, Keith Anderson, and the Indigenous youth leaders and their families are generous with their time, showing us true northern hospitality and culture. This year’s project focuses on program planning and facilitation training for Grow North, a regional gardening program based in the Leaf Rapids Education Centre.  Read more…

Leaf Rapids is a great program for students interested in careers in the public sector, such as health care, education, social work, justice and child welfare, as well as students interested in food, recreation and facilitation. 

Belize 2019

Community Engagement Training: June 10 – 18
International Placement: June 19 – July 1 (ten days, exact dates pending flights)
Program Fee: $3,500 – $1,500 bursary = $2,000
Apply on Community Link by April 10.

Belize takes place in the rural district of Toledo, a lush, green and hot environment with thick forests, shallow creeks and the Caribbean Sea. In Week 1, students will stay in a small Maya village and learn about Indigenous food systems, farming and land rights. In Week 2, students will support Maya youth leaders in developing the Sounding of the Conch Shell, their vision for an Indigenous youth movement. U of M students will be joined by Michael Champagne, a co-founder of AYO! (Aboriginal Youth Opportunities) in Winnipeg, MB. Read more…

Belize is a great program for students interested in exploring decolonial education and developing their capacity to be allies to youth and Indigenous communities. Indigenous students are strongly encouraged to apply.

COMMUNITY SERVICE-LEARNING BURSARY

There will be two rounds of bursary allocations: March 18-22 and April 8-12. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, so apply early!

Applying for the Community Service-Learning Bursary is easy. When students apply online for a northern or international program, they have the option to self-declare financial need and apply for a CSL bursary. The bursary application asks students about their current financial situation, and all U of M students who demonstrate financial need can apply for a Community Service-Learning Bursary, including part-time, international and graduate students.

Successful applicants receive bursaries covering up to 30% of the cost of their program.

For more information on CSL programs and workshops, visit the Community Service-Learning website or contact a CSL Coordinator at 204-474-6992 or service [dot] learning [at] umanitoba [dot] ca. All CSL programs can be included on your Co-Curricular Record.