What: The Network will to provide space for students and learners to advance Indigenous research methods within the area natural sciences. The idea is to provide a lot of unstructured time at an in-person gathering for 10-12 researchers each year (2025-2029) to develop connections and pursue discussions on topics of interest to them.

Who: The network itself will be student and learner- driven as the primary agents of influence and change. There is an interim advisory committee made of Dr. Andrea Reid – University of British Columbia, Dr. Kyle Bobiwash – University of Manitoba, Dr. Sue Chiblow – University of Guelph and Lawrence Ignace – University of Victoria.

Where: The network will seek to secure space, and time within Indigenous communities, facilities and locations that can support student and learner cohorts in their shared work and research.

How: BKC generously provided funding for a part-time coordinator and retreat expenses. Network members will be nominated by collaborators (researchers, communities, organizations and governments), with travel of successful nominations sponsored by their nominators. We are on the look-out for additional funding to provide travel support.

Future: The network is starting small recognizing we all are being pulled in so many directions. As the network grows in terms of collaborators, funders, ideas, students and learners it will evolve. There are as many possibilities as there are ideas how can we bring these to life.

If you have leads about funding opportunities, or about retreat locations, we’d love to hear from you: email: lawrenceignace@uvic.ca

Stay tuned for more detail in the late summer 2025.