DECEMBER 3, 2003 | NEWS 6 Research in the UNBC Region Photo Submitted UNBC forestry student at field camp in the Alexa Lake Research Forest. how one might define “regional research”, it is certainly over a hundred. Much of this activity will result in benefits to com- munities, businesses, individuals and gov- ernment agencies. Some examples include: Dr. Margaret Anderson: The spoken land: understanding Tsimshian adaawx (oral traditions) endeavors to increase scholarly understanding of the Tsimshian culture through analysis and documenta- tion of the Sm’algyax language. e Dr. Lito Arocena is investigating the geochemistry of soil minerals as an indica- tor of forest sustainability, environmental health, and climate change. e Dr. Greg Halseth focuses on single industry resource-dependent towns in northern British Columbia, their changing economic and social conditions, and the impacts on quality of life that accompany such changes. ; e Dr. Neil Hanlon is studying healthcare restructuring and reform in northern and central interior British Columbia commu- nities. e Dr. Chris Hawkins is examining the effects of harvesting methods and silvicul- tural treatments on the sustainability and productivity of lodgepole pine near Fraser Lake as well as mixed-wood ecology throughout the northeast region. In addition to such specific research activities, the University is home to research centres and institutes. These include: e the British Columbia Rural and Remote Health Research Institute, which focuses on population health, health-care delivery and the education of health prac- titioners in rural and remote areas; current projects include epidemiological studies, mental health service provision in small towns, and others e the Northern Land Use Institute, UNEC region; especially issues relating to the perceptions of people about their qual- ity of life as it is influenced by health, social, and other public policy changes, with respect to policing and security, and with respect to taxation Research Support and Resources Support for research in the regions is available to all faculty members and stu- dents from the Office of Research and as appropriate from other administrative and academic support units (for example, library, student services, finance, HR, pur- chasing). Assistance takes the form of pro- viding information about funding oppor- tunities which are widely disseminated by email, individual mentoring and assis- tance in proposal writing, partnership building, guidance with respect to inter- acting with representatives of the major funding agencies and the many other aspects of research conduct and adminis- tration. Research support and infrastructure at UNBC.are impressive relative to the size and age of the university. There is very substantial infrastructure available for research in the regions either through direct ownership by the university or in partnership with collaborators and sup- porters. Some major support and infra- structure items include: @ The Quesnel River Research Centre, a former DFO fish hatchery at Likely that has been converted to a university field station. It provides opportunities for research and education in landscape ecol- ogy, environmental studies, resource man- agement, fisheries, limnology, and other disciplines. @ The John Prinee-Research-Forest a Jand base of roughly 13,000ha situated between Tezzeron and Pinchi Lakes north-east of Fort St James. The JPRF is co-owned and co-managed with the Tl’az’ten First Nation and has attracted international The University of Northern British Columbia holds as its mission “to improve the quality of life in its region, the province, and beyond by attaining the highest standards of....teaching, learning, and _ research”. Regional research activity is clearly mandated, and it is supported at the highest levels within UNBC. include independent inquiry by faculty mem- which fosters research activities that will bers, surveys, experimentation, observational lead to improved land use, resource and studies, action research with communities, €nVironmental management; areas of and many collaborative projects involving activity include intensive research and communities, First Nations, industry, and with education into offshore oil and gas (coastal local and regional interest groups. A signifi- regions); special management zones inthe managed with UBC. It is the oldest cant number of graduate students conduct northeast associated with the Muskwa- research forest in the province. their thesis research in the regions on topics Kechika Management Board, land use For more information regarding attention as a co-management experiment and showcase. e The Aleza Lake Research Forest, roughly 10,000ha is co-owned and co- Regional Highlights All UNBC disciplinary areas are represented in regional research, including the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and profes- Research approaches sional programs. By Ginny Collins, Central Bureau REGINA (CUP) -- Cultural Revitalization is a “double-edged sword” when it comes to Aboriginal education because it holds Aboriginal people responsi- ble for the downfall of their own culture, according to an academic from the University of Saskatchewan. Dr. Verna St. Denis, coordinator of Aboriginal Education at the U of S, is critical of the way Aboriginal culture is being integrated into the school system. “Cultural Revitalization blames the victim for colonization,” said St that are of relevance to communities in the issues in the McBride region related to mandate area of the university. development of Canoe Mountain, and many others research at UNBC and throughout the regions, please contact: the Office of Research Denis in a speech at the University of Regina on Thursday. ? Aboriginal teachers and elders are being blamed for not retaining their identity and culture, she added. In 1967, the Canadian Government conducted a survey of the contemporary Indians of Canada called the Hawthorn report. The report found that Indian children and their parents were feeling “different” all the time and not fitting in when it came to the education system. The solution was then presented that if Indian people could retain their It is difficult to specify precisely how many research projects are béing conducted in the regions at any one time, but irrespective of @ the Institute for Social Research and. Evaluation, is dedicated to increasing our understanding of social issues in the Aboriginal education needs change Cultural Revitalization called “double-edged sword” cultural pride, they could benefit from schooling. This was called Cultural Revitalization. St. Denis said that although this solution seems good in theory, it ignores the fact that Aboriginal people have been forced to assimi- late in the past so they have not retained much of their culture. “Our parents and grandparents have not forsaken us,” she said. “They were told to speak only English before, now they are told to speak only their native lan- guage.” . When the Canadian government placed Aboriginal children in resi- dential schools, beginning in the late 1800s and throughout most of the 1900s, they were taught to speak only English, both at home and in school. By the late 1900s, due to studies like the Hawthorn.report, the gov- ernment decided it would be bene- ficial for Aboriginals to retain their culture. By this time most of it had been lost. In her research, Dr. 5t. Denis, a woman of Cree.and Métis heritage, interviewed several Aboriginal educators in the Canadian school system. Many of those interviewed said they did not speak their native language because their parents and elders had not taught them. “They would be almost apolo- getic,” said St. Denis, adding that although many Aboriginal teenagers’ are eager to learn their culture and language, their teach- ers can not often teach them. When asked if there was a way educators could teach Aboriginal content correctly in their class- rooms, St. Denis replied that the greatest concern should be about the treatment of Aboriginal stu- dents. “It’s not only the content, it’s the interaction,” she said.