May 2025: Prentice Institute Newsletter | | |
The Prentice Institute collaborates with researchers in Canada and elsewhere to address some of the most difficult challenges of the next generation and beyond.
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Daybreak Alberta with Paul Karchut
| | | Alberta Innovates Scholarship | |
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Congratulations!
To Bhawana Pradhan on receiving the Alberta Innovates Summer Research Studentship. She is conducting health promotion-based research derived from the Institute's contract with the Barons-Eureka-Warner FCSS contract.
| | | | Recent Events and Conferences | |
American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting in Detroit
In March, Stacey Haugen and Melissa Wilk attended the American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting in Detroit; they presented on Migration, Place, and the Housing Crisis in Small and Mid-Sized Cities in Canada as part of a panel on “Urban Migration and the Struggle for Shelter”
| | | Cuéllar, Andrea and Venicia Slotten. 2025. “Pre-Columbian Forest Management in the Ecuadorian Eastern Andes/Upper Amazon: An Anthropological Historical Ecology Approach.” Paper presented for the symposium Ancient Forest Management and Landscape Transformation: Anthropological Perspectives from the Americas. Symposium organized by Andrea Cuéllar and Venicia Slotten. Society for American Archaeology 90th Annual Meeting. April 25th, Denver (US). | |  | Dr. Adebiyi Boco, presented a working paper discussing how Loneliness has Impacted Changes in Household Income during the COVID-19 pandemic at the 2025 Canadian Research Data Centre Network (CRDCN) conference, held on May 13-14, 2025, at the University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON. | | |
Photo : IBRI staff in the back row, left to right: Stasi Many Bears (Administrative Assistant), Dr. Leroy Little Bear (Board President and Vice-Provost Iniskim Indigenous Relations, University of Lethbridge), Amethyst First Rider (Director of Buffalo Ways) and Katira Crow Shoe (Executive Director) joined by Institute staff and research affiliates. | |
Buffalo Treaty Workshop
On May 13th the Prentice Institute hosted the Buffalo Treaty Workshop, an opportunity for PI staff and staff from the International Buffalo Relations Institute (IBRI) to initiate a conversation about the way in which the PI can contribute to the implementation of the Buffalo Treaty as partner institution signatory. PI staff and research affiliates had the opportunity of hearing directly from leading figures of the Treaty (Dr. Leroy Little Bear and Amethyst First Rider) and IBRI staff about the history, intent and implementation of the Treaty (which was drafted at the UofL campus in 2014); and to dialogue about possibilities for Treaty implementation linked to the academic and research activities of the Institute.
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Left to right: Dylan Frank (Cultural Resource Impact Assessment Officer - Waterton Lakes National Park), Inny Mountain Horse (WIL student, co-lead for Paatomahsikimii workshop), Carleigh Grier-Stewart (Knowledge Weaver – Waterton Lakes National Park) and Jordan David (Co-op student) at workshop planning day in Paatomahsikimii (Waterton Lakes National Park)
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Students (Inny and Jordan) and Park staff (Dylan and Carleigh) listen to Elder Ninna Piiksii (Dr. Mike Bruised Head) during the workshop planning session.
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Indigenous student land-based work integrated learning cohort:
With the support of NCEWIL (Niitsitapi Circle of Excellence in WIL) four Indigenous students (Jordan David - New Media, Kimmy Eckert - Health Sciences, Breanna Little Mustache – Philosophy and PI Research Assistant, and Inny Mountain Horse – Health Sciences) are working to support the Kainai Ecosystems Protection Association (KEPA) and the Prentice Institute in the planning and delivery of four land-based workshops at socioecological niches of biocultural significance in Blackfoot territory. PI Graduate Research Assistant Blair Many Fingers (Indigenous Studies) is part of the team.
Guided by the knowledge and vision of Ninna Piiksii – Chief Bird (Dr. Mike Bruised Head, Chair of KEPA and Academic Elder, Iniskim Indigenous Relations) each of the students is supporting the planning and delivery of one of the workshops, which will take place at Áísínai'pi (Writing-on-stone), Naapi’s Garden, Ákáómma\'pisi/Umaapi/Onoka-Katzi (Sundial Butte), and Paatomahsikimii (Waterton Lakes National Park). Indigenous researchers from Sacha Awana (Building from the Forest – a Quijos Nation research group from Ecuador) and the Mesoamerican Permaculture Institute/ IMAP (a Kachiquel Maya organization from Guatemala) will join the workshops to initiate an Indigenous nation-to-nation cooperation around Indigenous-led land planning and socioecological restoration—work supported by the Prentice Institute and led by Andrea Cuéllar (Associate Director) and Patrick Wilson (Research Affiliate).
This is the first Indigenous and multidisciplinary student land-based WIL cohort supported by NCEWIL. The team is hoping to set a foundation for quality land-based Indigenous WIL. The students are working directly with Blackfoot Elders, Knowledge Holders and activists; learning from stories on the land; listening to and expanding their understanding of the Blackfoot language; learning about KEPA’s philosophy and activities; and establishing connections amongst themselves and with Indigenous organizations which pursue parallel goals abroad.
| | | Left to right: PIL student interns Aliya Jansen, Jordan Hanas and Taryn Lachman. | | |
The 2025 Policy Innovation Lab is underway, for its second iteration. This year’s topic is Culture and Commemoration. Jordan Hanas, Aliya Jansen and Taryn Lachman (Summer Interns with the City of Lethbridge & Prentice Institute) have been attending presentations and panels on the topic and working to support the City with the implementation of the 2024 Civic Culture Plan, which aims to promote Lethbridge as a vibrant intercultural hub that reflects the contributions and experiences of its increasingly diverse population.
Starting this year the PIL has the patronage of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO (CCUNESCO); this gives an important recognition to the space that the Policy Innovation Lab creates to engage youth in the urban policy making process and of the potential for transformational impact of this unique experiential learning opportunity. The City and Institute acknowledge the contributions of Commission Programme Officers Barbara Filion (Culture) and Claire-Anse Saint-Eloi (Social and Human Sciences), and Youth Advisory Group member Deanna Galati for the generosity of their time. Perry Stein (Partner Services Manager at the City and Research Affiliate II at the PI) and Jillian Bracken (the City’s Community Arts and Culture Manager) are the PIL Co-Hosts at the City; Andrea Cuéllar (PI Associate Director) is collaborating as PI Academic Partner.
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JORDAN HANAS
Jordan is one of three City Scholar Interns for Summer 2025. She completed her B.FA in Art History and Museum Studies in the spring of 2022, and is currently completing her Education After Degree with hopes to become a teacher one day. She is enjoying the opportunity to gain valuable insights into policymaking through the PIL portion of the summer internship, and looks forward to the remaining work at the Prentice Institute.
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ALIYA JANSEN
Aliya is one of three City Scholars interns for the summer. She is going into her third year of her undergrad, majoring in Political Science and minoring in Human Geography. Alongside her research with the PIL examining culture and commemoration, she is interested in the intersection between urban social dynamics and public policy.
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TARYN LACHMAN
Taryn is a 4th year Political Science student with a minor in History. In their studies, Taryn has enjoyed learning about marginalized voiced within policy, Albertan politics, and media. They are also currently writing an undergraduate thesis on the topic of The Politics of Transgender representation in Hollywood film. Outside of the classroom, Taryn is a member or the Pronghorns swim team and has worked to find success in both areas as an academic all Canadian. They are enjoying their time learning and improving their skills this summer at the Prentice Institute as part of the PIL.
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HETVI SHAH
Hetiv is currently an undergraduate student entering her 4th year in the Bachelor of Health Sciences, with a major in Public Health at the University of Lethbridge. She holds a strong interest in diverse fields of public health including: population health, public health ethics, and research methodologies. Hetvi aims to use her skills and Knowledge to address health challenges and promote equitable solutions. Hetvi will be working on the ongiong FCSS Needs Assessment Project.
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Clara Khosravizad
"Optimizing Off-site Construction for Housing in Lethbridge," conducted in partnership with the City of Lethbridge and the Prentice Institute (WIL) from January to April 2025.
| | This research study investigated the opportunities, challenges, and obstacles associated with alternative housing construction methods(Off-site Construction)—specifically modular, manufactured, and prefabricated housing - as outlined in the City of Lethbridge Municipal Housing Strategy (MHS). These off-site construction (OSC) techniques are gaining attention in national housing discussions, with the federal government planning to release a housing design catalogue in the coming months. I examined the various forms, applications, opportunities, and barriers of these alternative housing construction in Lethbridge, aiming to understand how these methods fit within the City’s regulatory framework, including the Land Use Bylaw, Building Codes, and Statutory Plans. To place Lethbridge in a national context, I conducted an environmental scan to explore how Canadian communities are employing these construction methods across the housing continuum. I synthesized the findings from the environmental scan and the regulatory review into a comprehensive final report, which includes recommendations for policy updates and further research and engagement. | | |
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Quijos Women’s Forest Conservation Initiatives in Amazonian Ecuador.
Tanguila, Roxana; Jipa, Lourdes; Alvarado, Gonzalo; Yumbo, Gisela; Wilson, Patrick; Cuéllar, Andrea M.; Martens, Cheryl; Delgado Espinoza, Florencio. 2025. “Quijos Women’s Forest Conservation Initiatives in Amazonian Ecuador.” Feature article In Women as Stewards of Forests. T. Rogelja and L. Kroese. (Eds.). Tropical Forest Issues 63: 29-36.
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Have a newsletter contribution? Every month, we share opportunities and interesting reads fresh off the press from our partners, research affiliates, and team. If you have an opportunity, paper, article, op-ed, lecture, podcast, etc. you would like to share, please email us at prentice@uleth.ca with the subject 'Newsletter Contribution'.
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