Shaw & Gaines Endowment Fund

Mildred Shaw and Brian Gaines built distinguished careers as computer scientists and educational leaders at the University of Calgary before retiring to make a lasting gift to the next generation of researchers. Their endowment to UVic's Faculty of Education supports scholars working at the intersection of education, environment, and community — from science and climate education to Indigenous knowledge, inquiry-based learning, and innovative approaches to how people learn and share knowledge.

Projects funded through the Shaw & Gaines Endowment connect educators and communities in meaningful ways, advance work aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and lay the groundwork for future collaborative research.

Current projects

The 2026–2027 cycle supports up to eight faculty and staff projects advancing work in climate science, climate education, environmental issues, inquiry-based education, and science education, with a particular emphasis on community engagement. Each project receives up to $8,000 and runs through February 2027.

A serene grove of trees in a sunlit camas meadow, with vibrant green grass and scattered blue wildflowers under a clear blue sky, creating a tranquil scene.

Indigenous Language Revitalization, Land, & Environment: Bridging an Aspiration Research Cluster & SSHRC Partnership Grant

Researchers: Drs. Ewa Czaykowska-Higgins, Onowa McIvor Whitinui

This project seeks to advance work at the intersection of language revitalization, land/water-based knowledge, and environmental education. Building from an existing Aspiration Research Cluster–Indigenous Language Revitalization initiative, the team will develop accessible knowledge mobilization materials that will also support an SSHRC Partnership Grant application and broader fundraising efforts for Indigenous Language Revitalization. The work supports place-based, climate-ready learning rooted in Indigenous languages, ecological knowledge, and community leadership.

A diverse group of eight people stands in a classroom, smiling at the camera. Behind them, a monitor shows a video call with seven additional participants. The atmosphere is friendly and collaborative.

Learning in Community: Envisioning bridges of collaboration between Indigenous culture

Researchers: Drs. Anita Prest and Héctor Vázquez-Cordoba

The purpose of this three-year study is to learn teacher candidates’ perceptions of the effects of a Kwagiulth extended family culturally immersive experience on their level of commitment to embed Indigenous content and worldviews in their future classes, as mandated by BC curriculum. The immersive experiences are led by brothers Tom Child (counselor, Kwagiulth First Nation) and Kaleb Child (CEO of the W̱SÁNEĆ School Board). For each of the five semesters, all teacher candidates taking music education courses can participate in a four-hour immersive experience on a Saturday at First Peoples House. Participants write a guided reflection based on their experience, with their reflections forming the basis of our study.

A handwritten sign on a gravel road reads “Road Closed” and welcomes family and friends to Madii Lii, with rocky terrain and trees in the background.

Culture, environment, futures: Living the landscape on Gitxsan territories

Researcher: Dr. Morgan Mowatt

This project is grounded in Madii Lii, on the Suskwa River in Gitxsan territories. Madii Lii is governed by Wilp (House) Xsimjiitsiin gant Luutkudziiwus and is home to a village, ancient cultivation sites, ancient fishing sites, and a section of an international grease trail. The project will identify emerging research priorities of the Wilp, and establish a research framework and interdisciplinary team to support existing efforts toward climate protection and cultural resurgence. Our project maps over a decade of research by and for the Wilp on climate, culture, and the history of the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Pipeline that threatens to cut through these territories.

Four smiling women crouch together in a dimly lit room, with a taxidermy wolf and nature displays behind them. The atmosphere is warm and friendly.

Finding the Rhythms of the Planet: A Teacher Candidate Exhibition on Climate Education at the Royal BC Museum

Researcher: Dr. Erika Germanos

This project brings together UVic and the Royal BC Museum, grounded in decolonial and relational approaches to climate education. Teacher candidates collaborate with museum curators and educators to co-design interactive exhibits that connect curriculum-based climate science with local Indigenous knowledge systems and community understandings of environmental change. The project foregrounds responsibility to land, water, and more-than-human relations, challenging purely extractive or western framings of climate knowledge, and emphasizes respect for diverse ways of knowing and attention to ecological relationships.

A group of people stands in a circle in a forest clearing, surrounded by tall trees and lush greenery. Sunlight filters through, creating a serene, communal atmosphere.

Local Learning, Global Goals: Advancing Community‑Engaged Teacher Education for Sustainable Futures

Researchers: Dr. Kerry Robertson, Dana Bell, Yossra Othman

This project enhances UVic’s teacher education programs through a connected series of learning experiences linking coursework, field placements, and community‑based opportunities. Building on the move to the John Horgan Campus, teacher candidates will participate in professional learning through school and community‑embedded projects, workshops, and outdoor and sustainability‑focused learning alongside instructors, practicing teachers, and community partners. These experiences help teacher candidates see that learning happens in classrooms, schools, and community spaces, and explore the responsibilities of teaching within real‑world contexts.

A black-and-white photo of a person lying on grassy terrain, wearing a hat, with mountains in the background. The scene conveys a relaxed, peaceful tone.

Staging Stewardship: Land Acknowledgment as Climate Education

Researchers: Dr. Lauren Jerke & Lindsay Delaronde

This project explores how Indigenous pedagogy and applied theatre can help teacher candidates understand what it means to be a guest on these lands and how that shapes teaching climate and ecological responsibility. Students will take part in land-based learning on the Gorge Waterway and across lək̓ʷəŋən territory, exploring Indigenous histories and the deep connections between land, culture, and responsibility, while reflecting on their own histories and positionalities. Drawing on these experiences, students will co-create an applied theatre performance for teacher education peers—an embodied land acknowledgment tracing the cultural and ecological stories of place while inviting audiences to consider their responsibilities for climate resilience.

A colorful picnic blanket with school supplies and stationery items spread out, including notebooks, binders, pens, a stapler, and a decorative bowl, on green grass.

CORE Transformative Inquiry Hub: Bridging Teacher Education, Relational Practice, and Community Engagement through Thread Sensibility

Researchers: Dr. Lyndze Harvey & Tahmineh Farnoud

This project extends a relational, inquiry-based approach central to teacher education at UVic, beyond a single capstone course into a program-wide, community-engaged model. We are piloting a Transformative Inquiry Hub within the Centre for Outreach Education (CORE), where teacher candidates, educators, and community partners engage in inquiry circles and co-designed learning with K–8 students. The project strengthens relational accountability, supports educator well-being, and explores more responsive, justice-oriented approaches to teaching and learning. Findings will inform ongoing program renewal and future research on community-engaged teacher education.

Three people are walking hand in hand, seen from behind. One wears an orange shirt with "Every Child Matters," on a stone and leafy background.

Forging Pathways to Nature-Based Literacy: Building Capacity for Climate-Responsive Education through Land, Community, and Partnership

Researchers: Drs. Jenn Gruno & Sandra Higgins

This project mobilizes a partnership involving 30+ teachers across five Vancouver Island school districts and UVic teacher candidates to co-design and implement nature-based learning strategies. This project advances climate-responsive pedagogy while supporting sustainable outdoor learning in schools. Through a gathering and subsequent classroom implementation, participants identified barriers, facilitators, and practical strategies for scale-up. The project will produce a blueprint for implementation and engage UVic undergraduate and graduate students in research, facilitation, and knowledge mobilization.

Future projects

Annual intake for this award takes place in April, and the 2026-2027 intake is now closed. Thank you to everyone who submitted a proposal. We received an outstanding response and look forward to announcing the next cohort of funded projects.

In the meantime, you're welcome to reach out to Kathy Sanford at ksanford@uvic.ca with any questions about eligibility or the application process.