Patrick Farnole
Topic
Modelling Seasonal Cycles under Climate Change and Decolonial Ambitions: a Research Collaboration with Ulukhaktokmiut
School of Earth and Ocean Sciences
Date & location
- Tuesday, September 8, 2026
- 9:30 A.M.
- Clearihue Building, Room B017
Examining Committee
Supervisory Committee
- Dr. Nadja Steiner, School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria (Co-Supervisor)
- Dr. Adam Monahan, School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, UVic (Co-Supervisor)
- Dr. David Atkinson, Department of Geography, UVic (Outside Member)
- Dr. Andrew Shao, Senior HPC & AI Research Scientist, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (Outside Member)
External Examiner
- Dr. Eric Oliver, Department of Oceanography, Dalhousie University
Chair of Oral Examination
- Prof. Anne Grimm, School of Music, UVic
Abstract
This dissertation shows how studying the Inuit-ecosystem-climate nexus under the prism of seasonal cycles led to a meaningful collaboration with Ulukhaktokmiut and an informative panarctic habitat model for ringed and bearded seals. In particular, I explore the possibility of a dialogue between climate modelling and Inuit Knowledge to understand and project climate change impacts on Arctic marine ecosystems and Inuit. This complex intersection lacks extensive tools, methodologies, and research frameworks. Concepts alone will not fulfill the mandate for epistemic justice, balance, and reparation that must guide such endeavours. In a close collaboration with the community of Ulukhaktok, and drawing from literature on boundary work, Indigenous research methods, and regional downscaling of climate modelling, I co-developed a methodology centered on the design and use of a shared object, the Ulukhaktok Seasonal Calendar.
Specifically intended to operate as a boundary object through iterative co-design, the Calendar strengthened relationships between collaborators and triggered the emergence of additional outcomes, such as a documentary movie. These outcomes facilitated mediation between both worlds, for the benefit of modellers and Inuit co-researchers, as well as Elders and youth in intergenerational knowledge transmission. Through this collaborative project, we assessed the meaning and conditions for salient climate projections at the scale of the community. The Calendar succeeded in providing a reference to understand several dimensions of Ulukhaktok climate and seasonal patterns for Inuit and ecosystems. I was able to identify factors of resilience linked to the language and seasonal harvests, as well as factors at risk under constant modernisation and social metamorphoses. In particular, climate projections need to be understood for what they are. They can prepare youth to navigate the western world, for instance informing conservation planning. But not at the expense of the connection to Elders and the value of accountability in intergenerational knowledge transmission, which needs to be prioritised in interdisciplinary and cross-cultural research. We reinforce this message through a movie, created as part of this dissertation.
At the panarctic scale, ringed and bearded seal habitats rely on seasonal sea ice and snow conditions for important life history events that have been shifting at different paces depending on the region. These shifts are likely to continue through the 21st century, changing the configuration of habitable Arctic waters for both species. In this dynamic, the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and the East Siberia Sea are expected to constitute important refugia towards the end of the 21st century, emphasizing the need for seals' monitoring in collaboration with Inuit communities throughout the Arctic to understand potential adaptation under stress and anticipate the viability of these refugia.