Speaker topics 2022/23

Polar Bear 101: Biology & Life Cycle of Polar Bears

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

Polar bears have evolved to thrive in an extremely harsh environment. Though still similar to their cousins, the black bear and the grizzly bear, polar bears have unique physical and behavioural adaptations to survive life on the sea ice. This presentation will look at the evolution of polar bears and compare them to other bear species. It will also cover polar bear life cycle including physiology, hunting and reproduction. Students will have the opportunity to learn what makes the polar truly a marine mammal and what challenges this species face in a changing arctic environment.

Presented by: Disney, Ms. Kristina, Graduate Student School of Earth & Ocean Sciences Animals & Plants

What is a Dinosaur

Elementary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

What is a Dinosaur is best suited for younger ages, and takes students through the features that characterize dinosaurs. Students learn how to walk like dinosaurs, what environments dinosaurs lived in, and what they ate. Students also learn about how paleontologists name dinosaurs, and a simplified version of what happens from finding a fossil to seeing it in a museum. The presentation also talks about the difference between a body fossil (ex. a bone) and a trace fossil (ex. a footprint), and how fossils are formed.

Presented by: Cross, Ms. Emily, Graduate Student School of Earth & Ocean Sciences Animals & Plants

Exploring Paleontology: From Finding a Dinosaur to Seeing it on Display

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

Exploring paleontology—from finding a dinosaur to seeing it on display covers the steps from finding a fossil to seeing it on display. It delves into what kinds of tools paleontologists use and examples of interesting research. It also examines what museum collections are like and the work needed to get exhibits ready for display. The presentation also covers different fossilization environments and different types of fossil preservation.

Presented by: Cross, Ms. Emily, Graduate Student School of Earth & Ocean Sciences Animals & Plants

Dinosaurs: Evolution and Diversity

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

Dinosaurs – evolution and diversity takes participants through the wonderful world of dinosaurs. This presentation introduces phylogeny and explains how dinosaur groups are related to each other. Participants learn about dinosaur groups that have incredible diversity, like ceratopsians, and introduce ideas of convergent evolution. The presentation invites participants to formulate their own hypotheses.

Presented by: Cross, Ms. Emily, Graduate Student School of Earth & Ocean Sciences Animals & Plants

Biodiversity

Available virtually New

There are many levels of biodiversity ranging from variation within an individual such as between branches on fruit trees, between individuals, between populations such as cultivars of plants, between species and between ecosystems. This talk reviews the various types of biodiversity and their importance in the world.

Presented by: Schaefer, Dr. Valentin, Adjunct Associate Professor School of Environmental Studies Animals & Plants

The Dirty Side of the Clothing Industry: Is Fast Fashion Sustainable?

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

My work explores the politics of the contemporary clothing industry to investigate the complexities of one of the largest and most global industries. I trace both historic and contemporary exploitation in the industry with an emphasis on sweatshops, and how work, production and consumption have been increasingly driven by large retailers and buyers. Depending on the presentation, I examine the environmental and workplace problems associated with the industry.

Presented by: Clarke, Dr. Marlea, Associate Professor Department of Political Science Business & Economics

Environmental Consequences of the Clothing Industry

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

Environmental Consequences of the Clothing Industry: The apparel industry has complex supply chains with a large ecological footprint. The environment is exploited throughout the entire chain. I can describe these environmental costs and provide strategies to help mitigate the damage.

Presented by: Dehghan, Ms. Camille, Graduate Student Department of Political Science Business & Economics

Indigenous Nations and the Development of the US Economy: Land, Resources and Dispossession

Secondary school Available virtually New

Each presentation focuses on an aspect of Indigenous economic history and development. The first listed is one economist's telling of US history and what needs to be known to Indigenize it.

Presented by: Feir, Dr. Donn, Associate Professor Department of Economics Business & Economics

Economic History, Indigenous North America, and the Path to Resurgence

Secondary school Available virtually New

A broad overview of Indigenous economic history in Canada and modern policy changes that are First Nations led and creating growth.

Presented by: Feir, Dr. Donn, Associate Professor Department of Economics Business & Economics

LGBTQ+ Economics: What We Know and Where Research Should Go

Secondary school Available virtually New

Presented by: Feir, Dr. Donn, Associate Professor Department of Economics Business & Economics

Intercultural Competence for Work and Life (in English or Spanish)

Secondary school Available virtually

We live and work in a world full of people with whom we sometimes feel we share little (in terms of language, background, culture, religion, etc.). This might be perceived as an insurmountable challenge for many of us. This session explores a variety of ways we can start interacting more effectively with others and, along the way, create new relationships that can transform each of us and build community connections.

Presented by: Flores, Dr. Ricardo, Assistant Professor Peter B. Gustavson School of Business Business & Economics

Institutional Leadership: Promoting Your Values & Improving Your Community (in English or Spanish)

Secondary school Available virtually

Leaders are expected to play multiple roles (and excel at all of them). Most leadership training focuses on technical aspects of leadership (motivation, decision-making, and communication). More advanced leadership discussions bring to the table the importance of reaching the souls of followers and colleagues. These approaches prioritize the “plumber” and “poet” roles required from many leaders. However, this is not the end of the story. This session highlights the need for another important role that leaders need to play: that of promoter and protector of community values and ideals. Participants in this session will gain new insights on the challenges and potentialities afforded by this type of approach to leadership.

Presented by: Flores, Dr. Ricardo, Assistant Professor Peter B. Gustavson School of Business Business & Economics

Globalization & You (in English or Spanish)

Secondary school Available virtually

Most of us have heard that we live in a global village, that the world is (metaphorically) flat, or that we are living at the end of history. This session seeks to clarify how worldwide process that societies around the world have experienced in the last 50 years have evolved—and how they might continue to evolve in the years to come. More importantly, the session makes a concerted effort to look at how these world-changing processes relate to each of us—in our careers, and to our lives.

Presented by: Flores, Dr. Ricardo, Assistant Professor Peter B. Gustavson School of Business Business & Economics

Sustainable and Resilient Supply Chains with Applications in Health and Agri-food (in English or French)

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Globalization, the advancement of transportation modes, rapid development of communication and information technologies, and the advent of Industry 4.0 have fostered fine slicing and stretching of production networks to multiple production-actors across multiple regions of the world. Supply chains are no longer straightforward chains but often complex networks with many actors involved in the production, processing, transportation, retailing and waste management through products’ lifecycles. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed that all countries and most businesses are hugely reliant on production and supplies from around the world. Moreover, over the recent years an increasing number of businesses—from local, small ones to large multinationals—have moved to greater sustainability and social responsibility. As companies seek to strengthen their resilience and robustness, these companies are forced to rethink their supply chain operations and decision-making along co-production networks.

Presented by: Guitouni, Prof. Adel, Associate Professor Peter B. Gustavson School of Business Business & Economics

Responsible Decision-making (in English or French)

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

I intend to explain distributed and responsible decision- making in distributed settings such as sustainable and global supply chains. In particular, I will use healthcare and agrifood supply chains in BC to illustrate the different concepts.

Presented by: Guitouni, Prof. Adel, Associate Professor Peter B. Gustavson School of Business Business & Economics

Climate Finance: Integrating Climate Change into Investment Decisions (in English or French)

Available virtually

Finance has a critical role in supporting the transition to a resilient, net-zero emissions future. Barriers to unlocking this potential include a lack of access to expertise, data and research tools for integrating climate change modelling into investment decisions. This research project will develop tools and frameworks for integrating climate change risk and opportunities into investment portfolios.

Presented by: King, Dr. Michael, Associate Professor & Lansdowne Chair in Finance Peter B. Gustavson School of Business Business & Economics

Cross-cultural Management: Managing Diversity (in English or Korean)

Secondary school Available virtually

This presentation discusses how to manage cultural diversity: culture clash, cross-cultural communication and negotiation, culture shock and living and working overseas.

Presented by: Nam, Dr. Sang H., Associate Professor Peter B. Gustavson School of Business Business & Economics

Organizational Behaviour: How to Manage People (in English or Korean)

Secondary school Available virtually

This presentation discusses how to manage people effectively within an organization: motivation, leadership, teamwork, and conflict management.

Presented by: Nam, Dr. Sang H., Associate Professor Peter B. Gustavson School of Business Business & Economics

Organizational Culture Management: How Organizations Can Create, Maintain, Change and Diagnose their Organizations' Cultures

Secondary school Available virtually

There is a widespread interest in managing organizational cultures. This presentation introduces participants to the essential dynamics of organizational culture, discussing how organizational cultures are (and can be) created, maintained, changed and diagnosed. Its aim is to equip leaders to be able to influence these dynamics to drive change within their organizations.

Presented by: Pek, Dr. Simon, Assistant Professor Peter B. Gustavson School of Business Business & Economics

The History & Mystery of Money

Secondary school Available virtually

We use money so frequently that without it, life seems almost unimaginable. Yet, we almost never stop to think about what money is or how it works. So how and why does it work? How is it possible to walk into a shop and exchange some shiny, stamped metal objects or coloured pieces of paper for a cup of coffee, or better yet, food? This talk will illuminate what money is, how it came to be, and how it might change in the future.

Presented by: Rudnyckyj, Prof. Daromir, Professor Department of Anthropology Business & Economics

Rural Communities: Opportunities, Challenges and Government Policy

Available virtually

The presentation will examine the challenges associated with rural entrepreneurship in British Columbia, and explore government's policy response to encourage rural small business to survive and thrive.

Presented by: Siemens, Dr. Lynne, Associate Professor School of Public Administration Business & Economics

Rural Economic Development: Opportunities, Challenges and Policy Implications

Available virtually

My research area is focused on rural economic development, the opportunities and challenges faced by rural and remote businesses and communities, and the role that government policy plays to support this development.

Presented by: Siemens, Dr. Lynne, Associate Professor School of Public Administration Business & Economics

Labour Relations in Canada

Available virtually

Presented by: Thornicroft, Dr. Kenneth, Professor Peter B. Gustavson School of Business Business & Economics

Goal-setting & Performance Management

Available virtually

This lecture/workshop is designed to help organizations integrate goal setting with leadership and management techniques to enhance the motivation and performance of their members.

Presented by: Wikkramatileke, Dr. Rhordon, Instructor and Curriculum Developer Division of Continuing Studies Business & Economics

Professional Sales

Available virtually

This lecture/workshop discusses the competencies associated with professional sales in this day and age.

Presented by: Wikkramatileke, Dr. Rhordon, Instructor and Curriculum Developer Division of Continuing Studies Business & Economics

Childhood Stress

Elementary school Middle school Available virtually

This talk looks at types and sources of childhood stress and suggests ways that parents and teachers can help reduce this stress.

Presented by: Dyson, Dr. Lily, Professor Emerita Department of Educational Psychology & Leadership Studies Child & Teen Development

The Organization of Environments that Favor Children´s Interactions and Protagonism

Elementary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

A well-planned and organized environment can and will improve and enhance children´s (all kinds of) interactions, learning, and protagonism. Environments in early learning can be seen as a language, a multisensory place. A well-planned and organized environment can help and empower children in their thoughts, experiments and discoveries, facilitating personal relationships that motivate collaborative work, with autonomy and creativity. In Early Childhood Education, it is necessary to integrate the educator, the pedagogical planning, and the organization of environments, which function as an additional educational element, as a third educator (third educator concept). The environment should be the result of careful and documented observation of the educator, considering the needs of each child individually and the group. It is becoming increasingly evident that spaces in Early Childhood contexts should not only be seen as a background but as an integral part of pedagogical action.

Presented by: Rigonati Silva, Ms. Tatiane, Graduate Student Department of Curriculum and Instruction Child & Teen Development

Parenting Young Children: During the Preschool and Early Elementary School Years

Elementary school Middle school Available virtually

This presentation talks about the social development and needs of young children and how parents, teachers and child care professionals may help promote their social well-being.

Presented by: Dyson, Dr. Lily, Professor Emerita Department of Educational Psychology & Leadership Studies Child & Teen Development

Physical Literacy Powered by the Environment

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

This presentation provides an overview of physical literacy and how the environment (both physical and social) can be used to intentionally invite children in to physically active play that develops their physical literacy.

Presented by: Naylor, Dr. Patti-Jean, Professor Emerita School of Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education Child & Teen Development

Promoting Parent-Infant Sleep for Family Well-being

Available virtually New

In this session I will cover the importance of sleep for infants and parents, challenges to getting enough sleep, and strategies to support sleep.

Presented by: Ou, Dr. Christine, Assistant Professor School of Nursing Child & Teen Development

Metacognition as a Learning Strategy for Children’s Protagonism

Elementary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

When they are three and four years old, young children acquire knowledge by playing. While they investigate, raise and evaluate hypotheses, they create meaning for their interactions and experiences. Through play, children learn how to recognize and solve problems by exploring different situations, which allows them to acquire knowledge in the physical, social and emotional, and cognitive areas. It’s through play that children legitimize their learning processes and have the opportunity to be protagonists in their own learning development. By taking on such a role, children exercise initiative, autonomy, and critical and reflective thinking. Children who are protagonists in their education learn to think and make decisions; they’re capable of appropriating and reflecting on their thinking, which is the basis for metacognition. Several studies indicate that while young children can have metacognitive experiences by themselves, they don’t know how to interpret these experiences. There are several ways to promote metacognition in the early years. To that end, teachers can promote situations where children can play, investigate and question their findings. Thus, metacognition as a learning strategy can also influence motivation, initiative, self-confidence, autonomy and critical thinking. When children observe, reflect on, monitor and evaluate their own thoughts, they can be active subjects in their learning processes—protagonists in their learning.

Presented by: Rigonati Silva, Ms. Tatiane, Graduate Student Department of Curriculum and Instruction Child & Teen Development

Indigenous Literature for Young Readers (in English or Spanish)

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

This presentation offers examples of resources that can be used with young readers to introduce them to Indigenous worldviews, spirituality, beliefs, and ways of being.

Presented by: Rodriguez de France, Dr. Carmen, Assistant Professor Indigenous Education Child & Teen Development

Artificial Intelligence for Condition Monitoring of Electric Propulsion Systems (in English or Tamil)

Secondary school Available virtually New

In this presentation we will look at research findings on the success of different AI algorithms in assessing the condition of electric motors in real-time.

Presented by: Chelvan, Dr. Ilamparithi T., Assistant Teaching Professor Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering Computers, Engineering & Technology

How to Print Organs

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

In this topic concepts about 3D bioprinting will be introduced, the main idea is to explain how bioprinters work as well as the importance of hydrogels to generate an environment able to mimic native tissue conditions.

Presented by: da Silva, Mr. Victor Allisson, Graduate Student Department of Mechanical Engineering Computers, Engineering & Technology

Finding New Drugs Using 3D Printing

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

In this topic concepts about additive manufacture will be introduced, the main idea is to explain what additive manufacture is and how it can be used to generate models in different scales to better understand the function and organization of tissues during different disease conditions.

Presented by: da Silva, Mr. Victor Allisson, Graduate Student Department of Mechanical Engineering Computers, Engineering & Technology

From Quantum Mechanics to Quantum Computers (in English or Portuguese)

Secondary school Available virtually

Quantum behaviour can be exploited to create a computer that works with superpositions and entangled states of zeros and ones. This so called quantum computer is exponentially faster than conventional computers for certain problems, most notably the ones requiring linear algebra (e.g. matrix diagonalization and solution of linear systems) and simulation of quantum systems (e.g. drug design).

Presented by: de Sousa, Prof. Rogério, Associate Professor Department of Physics & Astronomy Computers, Engineering & Technology

Materials for Quantum Computing (in English or Portuguese)

Secondary school Available virtually

I will give an informal overview on how quantum computers can be made using isolated atoms or superconducting chips. I will also discuss the problems we are working on in our research group, which are related to finding the optimal materials for noise reduction in quantum hardware.

Presented by: de Sousa, Prof. Rogério, Associate Professor Department of Physics & Astronomy Computers, Engineering & Technology

Coding with Music

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

Coding/Music looks at using music to teach basic coding. Using a computer-based synthesizer (TunePad) we will walk through the basics of using programming ideas to build complex projects. People will get experience with common idioms such as for loops, functions, and variables as we build a complex piece of music.

Presented by: Ernst, Prof. Neil, Associate Professor Department of Computer Science Computers, Engineering & Technology

Introduction to Data Science Notebooks

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

This presentation focuses on using modern lab notebooks to do data science and analysis.

Presented by: Ernst, Prof. Neil, Assistant Professor Department of Computer Science Computers, Engineering & Technology

Explainable Software and Machine Learning

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

I talk about the role software plays in every system that touches our lives. This covers social network software like Facebook, but also software that is making decisions about driving cars, prescribing medicine and recommending hires.

Presented by: Ernst, Prof. Neil, Assistant Professor Department of Computer Science Computers, Engineering & Technology

Technical Debt in Software Systems

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

This talk examines how shortcuts in software development create longer-term problems. Targeted mainly at businesses with software assets, technical debt management is an important and under-explored risk. This talk explains more about how technical debt can be identified, managed and removed.

Presented by: Ernst, Prof. Neil, Associate Professor Department of Computer Science Computers, Engineering & Technology

Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies (in English or Hindi)

Middle school Available virtually

This speaker’s current research is focused on developing sustainable construction materials and construction technologies. His areas of interest include condition assessment of infrastructure using structural health monitoring and non-destructive techniques such as use of drones.

Presented by: Gupta, Dr. Rishi, Associate Professor Department of Civil Engineering Computers, Engineering & Technology

Smartphones & Tablets: Educational Distractions or Homework Tools & Bicycles for the Mind?

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Can smartphones and tablets be more than distractions and actually help with homework and be more productive? This session will look at different strategies to reduce social media distractions, and at apps that can help turn smartphones into serious productivity, research, and homework tools. The talk is aimed at non-technical users.

Presented by: McCue, Mr. Rich, Manager Libraries, Digital Scholarship Commons Computers, Engineering & Technology

The Augmented Human: How Computers can Make Us Smarter (and Dumber) (in English or Spanish)

Secondary school Available virtually

This talk is an overview of how computers have already made humans smarter, the main ways in which they do, and what problems this can create for people and society as we face a future with much smarter machines.

Presented by: Nacenta, Dr. Miguel, Associate Professor Department of Computer Science Computers, Engineering & Technology

A Brief Introduction to Data Visualization (in English or French)

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

A brief introduction to the field of data visualization, with interactive games to learn fundamentals upon which rely the building of visual representations of data.

Presented by: Perin, Dr. Charles, Assistant Professor Department of Computer Science Computers, Engineering & Technology

Playing with Data: A Hands-on, Constructive Approach to Learning about Data and Visualization (in English or French)

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

A group-based two-hour workshop designed to engage learners from all ages in a hands-on activity through which they will collectively build, discuss and present physical data visualizations.

Presented by: Perin, Dr. Charles, Assistant Professor Department of Computer Science Computers, Engineering & Technology

Technological Design of New Physical Interactions and Experiences

Available virtually New

People are profoundly shaped by the physical world, the objects within it and the physical interactions that unfold. Within this world, we create things, use our bodies to express ourselves and interact with a variety of machines to accomplish everyday activities. In my research, I am passionate about studying and designing technologies that help retain the richness and situatedness of the physical world and enrich and extend peoples physical interactions with the world.

Presented by: Somanath, Dr. Sowmya, Assistant Professor Department of Computer Science Computers, Engineering & Technology

Gold Nanoparticles: Radiation Therapy Enhancers

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

A science-driven look at how incredibly tiny gold particles can be used in the treatment of cancer.

Presented by: Valente, Dr. Karolina Papera, Assistant Teaching Professor Department of Mechanical Engineering Computers, Engineering & Technology

How can We Equip High School Students for the Digital Era? (in English or Portuguese)

Secondary school Available virtually New

This talk will explore high-opportunity occupations related to technology and the skills they require. We’ll cover initiatives that can help students uncover their strengths and validate their interests.

Presented by: Vieira, Ms. Pamela, Manager of HighTechU Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Computers, Engineering & Technology

Modelling Paradigms for Computer Animation

Available virtually

In computer graphics, implicit modelling is a way of representing objects using something akin to 3D contours. The applications to modern computer animation make this a very effective way of describing both smooth shapes and sharp edges. Contact between models is efficient to find facilitating deformations such as skinning for animation.

Presented by: Wyvill, Prof. Brian, Adjunct Professor Department of Computer Science Computers, Engineering & Technology

Sports as Cultural Practice: Taking an Anthropological Approach (in English or French)

Secondary school Available virtually

While sport increasingly participates in the process of globalization, it nonetheless has a history and culturally specific differences which contradict universalizing conceptions of human behaviour such as those of game theory. Anthropology has shown a different way of understanding this behaviour, and sports is an ideal ground to examine such questions.

Presented by: Fromet de Rosnay, Dr. Emile, Assistant Professor Department of French Cultures Around the World

Cultures of Head Coverings

Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

There are many ways of telling the historical and contemporary stories of women. Our exhibition, Cultures of Head Coverings, tells women’s stories through the diverse forms of head coverings they wear in Canada, British Columbia and worldwide. Like all issues of gender and of fashion, practices of head covering and uncovering are multifaceted, meaningful, significant and complex. They are never neutral but rather, always a question of power. Through our tour of the virtual exhibition accompanied by a session, we invite critical self and social reflection through the stories of the head coverings and uncoverings displayed.

Presented by: Kazmi, Ms. Nabila, Graduate Student Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Cultures Around the World

Indigenous Latin America (in English or Spanish)

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Introduction to Indigenous Peoples in Latin America, ethnic groups, geography, languages, and current globally relevant issues. Depending on the audience’s wishes we can focus on certain countries (Bolivia, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, etc.) or specific topics (e.g. decolonization, education, social movements and justice, the environment).

Presented by: McBee, Dr. Gabriela, Assistant Teaching Professor Department of Hispanic & Italian Studies Cultures Around the World

Washoku: Japanese Food Culture (in English or Japanese)

Available virtually

Presented by: Poulton, Dr. Cody, Professor Emeritus Department of Pacific & Asian Studies Cultures Around the World

Cultural Intelligence: Engaging Effectively in Diverse Cultural Contexts

Secondary school Available virtually

Cultural Intelligence, or CQ, is one’s ability to work and relate effectively in diverse cultural settings. This interactive session will develop your understanding of cultural intelligence and how you can develop your own capability for success in diverse cultural contexts.

Presented by: Ramji, Ms. Karima, Associate Director, International, Indigenous & Strategic Initiatives Co-op & Career Services Cultures Around the World

Mexico’s Day of the Dead

Secondary school Available virtually

The fascinating celebration of the “Day of the Dead” is explored in this talk. Includes slides of preparations and the beautiful altars that are created to remember those who have passed away.

Presented by: Stewart, Prof. Rosa, Teaching Professor Department of Hispanic & Italian Studies Cultures Around the World

The Story of an African Women's Farm

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

This highly illustrated talk tells the story of an inspiring farm set up during a drought and food crisis in the early 1990s. Thirty years later, this sustainable farming project continues to contribute to women’s lives, families, and community in South Africa.

Presented by: Vibert, Dr. Elizabeth, Associate Professor Department of History Cultures Around the World

Food Sovereignty and Sustainability

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Food Sovereignty and Sustainability discusses these concepts in global perspective, and then uses food production activities in the Global South as examples of how local, small-scale food production can change lives and communities.

Presented by: Vibert, Dr. Elizabeth, Associate Professor Department of History Cultures Around the World

Micro-managing: Household Economies in the Global South

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

‘Micro-managing’ examines how 'the poorest of the poor' carefully manage and amplify scarce resources and diversify activities to support themselves and their families. Households in rural South Africa serve as case studies.

Presented by: Vibert, Dr. Elizabeth, Associate Professor Department of History Cultures Around the World

The Thinking Garden: A Film About an Inspiring South African Women's Farm

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

The Thinking Garden. The writer-producer presents this award-winning, inspiring documentary about a South African women's cooperative farm, 35 minutes [2017]. Note: the film is in the xiTsonga language with English subtitles.

Presented by: Vibert, Dr. Elizabeth, Associate Professor Department of History Cultures Around the World

Why is Africa Poor and Food-insecure (and is it)?

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

This highly illustrated talk looks at historical and contemporary factors shaping the ongoing challenges of sub-Saharan Africa, queries standard narratives, and considers some little-discussed success stories.

Presented by: Vibert, Dr. Elizabeth, Associate Professor Department of History Cultures Around the World

Pacific Storm Types and Tracks

Available virtually

What are the types of Pacific storms? Where do they form, where do they travel, and why do they move as they do? Why do we have more storms in winter than in summer? How do El Niño/La Niña affect them?

Presented by: Atkinson, Dr. David, Assistant Professor Department of Geography Earth & Oceans

Zooplankton: Vagrants in the Chaotic Ocean

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

All of Earth’s oceans are filled with tiny (and large) alien-like animals that thrive by drifting along with the currents. These zooplankton can be critical food sources for fish and marine mammals, can churn the oceans with some of the largest migrations on Earth, and can tell us how ocean climates are changing. This presentation introduces the diversity and ecology of zooplankton with a focus on Pacific Northwest species, and how we study these animals. If delivered online, this presentation can include live microscope video of sorting and identifying zooplankton in the lab.

Presented by: Ens, Mr. Nicholas, Graduate Student Department of Biology Earth & Oceans

Seeing with Sound: How Echosounder Technology Gives us Eyes in the Ocean

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

The ocean is vast, deep and dark, hiding many animals within its depths. How can we find out what animals are down there, in what numbers, and what they are doing, without having to fish them up to the surface? Echosounders are invaluable tools which allow us to ‘see with sound,’ and through their use our understanding of oceans and the denizens within have increased by leaps and bounds. This presentation includes a brief history of the development of echosounders and their use in ocean science today, as well as a demonstration of how acousticians interpret the data from echosounders.

Presented by: Ens, Mr. Nicholas, Graduate Student Department of Biology Earth & Oceans

Animal Movement Modelling

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

Animals move underwater. Human (anthropogenic) underwater activities, such as offshore construction or exploration surveys, also sometimes happen in the same places where animals like to swim. Loud sound levels can harm marine animals, as if someone was shouting in your ear, which is not very pleasant. It is important to understand the level of sound that starts to hurt these animals so that we can create mitigation efforts and laws that require human activities to keep their sound production below a certain threshold. To do this, we can use animal movement modelling. Using computer programming, it is possible to simulate an animal’s movements in the water, with features like diving and foraging for food. Each animal has different behaviour and we can adjust the simulated movement accordingly. We then place these simulated animals in a simulated noise field and calculate how much noise each animal would have been exposed to over a set period.

Presented by: Zammit, Ms. Karlee, Graduate Student School of Earth & Ocean Sciences Earth & Oceans

Underwater Acoustics, Marine Bioacoustics, and Machine Learning

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

Acoustics is another word for the transmittance of sound, and how it propagates or moves through different spaces. Singing, listening to music, and talking are all examples of things we do every day that can be described through acoustics. Underwater, acoustics is incredibly important. Many different species of marine animals use sound as a primary way of hunting, navigating, and communicating, because it can be difficult to see in some underwater regions. Some species have even evolved to have acoustic receptors inside of their heads, like the ability to use echolocation in our resident killer whales. Marine bioacoustics is the study of using sound to detect animals. To protect the Earth’s biodiversity and fight the effects of climate change on critical habitat, it is important to study a wide variety of marine life and create laws and guidelines to protect them. Acoustics provides an excellent tool to do so. I will discuss what acoustics and marine bioacoustics is, show examples of calls made by different species, methods for collecting acoustic data, and methods for analyzing passive acoustic monitoring data (including machine learning automated detectors).

Presented by: Zammit, Ms. Karlee, Graduate Student School of Earth & Ocean Sciences Earth & Oceans

Tide Pool Exploration on Vancouver Island

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

Vancouver Island has some of the best tide pools in the world. A tide pool is a pool of water formed by receding tides, and when the water gets pulled back into the ocean by the moon (and potentially other factors), sometimes ocean creatures get stuck inside. They then must wait for the tide to rise once again before returning to the ocean. Tide pools offer an incredible glimpse into life underwater, as you often can walk right up to them and peer inside. Anemones, chitons, limpets, rock gunnels, coral and sea urchins are just a few of the creatures you might find inside a tide pool. To highlight a personal favourite, tide pools are the best place to see nudibranchs, which exist in a wide variety of species. Sea lemons (which smell like fruit loops), opalescent nudibranchs, white tipped nudibranchs, and leopard dorids are a few of the species I’ve seen while tide pooling on Vancouver Island. I will discuss the importance of treading carefully while tide pooling, ocean creatures complete with photos, essential tide pooling gear, and I will end with a map of the best tide pooling spots on the island, including some dock fouling spots that are closer to the Victoria area.

Presented by: Zammit, Ms. Karlee, Graduate Student School of Earth & Ocean Sciences Earth & Oceans

Plastic Pollution in Our Oceans

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

This talk will broadly describe the history of the invention and large-scale production of plastic as well its uses and benefits. There will be discussion around the land- and sea- based origins of plastic pollution as well as the types of plastics which primarily end up in the ocean. We’ll explore the pathways that plastics take to end up in the marine environment. A breakdown of marine plastic sizes as well as scale comparisons, in addition to the categorization of plastic particle shapes, will be discussed. There will be a brief overview of the societal and economic impacts of having plastics in the ocean, with a focus on biological impacts (i.e. entanglement, ingestion, leaching of chemicals). Finally, there will be suggestions on next steps that we can take as individuals to prevent plastics from entering the marine environment, and resources for educating ourselves about marine plastic pollution.

Presented by: Gurgacz-Safianowicz, Ms. Natalia, Graduate Student School of Earth & Ocean Sciences Earth & Oceans

How Storms Impact the Coasts

Available virtually

How do storms affect the ocean and impact the coast? How does the nature of the coast—water depth, type of beach material, coast shape—affect how a storm can cause impact? How do features like sandbars and rip-currents work? Why there are bigger waves in winter?

Presented by: Atkinson, Dr. David, Assistant Professor Department of Geography Earth & Oceans

Field Research in the Arctic

Available virtually

The Canadian high Arctic is a place most people have never seen. In this photo tour, you’ll see what the it looks like—landforms, animals and some of the research taking place there.

Presented by: Atkinson, Dr. David, Assistant Professor Department of Geography Earth & Oceans

The Coastal Regions of Alaska and the Arctic

Available virtually

This presentation gives an overview of the Alaskan and Arctic coastal regions, including who lives there, what the land/coast is like, how important sea ice is, how climate change is manifesting itself in these areas and new threats/opportunities from oil/gas development and the Northwest Passage opening.

Presented by: Atkinson, Dr. David, Assistant Professor Department of Geography Earth & Oceans

Weather Stations in the Icefields of the Rockies

Available virtually

This presentation includes an overview of how 10-metre weather towers were installed on the Columbia Icefield near Jasper and Banff, and an Icefield in Nahanni National Park Reserve in the NWT. See examples of data and photos sent back from the stations and learn about some of the problems with this sort of science.

Presented by: Atkinson, Dr. David, Assistant Professor Department of Geography Earth & Oceans

The Fukushima Disaster and Radiation in the Pacific Ocean: What Does It Mean for BC?

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

The mega-thrust earthquake in March 2011 off the coast of Japan and the subsequent tsunami led to globally significant releases of radioactive elements from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. In this presentation, the radioactive releases, transport from Fukushima and expected maximum concentrations on the west coast of North America are discussed in light of naturally occurring radioactivity and historic releases of radioactive elements from human activities. Ongoing monitoring efforts and likely impacts on environmental and public health are also discussed.

Presented by: Cullen, Dr. Jay, Associate Professor School of Earth & Ocean Sciences Earth & Oceans

Waves We Walk On: Groundwater & Aquifers

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

This talk introduces students to the invisible water beneath our feet. Often overlooked or misunderstood in the water budget, groundwater plays a significant role in the earth’s water cycle that in human time scales is only beginning to be understood — in last hundred years or so. This presentation will introduce students to the storage and movements of groundwater, what groundwater actually “looks like” and how it interacts with other components in the water cycle. Examples will be given for locally here in BC as well as larger global groundwater regions and issues.

Presented by: Disney, Ms. Kristina, Graduate Student School of Earth & Ocean Sciences Earth & Oceans

How Far Does a Water Droplet Go? Following the Water Cycle

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

Let’s follow the journey of a water droplet—from its formation in a cloud to its fall to earth and back into a cloud once again. The voyage is sometime long, maybe thousands or tens of thousands of years, or sometimes short, only minutes to hours to days before the droplet returns to the atmosphere. Where does it go? How is our planet’s water all connected? How are the connections of the water cycle changing? Looking deeper into these questions will be the focus of the presentation and seeing how each of us as an individual fits into this larger framework of water resources.

Presented by: Disney, Ms. Kristina, Graduate Student School of Earth & Ocean Sciences Earth & Oceans

Earthquake & Tsunami Hazards in Coastal BC

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

Most residents of Vancouver Island and Coastal BC are aware of the threat of “the Big One” — the large earthquake geologists predict will occur on the Cascadia subduction zone. But what exactly does that mean? And what about all those smaller earthquakes that we hear about? I will talk about the diversity of earthquakes we experience on the west coast, what causes them, and the hazard they pose to residents. I will explain how we mitigate the risk of earthquakes through monitoring, earthquake early warning, and construction practices, and will discuss how you can best prepare. No earthquake talk would be complete without also talking about tsunamis, so we will talk about what kinds of earthquakes cause tsunamis, and the locations that are most at risk.

Presented by: Finley, Mr. Theron, Graduate Student School of Earth and Ocean Sciences Earth & Oceans

Geology & Tectonics of Western Canada

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

The mountainous regions of western Canada have a fascinating geological history that spans over a billion years. This talk will be a whirlwind tour through space and time, covering some of the most interesting aspects of the geology that underlies BC and adjoining provinces. We will discuss the ancient environments that the rocks provide a record of, and how plate tectonics gave rise to the mountains we see today. We will also touch on our present day interactions with our local geology, both in terms of natural hazards (earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, etc.) and natural resources (mineral and energy resources).

Presented by: Finley, Mr. Theron, Graduate Student School of Earth and Ocean Sciences Earth & Oceans

Using Robots to Measure the Ocean

Elementary school Available virtually

Ocean engineers have invented amazing robots that sail the ocean seas. We’ll discuss what something needs to be a robot, compare these characteristics to the robot I’ll bring, and do a hands-on exercise that shows how these robots move through the ocean by changing their density.

Presented by: Hamme, Dr. Roberta, Associate Professor School of Earth & Ocean Sciences Earth & Oceans

Hydrothermal Vents: Life in the Absence of Sunlight

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student

The discovery of ecosystems at deep-sea hydrothermal vents in 1977 altered the global perspective concerning the boundaries of biological systems. Thousands of meters below the ocean surface, in complete darkness, dense communities of species were found not only existing but thriving. In this talk the audience is presented with an overview of these fascinating systems, their role in global systems, resources they contain that have the potential to contribute to human advancement, and the importance of effectively regulating resource extraction. Vent systems off the West Coast of Vancouver Island are a particular focus.

Presented by: Harris, Ms. Moronke, Graduate Student School of Earth & Ocean Sciences Earth & Oceans

An Intervention Strategy for Coral Survival in a Warming Ocean

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student

Coral bleaching, caused by rising ocean temperatures, is one of the most severe threats to tropical coral reefs globally. Artificial upwelling (AU) is an experimental technology that drives the flow of deep, cold, nutrient rich water towards the ocean surface through large underwater pumps. In this talk the audience is presented with a brief overview of the possible effectiveness of AU in preventing coral bleaching that often leads to mortality during periods of ocean warming.

Presented by: Harris, Ms. Moronke, Graduate Student School of Earth & Ocean Sciences Earth & Oceans

Earth on the Move

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

Earthquakes and tsunamis are happening more than you may realize all over the world. Explore plate tectonics and earthquake data from Ocean Networks Canada instruments, and play a fun plate boundaries game.

Presented by: Hudson, Mrs. Lauren, K-12 Education Coordinator Oceans Networks Canada Earth & Oceans

Protecting Mother Ocean

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Marine biodiversity is amazingly diverse and complex. But many marine ecosystems are threatened and need our protection. The UN Sustainable Development Goals aim to protect the planet, end poverty and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. Goal 14, Life Below Water, strives to sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems from pollution, as well as address the impacts of ocean acidification. This talk introduces the goal and how we can all help achieve it.

Presented by: Owens, Mr. Dwight, User Engagement Officer Ocean Networks Canada Earth & Oceans

Changing Climate, Changing Ocean

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

The world’s oceans—their temperature, chemistry, currents and life—make the Earth habitable for humankind. How we manage this vital resource is essential for humanity as a whole. But the global ocean is under stress from warming, acidification and oxygen declines. Why are these changes happening and what impacts can we expect? This talk outlines these three interrelated stressors, examining impacts and actions we can take to counteract them.

Presented by: Owens, Mr. Dwight, User Engagement Officer Ocean Networks Canada Earth & Oceans

Amazing “Big Science” Initiative: Ocean Networks Canada

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) monitors the east and west coasts of Canada and the Arctic, collecting real-time, continuous, open data that delivers solutions for science, society and industry. By bringing data to the surface, ONC provides ocean intelligence to scientists, governments, organizations, and citizens. Learn about this world-leading “big science” project.

Presented by: Owens, Mr. Dwight, User Engagement Officer Ocean Networks Canada Earth & Oceans

Ocean Science, Ocean Art

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

A core outcome for the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development is to foster “an inspiring and engaging ocean where society understands and values the ocean in relation to human wellbeing.” In support of this goal, Ocean Networks Canada collaborates with a growing list of artists, each working in very different media and formats, to produce inspiring works of art. This session will share these works and engage the audience in exploration of art and science for the oceans.

Presented by: Owens, Mr. Dwight, User Engagement Officer Ocean Networks Canada Earth & Oceans

Tsunami Hazards of Vancouver Island

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

This topic presents the three main movements of plate tectonics, the tectonic types present at Vancouver Island, and which types could lead to tsunamis. I will use foam and activity sheets to demonstrate the plate movements. We will explore tsunami hazards around Vancouver Island, look at what tsunamis are and how they’re different from tidal waves, how large can they be, and how much warning we might have before a tsunami hits the coast.

Presented by: Sethanant, Ms. Israporn (Grace), Graduate Student School of Earth & Ocean Sciences Earth & Oceans

Shake It Shake It!—Liquefaction Hazard in Southwestern British Columbia

Elementary school Middle school Available virtually Graduate Student

This presentation and activity will cover the definition and causes of earthquake liquefaction, including where or which type of ground/soil liquefaction could occur. The students will experience the affects of earthquake shaking on different types of ground material through plastic cups and sand activity. The activity will demonstrate how building structures respond to earthquake shaking and liquefaction.

Presented by: Sethanant, Ms. Israporn (Grace), Graduate Student School of Earth & Ocean Sciences Earth & Oceans

Can We Predict Earthquakes? Tales of the Cascadia Subduction Zone

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

This talk includes a demonstration using the new earthquake wood model (called the “quakecaster”) to answer whether earthquakes are predictable. I will explain some background about plate tectonics, how we found out about the Cascadia Subduction Zone, and the hazard it posts to the community.

Presented by: Sethanant, Ms. Israporn (Grace), Graduate Student School of Earth & Ocean Sciences Earth & Oceans

Groundwater: Our Hidden Treasure

Secondary school Available virtually

This talk will look at how local communities can better understand, manage and protect their groundwater resources.

Presented by: Wei, Mr. Mike, Adjunct Professor School of Earth & Ocean Sciences Earth & Oceans

Marine Phytoplankton: Diversity, Ecology and Ecosystem Services in Changing Oceans

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student

Marine phytoplankton are ubiquitous, microscopic organisms that are the base of marine food webs, capture climate-warming carbon dioxide gas, and are responsible for producing 50% of the oxygen we breath. One particular group of phytoplankton, the diatoms, are especially common on the West coast of British Columbia, and their importance in ecosystems and to the planet cannot be understated. This presentation will introduce some of the different types of phytoplankton, their diversity and examples of unique features, roles in local and global systems, and how climate change is affecting these organisms.

Presented by: Wyatt, Mr. Shea, Graduate Student Department of Biology Earth & Oceans

Practical Strategies for Supporting English-as-an-Additional-Language Students

Available virtually

This session will consider pedagogical challenges from the perspective of students of English-as-an-additional-language (EAL). In particular, it will illustrate the salient linguistic features of a chosen source language, in this case Chinese, as an example of the potential communication challenges faced by students in order to help raise attendees’ awareness about students’ own communication preferences. It will then explore practical strategies as informed by teaching, research, and practice for supporting international EAL students with the goal of dispelling commonly held misperceptions that may undermine learning and outcomes.

Presented by: Huang, Dr. Li-Shih, Associate Professor Department of Linguistics Education in the Schools

Learning Stories as a Powerful Way to Document Student Learning in the Early Grades

Elementary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

One way for teachers to register and document children’s learning is through learning stories that make their everyday school life visible. Learning stories are narratives that demonstrate in images and text the learning process of students. There are a few steps important to consider when creating and using Learning Stories as a pedagogical tool to enhance children´s learning. Influenced by the Reggio Emilia approach, this pedagogical concept holds that every child is a unique and strong human being with rights and potential, who learns through multiple languages and grows in their relationships with others.

Presented by: Rigonati Silva, Ms. Tatiane, Graduate Student Department of Curriculum and Instruction Education in the Schools

What a Culture of Caring Looks Like in Early Childhood Classrooms

Elementary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

What does it mean to care? How can teachers of small children have a genuinely caring relationship with their learners? Caring relationships are motivated by mutual empathy, based on the understanding and recognition of others and their needs. In the early learning classroom, caring is present in the relationship between children and teacher; teachers respond to children’s needs and interests when they adapt and design a differentiated curriculum. It’s important that teachers reflect on the implications that caring has for their teaching practice, and question and reflect on how much their caring habits are culturally inclusive and responsive. To exemplify, I provide different ideas and reflections on how teachers can dialogue with, and consider each child’s social and cultural background, in order to model and promote caring in the classroom, and they can include opportunities for teaching children to practice and reflect on their own caring habits.

Presented by: Rigonati Silva, Ms. Tatiane, Graduate Student Department of Curriculum and Instruction Education in the Schools

Mental Health and Student Success

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

Current approaches to student success support students to not just survive but to thrive with the inclusion of both; (a) social emotional or feeling well components, and (b) academic or doing well components. Mental health is an important social emotional contributor to student success and related to superior psychosocial functioning, academic performance, and being able to manage challenges. This talk will describe the two distinct and related dimensions of mental health, hedonic and eudaimonic. Each dimension contributes to student success in a different way and can be uniquely leveraged to support students to thrive in academic settings. Understanding the history and current research on mental health has implications for students, instructors, and academic institutions regarding overall student wellbeing, the association between mental health and learning, and effectively drawing on mental health to navigate academic challenges.

Presented by: Kapil, Ms. Meg, Graduate Student Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies Education in the Schools

Student Success, Stress and Learning

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

Students face a range of challenges related to social emotional and academic experiences that have the potential to interfere with student success including facing increased stress from academic demands and mental health challenges. The academic context is expected to include stress, whether stress hinders or helps students is a main question addressed in this discussion. Current approaches to student success support thriving with the inclusion of both social emotional and academic components. An important component of these student success outcomes is stress, and appraisals of stress that shape how the expected academic stress is managed. An emphasis on eliminating stress for students is not possible or practical and counterproductive. When managed well, stress at university is important for achieving goals that are important for both academic and social emotional outcomes. How stress is associated with specific learning practices and behaviours as well as both social emotional and academic outcomes will be discussed. In addition, practical suggestions for effectively managing stress and learning in academic settings will be shared.

Presented by: Kapil, Ms. Meg, Graduate Student Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies Education in the Schools

Core French: Learner Motivation and Instructional Methods

Available virtually Graduate Student New

As French education rises in popularity across Canada, there is an increasing need to assess the impact of French curriculum and teaching methods on learners. My thesis research focuses on the motivational factors that affect British Columbia Grade 8 Core French students’ willingness to persevere (or discontinue) their French studies, and what can be done to potentially mitigate these factors. I am able to present the findings of my research and further discuss the concept of learner motivation as it applies to school-age Core French learners in BC. Further, I am able to suggest ways in which teachers can help mitigate any personal, social or emotional factors which may be negatively affecting their students’ motivation to study French. I am also able to present on specific topics, activities and lesson plans for Core French teachers to engage and motivate their students. Additionally, I am able to present ways in which French teachers can foster classroom environments in which students feel supported, interested, and motivated to continue learning French.

Presented by: O’Toole, Ms. Erin, Graduate Student Department of Linguistics Education in the Schools

Flipping the Classroom: A Powerful Teaching Tool, but Not a Panacea

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Adopting a flipped classroom approach can free up valuable in-class time by using videos and exercises that students watch and complete as homework, or “pre-work." This allows teachers to more easily differentiate their instruction and lets students learn at their own pace. This talk includes an overview of the flipped learning model, a demonstration of one approach to flipping a classroom, and discussion of where flipped learning does and doesn’t work well—along with equity issues to keep in mind when implementing.

Presented by: McCue, Mr. Rich, Manager Libraries, Digital Scholarship Commons Education in the Schools

Web of Performance: How Performance Literacy Empowers 21st-Century Youth

Secondary school Available virtually

Performance studies offers young people opportunities to develop their performance literacy through the investigation of performance as a form of play, ritual, healing, education, identity, power and everyday life. Based on a recent nationally-funded grant, this talk introduces a new curriculum in performance studies for youth 16-20.

Presented by: Prendergast, Dr. Monica, Professor Department of Curriculum & Instruction Education in the Schools

Staging the Not-Yet: How Dramatic Ensembles are Enacting Micro-utopian Visions

Secondary school Available virtually

Utopian philosophy offers new ways to think about what can happen in a dramatic ensemble. This can be a creative and collaborative space in which young people and their teachers can experience fleeting glimpses of more hopeful ways of being and doing through collective performance creation.

Presented by: Prendergast, Dr. Monica, Professor Department of Curriculum & Instruction Education in the Schools

Indigenous Arts in the Classroom: A Hands-On Presentation (in English or Spanish)

Elementary school Middle school Available virtually

This is a hands-on presentation using diverse art forms.

Presented by: Rodriguez de France, Dr. Carmen, Assistant Professor Indigenous Education Education in the Schools

How to Survive and Thrive in First-year University

Secondary school Available virtually

What are the top five factors that predict retention at university? What are the top five behaviours that predict success? How can you learn from this research in order to thrive at university (or, if you are a parent, support your adult child to do so)?

Presented by: Surridge, Dr. Lisa, Associate Dean and Professor Department of English Education in the Schools

Opening Up Access to Research

Available virtually

Today, a substantial amount of publicly funded academic research is locked behind paywalls. The academic publishing system is surprisingly lucrative for commercial publishers, who report profit margins of 30 to 40 per cent. I provide an overview of academic publishing and introduce the Open Access movement, an international effort toward making research open and free for everyone.

Presented by: Arbuckle, Ms. Alyssa, Associate Director Electronic Textual Cultures Lab Education—General

The Concept of Experience ​in the Humanities & the Sciences (in English or French)

Secondary school Available virtually

This presentation looks at an alternate way of understanding the difference between the humanities and the other sciences.

Presented by: Fromet de Rosnay, Dr. Emile, Assistant Professor Department of French Education—General

Critical Race Theory in Education: Where Do We Stand?

Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

Critical race theory has become the topic of passionate debate over the past 25 years. Notably, scholars, teachers, parents and students across the world have been discussing whether it is an appropriate framework to integrate into primary school curricula. The election of Donald Trump as the President of the United States gave many white Americans a “champion” in the vocalization of racist ideologies. He was known to be actively against CRT, citing it as a form of “psychological abuse” for students. Therefore, when critical race theory began gaining traction in educational discourse, those who supported the president also began attacking the framework, often without knowledge of its particulars. This presentation will provide a brief history of critical race theory, then delve into how recent politics, particularly following the election of Donald Trump, has affected CRT in classrooms and educational policymaking. In addition, the future of CRT in North American education will be discussed as we enter a world following a pandemic that clearly exhibited our social and cultural deficiencies regarding racial inequities.

Presented by: Garcia, Ms. Alycia, Graduate Student Department of Curriculum and Instruction Education—General

Introduction to Academic Writing

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

Introduces the concept of genre and how this is applicable to thinking about and doing academic writing. This talk would be appropriate for high school classes and anyone thinking of entering college or university.

Presented by: Gaudet, Dr. Loren, Assistant Teaching Professor Academic and Technical Writing Program Education—General

Managing Stress at School

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

Students are experiencing increasingly high levels of stress across all levels of education. Considering the high levels of stress reported and the potential negative impacts on learning and wellbeing as a result, effective support regarding managing stress is increasingly important. The impact of school stress on students is variable. When not managed well, stress responses can interfere with information processing, recall, motivation, and overall academic achievement. When managed well, stress can be enhancing in performance settings like school, can facilitate growth and is associated with higher levels of wellbeing and competence. Stress is expected in school contexts which are evaluative, goal-oriented, and performance based. In short, students are expected to experience stress at school or anytime they are pursuing goals, and to ensure that stress enhances well-being and performance, the focus shifts to how school stress is managed. The majority of people hold the belief that stress is only bad for you, this has negative consequences for physical and mental health as well as performance. Fortunately, this is not the whole picture. Stress is not solely negative, it can even enhance performance and promote coping. How each of us understands stress, or the meaning we apply to our experience of stress, has a big impact on whether stress is adaptive or distressing for us. Research will be discussed that proposes a novel approach to managing academic stress that integrates stress optimization and self-regulated learning. Applied examples of putting this research into practice will be shared including a stress regulation program delivered to elementary school students and supporting university students to cope with academic stress.

Presented by: Kapil, Ms. Meg, Graduate Student Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies Education—General

Community-University Engagement

Secondary school Available virtually

Budd Hall is a Professor Emeritus at UVic who has had a career in adult education, community-development and participatory research. He is the Co-Chair of the UNESCO Chair in Community-Based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education. His current focus is on training young people for doing locally based participatory research and supporting the strengthening of community-university research partnerships. He is also a poet and part of the Victoria Social Movement Poets Collective.

Presented by: Hall, Prof. Budd, Professor Emeritus School of Public Administration Education—General

Breaking Down Barriers: Students’ Use of their Own Language

Available virtually

There’s a growing recognition of the role played by learners’ first languages/own-languages in learning an additional language. This session draws on insights from recent literature and the presenter’s own scholarly and professional work on learners’ use of their own languages to give instructors practical suggestions on how to incorporate them into teaching.

Presented by: Huang, Dr. Li-Shih, Associate Professor Department of Linguistics Education—General

Building Teachers' Research Toolkit & Implementing Practitioner Research

Available virtually

This interactive workshop is designed to address the concerns of educators who have contemplated engaging in practitioner research to inform their practices. This workshop describes what practitioner research is, and discusses how to problem-solve challenges commonly encountered in the practitioner-research process. Bring your practitioner research questions and ideas with you! This workshop will help you make informed decisions and get you excited about embarking on your own practitioner-research journey.

Presented by: Huang, Dr. Li-Shih, Associate Professor Department of Linguistics Education—General

The Power of Reflection: Field-tested Tips on Implementing Critical Learner Reflection

Available virtually

At one point or another in our learning journeys, we have probably all been asked to reflect on our learning experiences. As a teaching professional, you may also have asked your students to engage in reflection. Although educators across disciplines have long recognized its importance and applicability across a wide variety of educational settings, reflection remains a challenging concept for educators across disciplines to firmly grasp in practice. In this session, the presenter will explore (a) what learner reflection entails, (b) why learner reflection is critically important, according to up-to-date theory and research, and (c) how to implement reflection in ways that will help learners reap its benefits.

Presented by: Huang, Dr. Li-Shih, Associate Professor Department of Linguistics Education—General

Developing Excellence: Tips and Tools for Mastering any Skill at a High Level (in English or French)

Available virtually

How do some people develop extraordinary talent in a given area? Why do certain centres seem to produce a high number of successful people in a given area? Explore the foundational concepts that one can transfer to any variety of specific skills, which include understanding how it works, building consistency, and the mental training that is an essential component.

Presented by: Klazek, Dr. Merrie, Assistant Professor Department of Music Education—General

Bookbinding for Beginners

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Learn to bind a book with no previous experience. With a very few elementary bookbinding skills, people of all ages can gain new perspective on books, literacy, and the power of this ancient and enduring technology.

Presented by: Lines, Mr. Michael, Learning and Research Librarian William C. Mearns Centre for Learning Education—General

Finding and Articulating Learning through Reflection (in English or Spanish)

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

Community and volunteer engagement can be very rewarding and mutually beneficial. This session dives into the wonderful world of relationship and project building for the common good.

Presented by: Nagel, Mrs. Rhianna, Coordinator Community-Engaged Learning Education—General

Coordinating Mutually Beneficial Volunteer Programs (in English or Spanish)

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

Community and volunteer engagement can be very rewarding and mutually beneficial. This session dives into the wonderful world of relationship and project building for the common good.

Presented by: Nagel, Mrs. Rhianna, Coordinator Community-Engaged Learning Education—General

Community Engagement Across Generations and Sectors (in English or Spanish)

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

Community and volunteer engagement can be very rewarding and mutually beneficial. This session dives into the wonderful world of relationship and project building for the common good.

Presented by: Nagel, Mrs. Rhianna, Coordinator Community-Engaged Learning Education—General

Protocols for Meaningful Engagement (in English or Spanish)

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

Community and volunteer engagement can be very rewarding and mutually beneficial. This session dives into the wonderful world of relationship and project building for the common good.

Presented by: Nagel, Mrs. Rhianna, Coordinator Community-Engaged Learning Education—General

English Language Learners

Elementary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

This talk presents research findings of how English language learners' (ELL) children expand their learning and cognitive development when they are interested and engaged in meaningful and enjoyable activities. To that purpose, during circle time, the children and I focused on talking about and writing down ELL children's routine to expand and improve their skills from formal to more academic style. Accordingly, when a teacher supports the children to clearly describe their routine, they consolidate the daily routine using verbal language. The process of documenting the children’s daily routine lasted a year and throughout this process 4- and 5-year-old children could expand and improve their language skills. For this purpose, I used different teaching strategies to facilitate language growth while scaffolding children's learning. As a result, the children could apply their language skills in different contexts while playing, exploring an art activity, or requesting something to the teacher — showing how they appropriated their new language knowledge. The ongoing process of documenting children's routines also leads teachers to reflect on their regular teaching practices and motivates children to increase their academic language use in different contexts. In addition, while scaffolding their learning, children can experience and acquire new vocabulary and grammar structures that everyday conversations would not provide them. Thus, the practice of documenting children’s routines during circle time can engage children in productive talk, creating meaningful learning, and expanding ELL children’s learning and cognitive development.

Presented by: Rigonati Silva, Ms. Tatiane, Graduate Student Department of Curriculum and Instruction Education—General

Indigenous Ways of Being through Photography (in English or Spanish)

Elementary school Middle school Available virtually

This session offers hands-on “discovery” of Indigenous ways of being through the lens of a camera, paying attention to immediate surroundings such as land, imagery, cultural representations, language, etc.

Presented by: Rodriguez de France, Dr. Carmen, Assistant Professor Indigenous Education Education—General

Indigenous Education: What Have We Learned in 50 Years? (in English or Spanish)

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Explore the history of Indigenous education in BC through policy and curriculum.

Presented by: Rodriguez de France, Dr. Carmen, Assistant Professor Indigenous Education Education—General

Once Upon a Time: Indigenous Ways of Knowing & Being through Story (in English or Spanish)

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

The presentation entails looking at stories through diverse media to explore Indigenous worldview.

Presented by: Rodriguez de France, Dr. Carmen, Assistant Professor Indigenous Education Education—General

Building an Inclusive Community: Core Considerations for Community Members

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

Presented by: Schouten, Ms. Mami, EDI Research Officer VP Research & Innovation/Equity and Human Rights Education—General

Children & Youth in Activism—When did Children Become Students?

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Presented by: Sitara, Dr. Georgia, Assistant Teaching Professor Departments of History & Gender Studies Education—General

Poking & Prying with a Purpose: How High School Students can Prepare for University-level Research

Secondary school Available virtually

This talk, by an associate dean in Humanities, is aimed at high school students who are thinking about going to college or university. The primary themes are exploration, risk, courage, and curiosity and how they help prepare students for the exciting world of university research. Students will get an inside view of research and learn about cutting-edge projects that dive into the very essence of being human.

Presented by: D’Arcy, Dr. Alexandra, Professor & Associate Dean Research Department of Linguistics Education—General

The Future of Water Law and Policy

Available virtually

This presentation explores the elements and attributes of modern water law and focuses on the emerging model for watershed governance in BC. It also addresses the successful conditions for watershed governance, and explores how a watershed governance regime can build resilience in dealing with an increasingly uncertain world and the priority of water sustainability.    

Presented by: Brandes/Simms, Mr./Ms. Oliver/Rosie, Co-Director/Researcher & Coordinator Centre for Global Studies, POLIS Water Sustainability Project Environment & Sustainability

Climate and Permafrost Change in Canada’s Arctic

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

Recent temperature increases that are four times greater than the global average are transforming Arctic landscapes at unprecedented rates (Ratanen et al., 2022). These changes drastically impact permafrost—ground that remains at or below 0°C for two or more years, and which make up approximately 50 per cent of Canada’s land surface (Anisimov & Reneva, 2006; Canadian Permafrost Association; 2022; Zhang et al., 2006). Permafrost landscape change includes concerns such as lake drainage, landslides, terrain subsidence and peatland collapse; all of which have accelerated since the 1950s (Camill, 2005; Jorgenson et al., 2010; Jorgenson et al., 2013). Projections suggest a 70 per cent reduction of near surface permafrost will occur by 2100 (IPCC, 2018). Permafrost thaw will affect ecosystems, infrastructure and socio-cultural wellbeing, as ground bearing capacity decreases, animal and vegetation patterns shift, and access to travel, hunting and fishing grounds are threatened.

Presented by: Street, Ms. Emma, Graduate Student School of Environmental Studies Environment & Sustainability

Community-based Participatory Research

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

Permafrost studies have historically focused on the ecological and geographical aspects of degradation and tell us little about impact at the community level. My doctoral research project seeks to better understand the implication of these permafrost changes in Gwich’in and Inuvialuit communities in the Western Canadian Arctic. In collaboration with Renewable Resource Councils, Hunters and Trappers Committees, and land users in all eight communities in the Gwich’in Settlement Area and Inuvialuit Settlement Region, this project is documenting traditional knowledge about permafrost and mapping evidence of permafrost change. This will inform co-developed projects that are responsive to local needs and will inform decision making. This project will draw on ‘Two-Eyed Seeing’ as a guiding framework, seeing Indigenous knowledges and ways of knowing from one eye, seeing from Western knowledge with the other eye, and using both eyes together for a holistic approach (Bartlett et al., 2012; Berkes, 2012; Marshall et al., 2015; Wright et al., 2019). Further, community-based participatory research drives this work, wherein community members are engaged in all phases of the research process and its outcomes as full and equal partners (Holkup et al., 2004).

Presented by: Street, Ms. Emma, Graduate Student School of Environmental Studies Environment & Sustainability

A Watershed Security Agenda for BC

Available virtually

This presentation will outline a set of key actions needed to achieve watershed security in BC. It will highlight the interconnections between watershed security and other key priorities in the province—reconciliation, economic recovery, climate adaptation, wild salmon protection/revitalization—and point to specific actions by the provincial government to create a lasting legacy of watershed security for all British Columbians.

Presented by: Brandes/Simms, Mr./Ms. Oliver/Rosie, Co Director/Researcher & Coordinator Centre for Global Studies, POLIS Water Sustainability Project Environment & Sustainability

Ecological Transition: How to Make Our Societies More Just and More Sustainable (in English or French)

Available virtually

How can we make our societies more just and more sustainable? What solutions exist?

Presented by: Brousselle, Dr. Astrid, Professor & Director School of Public Administration Environment & Sustainability

Planetary Health (in English or French)

Available virtually

How can we reconcile human and natural systems? How to design projects, programs, policies for planetary health?

Presented by: Brousselle, Dr. Astrid, Professor & Director School of Public Administration Environment & Sustainability

Green Water Monitoring through Real-time Analysis: Reducing Lifecycle Impacts, Empowering Community Decision-making

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Detection of trace contaminants in drinking water in real-time and at low costs has profound socioeconomic and environmental implications. Typical water monitoring in low-resource contexts and in remote communities involves intermittent sampling, resource-intensive sample transportation, and expensive analysis in centralized facilities. The results of this process are huge barriers to reporting analytical data to affected communities in a timely manner, which in turn precludes these communities from taking action to protect their health and environment. This can lead either to lack of water treatment and poor health outcomes in already vulnerable populations, or in overtreatment or inappropriate treatment that results in unnecessary discharge of disinfection byproducts, salts, or other contaminants into watersheds. Current field-testing methods for fluoride, arsenic, etc. are complex to use, have limited accuracy, and often generate hazardous waste. Our research develops low-cost sensors for trace inorganic contaminants in drinking water, with the goal of providing real-time feedback on water safety for low-resource communities and empowering decision making that improves human and environmental health by informing choice of appropriate drinking water treatment strategies with the minimum necessary impact.

Presented by: Buckley, Dr. Heather, Associate Professor Department of Civil Engineering Environment & Sustainability

What's in My Water?

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

In Victoria, we are lucky to be able turn on a tap and know that safe drinking water will come out. Prof. Heather Buckley talks about how we "zoom in" to see what is in our water, and projects at UVic designing new sensors for hard-to-spot molecules, helping people around the globe monitor and protect their drinking water.

Presented by: Buckley, Dr. Heather, Associate Professor Department of Civil Engineering Environment & Sustainability

Green Materials for Safe, Affordable Drinking Water

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

The design of safer, better materials and systems for drinking water requires that we consider human health and environmental impacts as performance criteria from the outset. The impacts of chemistry-based design choices are particularly striking when considering impacts on drinking water. From upstream chemical use in waterproofing and product preservation, to chemicals intentionally added in water treatment, greater intentionality is needed to provide clean, safe drinking water to communities, and to empower these communities to measure the safety of their own water and make informed decisions. This approach is beyond what can be accomplished by a single chemist or engineer, and requires engagement of researchers and community leaders across a range of disciplines including public health, green chemistry, toxicology, microbiology, process design, and civil and environmental engineering. This talk will highlight the role of green chemistry in a scalable process for developing greener solutions to important global challenges in drinking water and beyond.

Presented by: Buckley, Dr. Heather, Associate Professor Department of Civil Engineering Environment & Sustainability

Good Fire Ahead: Cultural Burning in the American West

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

What causes modern wildfires, and how did they get to be so destructive? This presentation explores the social and political background of wildfires and is divided into two parts: first showing 100 years of forest management in the United States (approximately 30 minutes), followed by a case study of an Indigenous-led project navigating policy challenges in California (approximately 20 minutes). Topics covered include wildland fire fighting, fire-adapted ecosystems, the wildland-urban interface, defensible space, the timber wars, collaborative management, environmental assessment process, prescribed/controlled burning, and Indigenous knowledge of wildfire. This highly dynamic presentation is entirely hand-drawn, making it broadly accessible, and can be adapted for younger audiences or shorter time allotments.

Presented by: Burton, Ms. Lauren, Graduate Student School of Environmental Studies Environment & Sustainability

Are Large Corporations Responsible for Climate Breakdown?

Available virtually

It is evident that our climate system is in breakdown, due to the global warming that has been caused largely by the burning of fossil fuels. This presentation considers the role that large corporations and their political and cultural allies have played in both generating the climate crisis and legitimizing continued burning of carbon. From this angle, the solution to the climate crisis obliges us to confront corporate power and to move toward energy democracy, transforming corporate power into energy systems that operate in the public interest.

Presented by: Carroll, Prof. William, Professor Department of Sociology Environment & Sustainability

Sweatshops, Workers and the Environment: Problems with Fast Fashion

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

My work explores the politics of the contemporary clothing industry to investigate the complexities of one of the largest and most global industries. I trace both historic and contemporary exploitation in the industry with an emphasis on sweatshops, and how work, production and consumption have been increasingly driven by large retailers and buyers. Depending on the presentation, I examine the environmental and workplace problems associated with the industry.

Presented by: Clarke, Dr. Marlea, Associate Professor Department of Political Science Environment & Sustainability

Chocolate, Cotton, Coffee and Computers: Is Ethical Consumption Possible?

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

What are the ethical challenges linked to coffee, chocolate and computer consumption? Topics include: workers’ rights and resistance, regulation of supply chains, trade agreements, retailers, ethical consumption, economic benefits for global south countries, and environmental impacts of production.

Presented by: Clarke, Dr. Marlea, Associate Professor Department of Political Science Environment & Sustainability

From Trees to Bluebirds: The Communication of Conservation on Vancouver Island

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

This presentation looks at how we talk about science and conservation, and what the barriers are to uptake and engagement among target audiences.

Presented by: Fisher, Mrs. Alina, Research Manager School of Environmental Studies Environment & Sustainability

Where the Wildlife Are

Available virtually

Changes in land use have made human-wildlife interactions more frequent, both in the wilderness and within our cities— with media representation shaping our perception of those interactions. As land use intensifies and climate changes, issues of coexistence with wildlife becomes an interesting issue.

Presented by: Fisher, Mrs. Alina, Research Manager School of Environmental Studies Environment & Sustainability

The Dragons of Inaction: Why We Don't Do What We Should

Available virtually

We all have intentions to improve ourselves and the world, but we don't always act on those intentions. Why not? This talk gathers together the many "dragons of inaction" that hold us back, and suggests some ways to "slay" them. The focus is on climate change and sustainability actions, but the dragons might also apply to diet, exercise and other good works.

Presented by: Gifford, Dr. Robert, Professor Department of Psychology Environment & Sustainability

Nature is Good for Us—But Why?

Available virtually New

We all know that engaging with the natural world has benefits. In this talk, how and why those benefits occur is explored, based on evidence from environmental psychology.

Presented by: Gifford, Dr. Robert, Professor Department of Psychology Environment & Sustainability

Healthy Communities 2.0: Towards a One-Planet Region

Available virtually

Ultimately our health depends upon the Earth’s natural systems, which provide us with oxygen, water, food, materials, fuels and other basic requirements for life and health. But in Canada we have an ecological footprint equivalent to almost five planets worth of biocapacity—and in the Greater Victoria Region it is between 3 and 4 planets worth. Since we only have one planet, we face the challenge of reducing our footprint about 70-80 per cent, while at the same time ensuring good health and a good quality of life for all who live here—including other species. This talk also describes the work of Conversations for a One Planet region, a new NGO I have established to help us come to grips with this challenge.

Presented by: Hancock, Dr. Trevor, Professor Emeritus School of Public Health & Social Policy Environment & Sustainability

From Catastrophe to Community: The Climate Disaster Project

Available virtually New

Discusses the work of the Climate Disaster Project, an international initiative based at the University of Victoria that helps climate disaster survivors share their stories and build a community around the experience of climate change.

Presented by: Holman, Prof. Sean, Associate Professor Department of Writing Environment & Sustainability

Conserving Energy One Cubicle (or Home) at a Time

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Do you know how much electricity you use in your personal office, cubicle or home? Do you know how much energy your desktop computer or laptop uses? Will you save more electricity by turning off your computer at night or shortening your daily shower by five minutes? Discover some counter-intuitive facts about saving energy, money and the environment.

Presented by: McCue, Mr. Rich, Manager Libraries, Digital Scholarship Commons Environment & Sustainability

Nutrient Cycling in the Environment

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

This talk will focus on what nutrient cycling is and why it is important in the environment. I will introduce students to some terms and concepts commonly used in ecology, such as ecosystem services, trophic levels and stoichiometry. As part of this talk, I will briefly cover the current research that I am doing and how nutrient cycling (or recycling) plays an important role in uncovering the links between ecosystem processes.

Presented by: Mickens, Ms. Ashley, Graduate Student Department of Biology Environment & Sustainability

Dynamic Cities

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

This talk will focus on how cities impact the environment and how the process of urbanization has local, regional and global impacts. I will feature reasons why it is important to encourage sustainable initiatives in cities by highlighting some of the problems with rapid urbanization. Topics such as green space, habitat fragmentation, biodiversity and climate change will be covered. For part of the talk, I will briefly present my research and how it relates to urbanization. I will also highlight some organizations around Victoria that are implementing sustainable solutions as well.

Presented by: Mickens, Ms. Ashley, Graduate Student Department of Biology Environment & Sustainability

Expected and Actual Performance of Green Buildings: Lessons Learned

Available virtually

This presentation will introduce the concept of Green and Sustainable Buildings, and results from an investigation which critically analyzed the designed and actual performance of Green Buildings in British Columbia (Victoria and Vancouver).

Presented by: Mukhopadhyaya, Dr. Phalguni, Associate Professor Department of Civil Engineering Environment & Sustainability

How Resource Consumption is Related to Our Happiness

Available virtually

This presentation will explore the relationship between resource consumption, economic growth and personal happiness.

Presented by: Mukhopadhyaya, Dr. Phalguni, Associate Professor Department of Civil Engineering Environment & Sustainability

CIFAL Victoria’s Sustainability Focus

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

The UN Institute of Training and Research (UNITAR) and UVic have established the first accredited CIFAL Training Centre on North America's west coast. Oceans, climate and sustainability are key areas of focus for this new training centre. Learn how CIFAL Victoria is tackling these critically important issues.

Presented by: Owens, Mr. Dwight, User Engagement Officer Ocean Networks Canada Environment & Sustainability

Listening to Ecosystems

Available virtually New

Listening in an ecological sense involves considering everything that would have contributed to making a natural ecosystem what it is at a given point in time. It includes the genetic makeup (genotype) of the individuals and species at the site, the accumulated impacts of processes and activities that have occurred, and the current influences of factors impinging on them that may explain what we are actually seeing and what may occur in the future. Using examples, this talk explores when we listen to an ecosystem, we actively search out the uniqueness of that location.

Presented by: Schaefer, Dr. Valentin, Adjunct Associate Professor School of Environmental Studies Environment & Sustainability

Geographic Indigenous Futures

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

The material covered in each presentation broadly centers around Indigenous environmental issues, on both Earth and in outer space. These talks center Indigenous worldviews and highlight acts of Indigenous resurgence in the face of colonialism. A citizen of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, the presenter’s research and work is situated at the intersection of critical Indigenous geographies, political ecology, and science and technology studies. Smiles' current work focuses on the ways that Indigenous nations can use cultural resource management and preservation as a framework to undertake adaptation and mitigation strategies in the face of climate crisis.

Presented by: Smiles, Dr. Deondre, Assistant Professor Department of Geography Environment & Sustainability

Indigenous Environmental Activism

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

The material covered in each presentation broadly centers around Indigenous environmental issues, on both Earth and in outer space. These talks center Indigenous worldviews and highlight acts of Indigenous resurgence in the face of colonialism. A citizen of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, the presenter’s research and work is situated at the intersection of critical Indigenous geographies, political ecology, and science and technology studies. Smiles' current work focuses on the ways that Indigenous nations can use cultural resource management and preservation as a framework to undertake adaptation and mitigation strategies in the face of climate crisis.

Presented by: Smiles, Dr. Deondre, Assistant Professor Department of Geography Environment & Sustainability

Settler Logics of Outer Space

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

The material covered in each presentation broadly centers around Indigenous environmental issues, on both Earth and in outer space. These talks center Indigenous worldviews and highlight acts of Indigenous resurgence in the face of colonialism. A citizen of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, the presenter’s research and work is situated at the intersection of critical Indigenous geographies, political ecology, and science and technology studies. Smiles' current work focuses on the ways that Indigenous nations can use cultural resource management and preservation as a framework to undertake adaptation and mitigation strategies in the face of climate crisis.

Presented by: Smiles, Dr. Deondre, Assistant Professor Department of Geography Environment & Sustainability

Four Stories About Food

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

This highly illustrated presentation explores community initiatives for food security in four challenging contexts: Indigenous Canada, Indigenous Colombia, refugee communities in Jordan, and urban and rural South Africa.

Presented by: Vibert, Dr. Elizabeth, Associate Professor Department of History Environment & Sustainability

Climate Change, Food Insecurity, and Farmers’ Action in the Global South

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

This highly illustrated presentation looks at the broad consequences of climate change for food systems, and the ways farmers and communities in the Global South— particularly Southern Africa—are adapting and responding to challenges they did not create.

Presented by: Vibert, Dr. Elizabeth, Associate Professor Department of History Environment & Sustainability

Exploring Climate Solutions for a Sustainable Future

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student

Participants will take part in a facilitated workshop designed to explore the likely consequences of energy, economic growth, land use, and other policies and uncertainties on the global climate. The goal is to improve the understanding of climate change and inspire meaningful climate action at a personal or community level. The workshop helps build support for strategies to address climate change via interactive testing of the cutting-edge simulation model En-ROADS. Participants will propose climate solutions such as energy efficiency, carbon pricing, reducing deforestation, and carbon dioxide removal, and the effects on climate, sea-level rise, pollution, and many other systems will be observed in real-time. The resulting experience is hopeful, scientifically-grounded, action-oriented, and eye-opening. This activity is best suited to high-school or adult participants, however it can be adapted to younger students.

Presented by: Wyatt, Mr. Shea, Graduate Student Department of Biology Environment & Sustainability

What is an Existentialist? (And why you probably are one...)

Secondary school Available virtually New

We use words like "Existential" and "Existentialist" as if certain we know what they mean. But what exactly is an "Existentialist"? Is it the same as a Nihilist? I will discuss the basic ideas of existentialism and how we live them without realizing it.

Presented by: Belmonte, Dr. Nina, Assistant Professor Department of Philosophy Ethics & Philosophy

The Philosophy of Giorgio Agamben (in English or French)

Secondary school Available virtually

This talk focuses on this important philosopher, known for his approach to theories of biopolitics/biopower and potentiality.

Presented by: Fromet de Rosnay, Dr. Emile, Assistant Professor Department of French Ethics & Philosophy

Broken Branches: Eco-Therapy, Eco-Dharma, and Grief in the Climate Crisis

Secondary school Available virtually New

In these times of deep anxiety and grief about our wounded planet, how can ideas from psychology, philosophy and Buddhism help us to navigate eco-grief with integrity and without despair?

Presented by: Goto-Jones, Dr. Chris, Professor Department of Philosophy Ethics & Philosophy

The Foundations of Mindfulness: What Does it Mean to be Attentive to Life and Death

Secondary school Available virtually New

Mindfulness has become a thin commodity in today's marketplace. However, rather than presenting it as a “quick fix,” this talk considers how foundational Buddhist teachings on mindfulness might provide timeless guidance on how to live and die well, especially in times of distress.

Presented by: Goto-Jones, Dr. Chris, Professor Department of Philosophy Ethics & Philosophy

Knowledge Democracy and Decolonization of Knowledge

Secondary school Available virtually

Budd Hall is a Professor Emeritus at UVic who has had a career in adult education, community-development and participatory research. He is the Co-Chair of the UNESCO Chair in Community-Based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education. His current focus is on training young people for doing locally based participatory research and supporting the strengthening of community-university research partnerships. He is also a poet and part of the Victoria Social Movement Poets Collective.

Presented by: Hall, Prof. Budd, Professor Emeritus School of Public Administration Ethics & Philosophy

Abortion

Secondary school Available virtually

Abortion is defined by the Canadian Medical Association as the active termination of a pregnancy before fetal viability. This presentation considers the ethics of abortion. It begins with a brief historical look at abortion, includes the position of major Christian figures on the status of the human fetus, and deals with the so-called Doctrine of Double Effect.

Presented by: Kluge, Dr. Eike, Professor Department of Philosophy Ethics & Philosophy

Medical Assistance in Dying

Secondary school Available virtually

After over twenty years of administrative, legal, religious and ethical debate, the Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) Act came into force in 2016, and it is now legal in Canada for physicians and nurse practitioners to provide an incurably ill competent patient suffering from an irremediable condition whose death is reasonably foreseeable in a short period of time with assisted death. This presentations considers the ethics of MAiD as it concerns health care professionals and patients.

Presented by: Kluge, Dr. Eike, Professor Department of Philosophy Ethics & Philosophy

Ethical Issues in Police Conduct

Secondary school Available virtually

Police officers are social servants with special rights and duties. This presentation examines the ethical issues that surround the conduct of police officers in the exercise of their duties. The presentation is based on the experience of the presenter as ethics consultant to the Office of the BC Police Complaint Commissioner.

Presented by: Kluge, Dr. Eike, Professor Department of Philosophy Ethics & Philosophy

The History and Ethics of a Deliberate Death

Secondary school Available virtually

It has sometimes been argued that deliberate death—euthanasia, assisted suicide and providing assistance in dying—violates fundamental ethical principles. This presentation examines the historical and ethical validity of that claim.

Presented by: Kluge, Dr. Eike, Professor Department of Philosophy Ethics & Philosophy

Physicians & the Pharmaceutical Industry

Secondary school Available virtually

It is a common complaint that the pharmaceutical industry’s behaviour in providing product-biased information to physicians, patient-directed advertising and the use of clinical evaluation packages is ethically objectionable, and that a majority of ethical failings in the interaction between physicians and the pharmaceutical industry are the direct result of the industry’s actions. This presentation considers the distinct ethical obligations of the two parties and suggests that while moral (and legal) infelicities in the relationship between physicians and the industry do occur, it should never be forgotten that “it takes two to tango.”

Presented by: Kluge, Dr. Eike, Professor Department of Philosophy Ethics & Philosophy

Patenting Genes

Secondary school Available virtually

Approximately 20 per cent of the human genome has been patented. This in itself raises ethical questions, but the matter of gene patenting itself is not without ethical issues. This presentation begins with a closer look at the requirements for having a patent, applies this to the patenting of genomes and genetic sequences, and then takes a closer look at the ethical issues that are presented by patenting human genes.

Presented by: Kluge, Dr. Eike, Professor Department of Philosophy Ethics & Philosophy

Political Correctness, Inclusivity and Freedom of Speech

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

This talk explores the origins of “political correctness” and ensuing debates about its significance. The focus is on PC as a description of measures to reform language and practices to reduce social injustice, notably discrimination by race, gender, sexual orientation, disability etc. and as an ideological tool used by those who oppose such measures. The debate is shown to raise questions about freedom of speech and anti-hate laws.

Presented by: Warburton, Dr. Rennie, Professor Emeritus Department of Sociology Ethics & Philosophy

Exercise is Medicine

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Physical inactivity is among the top four modifiable risk factors related to non-communicable disease. This talk discusses how exercise and physical activity is effective across all ages (children to seniors) in enhancing health and treating, managing and preventing a large number of chronic diseases.

Presented by: Gaul, Dr. Kathy, Professor Emerita School of Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education Fitness, Athletics & Healthy Lifestyles

Exercise for Children and Youth

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

This set of presentations considers the impact regular exercise has on certain aspects of health and life. That might be growth and development of children and youth, regaining or maintaining health in older years, or exercise as a means of counteracting disease (be that prevention or rehabilitation). An underlying theme is that exercise, physical activity and movement are very much like a good medicine that can be taken anytime, anywhere, with a little understanding of its benefits.

Presented by: Gaul, Dr. Kathy, Professor Emerita School of Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education Fitness, Athletics & Healthy Lifestyles

Women and Exercise

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

This presentation considers the impact regular exercise has on certain aspects of health and life. That might be growth and development of children and youth, regaining or maintaining health in older years, exercise as a means of counteracting disease (be that prevention or rehabilitation). An underlying theme is that exercise, physical activity and movement are very much like a good medicine that can be taken anytime, anywhere with a little understanding of its benefits.

Presented by: Gaul, Dr. Kathy, Professor Emerita School of Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education Fitness, Athletics & Healthy Lifestyles

Exercise is Medicine for People with Chronic Disease

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Physical inactivity is among the top four modifiable risk factors related to non-communicable disease. This talk discusses how exercise and physical activity is effective across all ages (children to seniors) in enhancing health and treating, managing and preventing a large number of chronic diseases.

Presented by: Gaul, Dr. Kathy, Professor Emerita School of Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education Fitness, Athletics & Healthy Lifestyles

A Critical Evaluation of Probiotics as Health Supplements

Available virtually

Claims that live bacterial cultures, known as probiotics, are beneficial to human health date back over 100 years. The health claims associated with these products have ranged from improved digestive function to bolstered immune systems, and the scientific validity for these claims will be critically examined. This presentation will focus mainly on how recent research findings could lead to the development of more effective probiotics.

Presented by: Ishiguro, Dr. Edward E., Professor Emeritus Department of Biochemistry & Microbiology Fitness, Athletics & Healthy Lifestyles

The Whole Day Matters: Move More, Reduce Sedentary Time and Sleep Well

Available virtually

The evidence is in—Canadians need to move more, reduce sedentary time and sleep well to receive optimal health benefits. But what is the evidence, and how do you safely get started? This presentation will highlight the newly released Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines, the health benefits of doing a variety of types and intensities of physical activity, and will include general guidance to get started.

Presented by: Lane, Dr. Kirstin, Assistant Teaching Professor School of Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education Fitness, Athletics & Healthy Lifestyles

The Importance of Moving More and Reducing Sedentary Time after a Cancer Diagnosis

Available virtually

The evidence is in: there are significant health benefits associated with moving more and reducing sedentary time even after a cancer diagnosis. But what is the evidence, and how do you safely get started when you are undergoing cancer treatment? This presentation will highlight recent research showing the health benefits of increasing physical activity levels and reducing sedentary time, and will include general guidance on how to get started.

Presented by: Lane, Dr. Kirstin, Assistant Teaching Professor School of Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education Fitness, Athletics & Healthy Lifestyles

For the WELLth of It

Secondary school Available virtually

Wellness is a special kind of lifestyle. It is something you shape for yourself. This session looks at a number of current wellness models that incorporate Physical Activity, Nutrition, Stress Management, Environmental and Self-Responsibility dimensions. This session is valuable for anyone who finds themselves better at taking care of others than taking care of themselves.

Presented by: Lauzon, Dr. Lara, Associate Professor School of Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education Fitness, Athletics & Healthy Lifestyles

Is Your Leisure Portfolio Ready for Retirement?

Available virtually

Many of us focus on our financial portfolio to prepare to retire but how many of us consider our leisure portfolio? Retirement brings opportunities to learn new things, build grow our networks and help our communities. Learn how to be ready to grow your leisure portfolio!

Presented by: Meldrum, Dr. John, Assistant Professor School of Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education Fitness, Athletics & Healthy Lifestyles

Health and Staying Physically Active as One Grows Older

Available virtually

This presentation addresses the importance of staying active as we grow older dealing with some important health issues in a light hearted way! The presentation will cover the many aspects of health that are improved through a commitment to regular physical activity, including some of the recent research showing the value to cognitive functioning. Simple suggestions for staying active and improving strength will be addressed with time to address specific questions.

Presented by: Docherty, Dr. David, Professor Emeritus School of Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education Fitness, Athletics & Healthy Lifestyles

Fun, Fitness and Fatness

Middle school Available virtually

This presentation on fun, fitness and fatness asks the question are you eating right and getting enough physical activity to have health benefits as well as discussing the merits of different types of physical activity. The presentation examines some serious health issues in a light hearted way (no pun intended!).

Presented by: Docherty, Dr. David, Professor Emeritus School of Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education Fitness, Athletics & Healthy Lifestyles

Weight Reduction Using Diet and Exercise

Available virtually

This presentation examines why diets work for the short term but not for the long term and the importance of including exercise in any effort to lose weight. It also addresses some of the challenges that face people trying to lose weight using diets and exercise.

Presented by: Docherty, Dr. David, Professor Emeritus School of Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education Fitness, Athletics & Healthy Lifestyles

Back Health for Sport and Daily Living

Available virtually

Developing the “core” has become very popular for athletes, but also those people who suffer from low back pain or are just interested in having a healthy back. This presentation starts with a quick look at the structure of the back and why it tends to cause problems with one out of every two people. Approaches to exercise are presented that show simple ways to improve stability of the back or spine and how these approaches should be integrated into our daily lives.

Presented by: Docherty, Dr. David, Professor Emeritus School of Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education Fitness, Athletics & Healthy Lifestyles

Stepping into Fitness

Available virtually

This presentation looks at the many benefits of walking and the use of the pedometer in reaching and maintaining goals for physical activity. The use of Nordic poles to assist or complement walking is included as well as a demonstration on how to use them. It also looks at the relationship between stepping and caloric intake and expenditure.

Presented by: Docherty, Dr. David, Professor Emeritus School of Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education Fitness, Athletics & Healthy Lifestyles

Boosting or Maintaining Brain Power as You Grow Older

Middle school Available virtually

This presentation looks at ways to maintain or boost brain power through lifestyle choices, especially the role of physical activity which is the number one way to preserve memory and other cognitive functions.

Presented by: Docherty, Dr. David, Professor Emeritus School of Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education Fitness, Athletics & Healthy Lifestyles

Exercise as Medicine

Available virtually

Regular exercise and physical activity has been found to reduce the risk of various health problems an effective way to treat a lot of conditions, especially those associated with getting older. However, there are many immediate benefits from engaging in just one bout of physical activity or exercise. This presentation explores some of the immediate and daily benefits such as controlling blood sugar levels, blood pressure or hypertension, offsetting some aspects of depression and anxiety, as well as decreasing joint and muscle pain.

Presented by: Docherty, Dr. David, Professor Emeritus School of Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education Fitness, Athletics & Healthy Lifestyles

Your Amazing Brain: A Look at How It Works and What It Does

Available virtually

This is an interactive session with lots of Q and A’s and some hands-on learning for younger children.

Presented by: Docherty, Dr. David, Professor Emeritus School of Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education Fitness, Athletics & Healthy Lifestyles

The Benefits of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) for Adult and Older Populations

Available virtually

High intensity interval training (HIIT) has become increasingly popular in the last few years. This presentation looks into the research that supports this type of training and how it has been used by different populations from athletes to older demographics. Examples will be provided of the different work and active recovery ratios that are supported by the research as well as the type of activities that have been used.

Presented by: Docherty, Dr. David, Professor Emeritus School of Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education Fitness, Athletics & Healthy Lifestyles

Getting Stronger: You’re Never Too Old

Available virtually

Strength training is important for all age groups, including the elderly. This presentation looks at the many benefits that can be derived from a strength training routine and provides sample programs using theraband exercises designed for older groups as well as simple exercises to help balance. This presentation includes the opportunity to try some of the strength exercises for the upper body and legs.

Presented by: Docherty, Dr. David, Professor Emeritus School of Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education Fitness, Athletics & Healthy Lifestyles

Brexit: The British Exit and the Future of the European Union (in English or French)

Secondary school Available virtually

In 2020, Britain and the European Union signed a treaty to implement their separation. This treaty is a very complex set of rules and regulations, as well as institutions, that maintain their relationship. This talk discusses this burgeoning relationship and its futures.

Presented by: Brunet-Jailly, Dr. Emmanuel, Professor and Jean Monnet Chair School of Public Administration Global Affairs

Border and Mobility Issues Straddling Canada and the United States (in English or French)

Secondary school Available virtually

Is the longest undefended border dividing Canada and the United States still really ‘undefended’? This talk presents and discusses the various policies implemented in borderlands straddling the international boundary line which organize both trade and mobility.

Presented by: Brunet-Jailly, Dr. Emmanuel, Professor and Jean Monnet Chair School of Public Administration Global Affairs

Re-electing Emmanuel Macron (2022) (in English or French)

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

Emmanuel Macron, the youngest President of the French Republic, had claimed to propose a new way of making politics: to unify the French Society and to bring back prosperity. His reelection in April 2022 was a compromise, a “hold your nose and vote” election to keep the extreme right party out of power. Or was it? This lecture on Emmanuel Macron and the tone of French politics will lead to a debate on democratic elections and their paradoxes.

Presented by: Cazes, Dr. Hélène, Professor Department of French Global Affairs

Made in Africa: Will Garment Production Create Good Jobs in Africa?

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

My work explores the politics of the contemporary clothing industry to investigate the complexities of one of the largest and most global industries. I trace both historic and contemporary exploitation in the industry with an emphasis on sweatshops, and how work, production and consumption have been increasingly driven by large retailers and buyers. Depending on the presentation, I examine the environmental and workplace problems associated with the industry.

Presented by: Clarke, Dr. Marlea, Associate Professor Department of Political Science Global Affairs

Students, Youth and International Development: Opportunities for Engagement

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Presented by: Clarke, Dr. Marlea, Associate Professor Department of Political Science Global Affairs

Intercultural Education

Secondary school Available virtually

Young Canadians need knowledge, skills and experience to succeed in today’s complex, interconnected and changing world. Cross-cultural and international relationships with people and places from other parts of the world are becoming increasingly important for our continued collective well-being. The current generation of young Canadians will need to be comfortable with themselves and with working with people from different backgrounds and who have different ways of being in the world.

Presented by: Fila, Ms. Robyn, International Internship Program Manager Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives Global Affairs

Global Education

Secondary school Available virtually

Young Canadians need knowledge, skills and experience to succeed in today’s complex, interconnected and changing world. Cross-cultural and international relationships with people and places from other parts of the world are becoming increasingly important for our continued collective well-being. The current generation of young Canadians will need to be comfortable with themselves and with working with people from different backgrounds and who have different ways of being in the world.

Presented by: Fila, Ms. Robyn, International Internship Program Manager Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives Global Affairs

International Experiential Learning

Secondary school Available virtually

Young Canadians need knowledge, skills and experience to succeed in today’s complex, interconnected and changing world. Cross-cultural and international relationships with people and places from other parts of the world are becoming increasingly important for our continued collective well-being. The current generation of young Canadians will need to be comfortable with themselves and with working with people from different backgrounds and who have different ways of being in the world.

Presented by: Fila, Ms. Robyn, International Internship Program Manager Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives Global Affairs

International Internships

Secondary school Available virtually

Young Canadians need knowledge, skills and experience to succeed in today’s complex, interconnected and changing world. Cross-cultural and international relationships with people and places from other parts of the world are becoming increasingly important for our continued collective well-being. The current generation of young Canadians will need to be comfortable with themselves and with working with people from different backgrounds and who have different ways of being in the world.

Presented by: Fila, Ms. Robyn, International Internship Program Manager Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives Global Affairs

Civil Society in the Global South

Secondary school Available virtually

Young Canadians need knowledge, skills and experience to succeed in today’s complex, interconnected and changing world. Cross-cultural and international relationships with people and places from other parts of the world are becoming increasingly important for our continued collective well-being. The current generation of young Canadians will need to be comfortable with themselves and with working with people from different backgrounds and who have different ways of being in the world.

Presented by: Fila, Ms. Robyn, International Internship Program Manager Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives Global Affairs

International Perspectives on Social Responsibility and Higher Education

Secondary school Available virtually

Budd Hall is a Professor Emeritus at UVic who has had a career in adult education, community-development and participatory research. He is the Co-Chair of the UNESCO Chair in Community-Based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education. His current focus is on training young people for doing locally based participatory research and supporting the strengthening of community-university research partnerships. He is also a poet and part of the Victoria Social Movement Poets Collective.

Presented by: Hall, Prof. Budd, Professor Emeritus School of Public Administration Global Affairs

How Does Immigration Impact Communities? (in English or Hindi)

Secondary school Available virtually

This talk looks at current research on how partnerships between locals and immigrants are structured in Canada and their impact on communities. Given the fairly ambitious immigration targets set by the government and the possible concerns around immigration, it would potentially help everyone concerned to unpack these issues; and lead to a more objective view about immigration into Canada.

Presented by: Nair, Dr. Sudhir, Associate Professor Peter B. Gustavson School of Business Global Affairs

Dealing with the COVID-19 Pandemic in European Union (in English or Dutch)

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

The European Union (EU) was among the first to be severely affected by the global COVID pandemic. This is complex, because health is a decentralized responsibility in the EU. The pandemic demanded a rethink of those responsibilities and questions around solidarity and financial support. A large budget was approved. How should we understand that, and what will be the future?

Presented by: Verdun, Dr. Amy, Professor Department of Political Science Global Affairs

The Past, Present and Future of the Single European Currency (in English or Dutch)

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

The European single currency—the Euro—has been around for two decades. During the years 2012-15, some thought the Euro area would collapse. So how stable is the Euro? Will the Euro at some point disappear, will other countries leave the Euro area, or will we more likely see others adopt it?

Presented by: Verdun, Dr. Amy, Professor Department of Political Science Global Affairs

Towards a Federal Europe: Democracy in the 21st Century (in English or Dutch)

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

The European Union (EU) is neither a federal state nor an international organization—it is something in between. What do we make of this entity? Should we expect the EU to develop into a proper state or remain a collection of nation states? How do its citizens relate to it?

Presented by: Verdun, Dr. Amy, Professor Department of Political Science Global Affairs

How Mathematicians Model Epidemics

Secondary school Available virtually

We can use mathematics to model the spread of epidemics. This lets us make predictions for the future and decide what policies we should adopt as a society. In this talk we will study a particular model called the Susceptible-Infectious-Recovered model for the spread of epidemics.

Presented by: Bazett, Dr. Trefor, Assistant Professor Department of Mathematics & Statistics Health Care & Medicine

How to Use Stem Cells to Fight Diseases?

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

How can stem cells fight diseases? In this talk, concepts about stem cells will be introduced, explaining what they are and how they play important roles in the regeneration process of all living creatures. Also, it will be briefly explained how these cells can be used as alternatives to study or even oppose neuronal and cardiac diseases.

Presented by: da Silva, Mr. Victor Allisson, Graduate Student Department of Mechanical Engineering Health Care & Medicine

Health and Public Health Systems (in English or French)

Available virtually

What’s the role of public health and health systems? Why do they matter?

Presented by: Brousselle, Dr. Astrid, Professor & Director School of Public Administration Health Care & Medicine

Depression and its Outcomes (in English or Spanish)

Available virtually

What is major depression? How is it diagnosed and treated? What are the consequences of depression, non-pharmacological treatments, and how to cope? This talk addresses these questions.

Presented by: Caruncho, Prof. Hector J., Professor Island Medical Program Health Care & Medicine

Improvement of Current Radiotherapy Using Nanotechnology (in English or Sinhalese)

Secondary school Available virtually New

There is no established treatment for patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer. In order to avoid local progression, decrease the development of systemic metastases, and increase tumor resection, an effective local therapy such as radiotherapy (RT) is urgently needed. We are developing a nanoparticle based approach to locally increase the RT dose to reach a curative dose in order to control the tumor growth.

Presented by: Chithrani, Prof. Devika, Associate Professor Department of Physics & Astronomy Health Care & Medicine

A Look into the Eye: How the Retina Works and Advances in Treating Retinal Disease

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

This talk is an introduction to the anatomy of the eye and the retina, explaining how the retina works, and the diseases that affect it. The role of basic research, and what kinds of therapies are being developed to treat retinal diseases, are also addressed.

Presented by: Chow, Dr. Bob, Assistant Professor Department of Biology Health Care & Medicine

Health Informatics in Health Care Systems (in English or Swedish)

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

Health informatics suffuse our everyday lives. However, barriers to virtual healthcare exist that we saw during the pandemic as a movement towards digital health persists. Moreover, there are few public forums on usability for electronic health records (EHR) with industry and even fewer public discussions about using applications with physicians and other aspects of digital health that can improve clinical workflows for patient care.

Presented by: Chrimes, Dr. Dillon, Assistant Teaching Professor School of Health Information Science Health Care & Medicine

Design of Health Information Systems (in English or Swedish)

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

Health informatics suffuse our everyday lives. However, barriers to virtual healthcare exist that we saw during the pandemic as a movement towards digital health persists. Moreover, there are few public forums on usability for electronic health records (EHR) with industry and even fewer public discussions about using applications with physicians and other aspects of digital health that can improve clinical workflows for patient care.

Presented by: Chrimes, Dr. Dillon, Assistant Teaching Professor School of Health Information Science Health Care & Medicine

Digital Health and Health Care (in English or Swedish)

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

Health informatics suffuse our everyday lives. However, barriers to virtual healthcare exist that we saw during the pandemic as a movement towards digital health persists. Moreover, there are few public forums on usability for electronic health records (EHR) with industry and even fewer public discussions about using applications with physicians and other aspects of digital health that can improve clinical workflows for patient care.

Presented by: Chrimes, Dr. Dillon, Assistant Teaching Professor School of Health Information Science Health Care & Medicine

Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Care in Health Care (in English or Swedish)

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

Our society's health informatics determine the meaningfulness of “big data” about us using artificial intelligence—and can improve our care if used well. Furthermore, machine learning can improve our approach to efficient patient care delivery, and provide better quality of life for our nurses and doctors. Speech recognition and natural language processing is already used in our daily lives, and can also translate to a digital health transformation with algorithmic accountability in hospitals and clinics that use health information systems for our health care.

Presented by: Chrimes, Dr. Dillon, Assistant Teaching Professor School of Health Information Science Health Care & Medicine

Usability of Dashboards and Chatbots in Health Care (in English or Swedish)

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

Machine learning for text and its automation can improve our approach to efficient patient care delivery, and provide better quality of life for our nurses and doctors. Speech recognition and natural language processing is already used in our daily lives, and can also translate to a digital health transformation with algorithmic accountability in hospitals and clinics that use health information systems for our health care.

Presented by: Chrimes, Dr. Dillon, Assistant Teaching Professor School of Health Information Science Health Care & Medicine

Concussions and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

This talk presents some of the issues around diagnosis of concussions and discuss new research on the topic. The speaker can also talk about potential new therapies for speeding up recovery from concussion.

Presented by: Christie, Dr. Brian, Professor Island Medical Program Health Care & Medicine

The Benefits of Exercise for Your Brain

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

This talk discusses the benefits of exercise and how it impacts the structure and function of the brain. Learn about recent research findings in a way that will engage audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

Presented by: Christie, Dr. Brian, Professor Island Medical Program Health Care & Medicine

Drinking with Mary Jane: How Consuming Cannabis and/or Alcohol During Pregnancy Can Affect the Developing Brain

Available virtually

This talk discusses how commonly used legal drugs, such as alcohol and marijuana, can affect the development of a baby’s brain and lead to behavioural problems later on in life. The talk will also examine new therapies that currently being examined to help mitigate the damage these teratogens can cause.

Presented by: Christie, Dr. Brian, Professor Island Medical Program Health Care & Medicine

Metals 411: What Should You Know Before Getting an Implantable Device

Secondary school Available virtually New

This interactive session provides participants with information on metals and their impacts on health in a relatable way to help support future application.

Presented by: Dordunnoo, Dr. Dzifa, Assistant Professor School of Nursing Health Care & Medicine

Postpartum Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Secondary school Available virtually New

The speaker’s research is in the area of perinatal anxiety disorders with a focus on obsessive-compulsive disorder, screening, postpartum thoughts of infant-related harm, and fear of childbirth.

Presented by: Fairbrother, Dr. Nichole, Adjunct Associate Professor Psychology Health Care & Medicine

Thinking Critically about Health Communication

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

Thinking critically about health communication provides an introduction to the ways that language shapes our understandings of health, illness, disease and treatment.

Presented by: Gaudet, Dr. Loren, Assistant Teaching Professor Academic and Technical Writing Program Health Care & Medicine

Let’s Get Personal: Shifting the Paradigm in Orthopaedic Surgery

Available virtually

My talks both relate to the use of engineering to improve the outcomes of orthopaedic surgery and musculoskeletal rehabilitation.

Presented by: Giles, Dr. Joshua, Assistant Professor Department of Mechanical Engineering Health Care & Medicine

Improving Orthopaedic Outcomes through the Integration of Biomechanical Research & Emerging Technologies

Available virtually

This talk addresses the work of UVic’s Orthopaedic Technologies and Biomechanics Lab. This lab has two main foci: 1) improving our understanding of fundamental musculoskeletal biomechanics as well as the biomechanics of injuries and clinical treatments, and 2) developing novel technologies that can improve orthopaedic diagnosis, clinician training, surgical planning, and rehabilitation. These two areas can involve projects that are independent of each other, but the lab also focuses on the integration of these areas to yield improved clinical impact.

Presented by: Giles, Dr. Joshua, Assistant Professor Department of Mechanical Engineering Health Care & Medicine

What We’ve Learned from the Human Genome

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

The decoding of the human genome, completed two decades ago, heralded the beginning of a new era in biomedical research. This presentation explores selected aspects of what our genome has since taught us about ourselves and our place in the biological world.

Presented by: Ishiguro, Dr. Edward, Professor Emeritus Department of Biochemistry & Microbiology Health Care & Medicine

Allergies: Dysfunction in the Immune System

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

The role of the immune system in the allergic response, and recent advances in treatment.

Presented by: Ishiguro, Dr. Edward E., Professor Emeritus Department of Biochemistry & Microbiology Health Care & Medicine

New Emerging Human Infectious Diseases in a Changing World

Available virtually

New human infectious diseases previously unknown to science—such as SARS, MERS, Ebola, and now, COVID-19—have appeared at an unprecedented rate in recent years. This talk focuses on what is apparently causing their emergence at this time.

Presented by: Ishiguro, Dr. Edward E., Professor Emeritus Department of Biochemistry & Microbiology Health Care & Medicine

What Everyone Should Know about Listeria, Salmonella, E. Coli and Other Food-borne Pathogens

Available virtually

An estimated 1.6 million Canadians are affected by food-borne infections every year. The most common causes of food-borne illnesses are pathogens that have emerged only within the last 50 years, such as Listeria, Salmonella, and E. coli. This presentation focuses on what is causing the recent rise of food infections and the challenges in preventing them.

Presented by: Ishiguro, Dr. Edward E., Professor Emeritus Department of Biochemistry & Microbiology Health Care & Medicine

The Biology of Aging

Available virtually

This presentation summarizes recent advances in our understanding of aging, and how this information has led to new strategies for slowing down the process.

Presented by: Ishiguro, Dr. Edward E., Professor Emeritus Department of Biochemistry & Microbiology Health Care & Medicine

The Rise of Superbugs: The Alarming Spread of Bacterial Drug Resistance, its Underlying Causes & the Quest for Solutions

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Superbugs are bacteria that have developed resistance to multiple antibiotics. This global problem is the most serious challenge to the treatment of infectious diseases. This presentation focuses on the underlying causes of bacterial drug resistance and the current state of the quest for solutions.

Presented by: Ishiguro, Dr. Edward E., Professor Emeritus Department of Biochemistry & Microbiology Health Care & Medicine

The Next-generation Vaccines: More than Just a Poke in the Arm

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

The traditional vaccines that have been in use for over a century are designed to prevent infectious diseases. In this presentation, they are compared to new innovations that have been referred to next-generation vaccines.

Presented by: Ishiguro, Dr. Edward E., Professor Emeritus Department of Biochemistry & Microbiology Health Care & Medicine

What’s Wrong (and What’s Right) About the Flu Vaccine?

Available virtually

This presentation explains the composition of the influenza vaccine, how it’s supposed to work, why it’s never fully effective, and why you should get vaccinated anyway. A major focus is placed on current research on the development of a more effective flu vaccine.

Presented by: Ishiguro, Dr. Edward E., Professor Emeritus Department of Biochemistry & Microbiology Health Care & Medicine

Not as Advertised But Perfectly Legal: Some Health Products to be Aware of

Available virtually

This presentation focuses on common merchandise with health-related applications that come with unproven claims. These include well over 100,000 products ranging from personal care products to “health foods” and supplements. Learn what the law says regarding claims made on labels for such products and some hints on the types of claims to watch out for.

Presented by: Ishiguro, Dr. Edward E., Professor Emeritus Department of Biochemistry & Microbiology Health Care & Medicine

Three Decades of Novel Coronaviruses: Lessons Learned & Future Challenges

Available virtually

A summary of what has been learned from SARS (2002), MERS (2012), and now COVID-19 and what challenges lie ahead.

Presented by: Ishiguro, Dr. Edward E., Professor Emeritus Department of Biochemistry & Microbiology Health Care & Medicine

COVID-19: Lessons Learned and Future Challenges

Available virtually

The objective of this session is to reflect on the global COVID-19 experience, a two-year old event with no end in sight. We will discuss the major knowledge gained through unprecedented focused scientific research. The enduring mysteries such as the origins of the virus, SARS-CoV-2, will be examined. Finally, the possible outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the prospects of other pandemics in the near future will be seriously considered.

Presented by: Ishiguro, Dr. Edward E., Professor Emeritus Department of Biochemistry & Microbiology Health Care & Medicine

Privacy and Confidentiality of Electronic Health Records

Secondary school Available virtually

This presentation deals with the ownership of and access to patient health records, with particular emphasis on electronic health records which are becoming increasingly important in modern health care delivery and telehealth and telemedicine. National and international standards are considered from an ethical perspective.

Presented by: Kluge, Dr. Eike, Professor Department of Philosophy Health Care & Medicine

The Right to Health Care: Socialized vs. Privatized Approaches

Secondary school Available virtually

Presented by: Kluge, Dr. Eike, Professor Department of Philosophy Health Care & Medicine

Integration of Advanced Practice Nurses into the Canadian Health Care System

Secondary school Available virtually

The speaker’s professional research areas include health promotion, informatics, health policy, political action and advocacy, especially as it relates to the role of advanced practice nurse integration and utilization in the Canadian healthcare system.

Presented by: Marchuk, Dr. Stan, Adjunct Associate Professor School of Nursing Health Care & Medicine

Peripheral Arterial Disease in the End-stage Kidney Disease Population—an Opportunity for Early Detection

Secondary school Available virtually

The speaker’s professional research areas include health promotion, informatics, health policy, political action and advocacy, especially as it relates to the role of advanced practice nurse integration and utilization in the Canadian healthcare system.

Presented by: Marchuk, Dr. Stan, Adjunct Associate Professor School of Nursing Health Care & Medicine

Health Policy & the Maximization of Health Care Providers/Clinicians Scope of Practice

Secondary school Available virtually

The speaker’s professional research areas include health promotion, informatics, health policy, political action and advocacy, especially as it relates to the role of advanced practice nurse integration and utilization in the Canadian healthcare system.

Presented by: Marchuk, Dr. Stan, Adjunct Associate Professor School of Nursing Health Care & Medicine

Equity-informed Palliative Care: Research & Practice

Available virtually

Equity in Palliative Approaches to Care (ePAC) is a community collaborative informed by a research program led out of the University of Victoria. Members of the collaborative work together to conduct research with local, national and international partners, and develop resources and tools, programs, and services aimed at improving access to quality care for people facing the end-of-life and who also face inequities like homelessness, poverty, isolation, racism, and stigma. This presentation will cover an overview of what equity-informed palliative care is and our work to advance to health and well-being of people experiencing inequities at the end-of-life.

Presented by: Mollison, Ms. Ashley, Project Coordinator Institute on Aging & Lifelong Health Health Care & Medicine

Critical Illness Associated with COVID-19

Secondary school Available virtually

This talk describes the intensive care unit (ICU) experience of patients with COVID-19, and how deadly is can be.

Presented by: Ovakim, Dr. Daniel, Adjunct Assistant Professor Island Medical Program Health Care & Medicine

How to Talk to a Doctor about Your Pain

Available virtually New

Presented by: Sullivan, Dr. Stephen, Professor Emeritus Island Medical Program Health Care & Medicine

Looking After Your Health Without a GP

Available virtually New

Presented by: Sullivan, Dr. Stephen, Professor Emeritus Island Medical Program Health Care & Medicine

Understanding the Mysteries of the Brain in Health and Disease

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

This presentation provides participants with a basic understanding of the brain and nervous system, as well as a brief insight into the speaker’s research program, which seeks to understand how brain cells change during development, disease and aging.

Presented by: Swayne, Dr. Leigh Anne, Associate Professor Island Medical Program Health Care & Medicine

Human Tissue Models: When 3D Bioprinting Meets Pharmaceutical Companies

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

How bioprinting and 3D printing can help pharmaceutical companies to test new drugs.

Presented by: Valente, Dr. Karolina Papera, Assistant Teaching Professor Department of Mechanical Engineering Health Care & Medicine

Breast Cancer: The Tumor Environment

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Explaining properties of the cancer environment: Why is the tumor area more acidic? Why are the blood vessels disorganized?

Presented by: Valente, Dr. Karolina Papera, Assistant Teaching Professor Department of Mechanical Engineering Health Care & Medicine

Immune System, Nutrition and Metabolism: A New Way to Treat Cancer?

Secondary school Available virtually

This talk covers health, immunology, cancer, immunotherapy and metabolomics.

Presented by: Lum, Dr. Julian, Associate Professor Limited Term Department of Biochemistry & Microbiology Health Care & Medicine

Cancer: Novel Approaches to Personalized Cancer Therapy

Secondary school Available virtually

What is your immune system? How do you keep your immune health through nutrition? How are nutrition, cancer, metabolism and immunotherapy linked?

Presented by: Lum, Dr. Julian, Associate Professor Limited Term Department of Biochemistry & Microbiology Health Care & Medicine

Schizophrenia and Society (in English or Spanish)

Available virtually

What is schizophrenia? How is it defined and diagnosed? This talk will address treatments; what is going on in the brain in schizophrenia; schizophrenia and violence; and schizophrenia and stigma.

Presented by: Caruncho, Prof. Hector, Professor Island Medical Program Health Care & Medicine

Mental Illness in the 21st Century (in English or Spanish)

Available virtually

General overview of the major categories of mental illnesses. This includes how they are treated, what the outcomes are, what the general burdens of mental illness are, and mental illness and stigma.

Presented by: Caruncho, Prof. Hector, Professor Island Medical Program Health Care & Medicine

Cleopatra, Hellenistic Queen

Middle school Available virtually

This talk discusses how Cleopatra tried and failed to protect her throne and Egypt.

Presented by: Bowman, Dr. Laurel, Associate Professor Department of Greek & Roman Studies, History—General

Beyond Potatoes: Food in Scotland's 19th-Century Coastal West

Available virtually Graduate Student New

We know about potatoes in Scotland, but what else was on the table? In this talk we will look at some ground-breaking research that is being done to understand how indigenous Gaelic-speaking people, especially women, brought food to the table in the19th-century coastal settlements of the west Highlands and Islands. Using examples from ministers’ reports, travellers’ diaries, and recipes, we will look at common food ingredients to better understand food preferences and how and what families were fed. Bring your inner foodie and learn about more than just Scottish potatoes!

Presented by: Mackay, Ms. Theresa, Graduate Student Department of History History—General

A Tool, a Creel, and a Chair: 19th-Century Material Culture and Foodways in the West Coast of Scotland

Available virtually Graduate Student New

What might a tool quietly leaning against a blackhouse, a handmade creel basket in the corner of the kitchen, and a low chair by the peat fire tell us about food and community in the Hebrides and coastal mainland of Scotland’s nineteenth century? This talk unpacks the role each of these items played in the practices of growing, producing and consuming food in rural Gaelic-speaking communities. We will look at the usefulness of each item in relationship to food and daily household tasks, uncovering the importance of each in reinforcing Gaelic culture, tradition and community identity.

Presented by: Mackay, Ms. Theresa, Graduate Student Department of History History—General

We Drank Tea: Inns and Innkeeping in Scotland's Early 19th-century Rural North

Available virtually Graduate Student New

In the first episode of the wildly successful show Outlander, a reunited Frank and Claire embark on a second honeymoon in the Highlands staying at Mrs. Baird’s Bed & Breakfast, established 1865 (S1:E1 “Sassenach”). Female innkeepers, such as Mrs. Baird, and the housing of travellers, form a long-standing tradition and business of hospitality in the Highlands. This talk uncovers the daily lives of female innkeepers in the early 19th-century rural Highlands, their guests, and their built environment. The busy lives of women managing inns—entrepreneurs in a complex cash economy—will be considered, with examples of diverse revenue sources such as Cairngorm stone souvenirs, money lending, and animal breeding services. Varieties of foods served to guests, such as soufflé, will position food in Highland inns as far from meagre, despite some opinions of gentry class travellers who were following in Boswell and Johnson’s footsteps.

Presented by: Mackay, Ms. Theresa, Graduate Student Department of History History—General

Wrecks, Charts and Lighthouses: A History of Marine Navigation on the BC Coast

Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

Oceans connected populations and markets to an unprecedented degree in the eras of sail and steam, but intricate coastlines and hidden hazards also made marine environments potentially devastating spaces for the uninitiated. The acquisition of navigational knowledge allowed colonialism to take hold and thrive, but it was the result of countless exchanges between Indigenous and colonial mariners. This presentation examines the interwoven histories of marine navigation and colonialism in the Pacific Northwest, showing how voyages of exploration, marine charts and lighthouses helped transform the coast into a safer and more predictable environment for transpacific shipping. But charts and aids could not eliminate the risk of marine accident altogether. The coast quickly reverted to a less predictable space when Indigenous communities were called to the aid of shipwrecked mariners. This presentation shows how such incidents exposed ambiguities in competing claims to marine space, and suggests that these ambiguities have yet to be resolved.

Presented by: Robertson, Mr. Jesse, Graduate Student Department of History History—General

Lightkeepers on Huu-ay-aht Shores: Indigenous Knowledge and Labour at the Cape Beale Lighthouse

Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

The growth of steam travel and lighthouses played a complicated role on Canada’s West Coast in latter half of the 19th century. These two technologies allowed colonial mariners to literally bypass the Indigenous guides necessary for coastal travel in previous eras. But Indigenous intermediaries also played a critical role in establishing and maintaining lighthouses into the 20th century. This presentation looks to the Cape Beale Lighthouse on Vancouver Island to show how the government officials engaged Indigenous knowledge and labour. Huu-ay-aht canoes and seafaring skills were marshalled to build and provision the lighthouse. Lightkeepers learned the Chinook jargon and relied on Indigenous messengers to communicate with government officials in Victoria. Tensions over labour compensation, missing livestock and rotting whale carcasses occasionally threatened to result in physical confrontation and intervention from Indian Agents. By addressing these examples of intercultural contact, conflict and negotiation, I show how lightkeeping families and Huu-ay-ahts engaged one another at this uniquely colonial outpost.

Presented by: Robertson, Mr. Jesse, Graduate Student Department of History History—General

Growing Up in Athens and Sparta

Middle school Available virtually

This talk discusses what life was like for young men and women growing up in classical Athens and Sparta.

Presented by: Bowman, Dr. Laurel, Associate Professor Department of Greek & Roman Studies History—General

Paris: A Walk through the Ages (in English or French)

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

What is a city? How does it change through the ages and keep its own distinct identity? This virtual visit to Paris highlights the permanence—through changes, revolutions, and destructions—of places, symbols, monuments and neighbourhoods that have endured, sometimes unexpectedly, in the passing of centuries. This is a series of three talks (which can be enjoyed independently) on medieval Paris, modern Paris (19th century) and Paris as inspiration in songs (1920-1970).

Presented by: Cazes, Dr. Hélène, Professor Department of French History—General

Charles Aznavour, Formi-formidable (in English or French)

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

Spend half an hour with the music, the lyrics and the life of an iconic singer of the 20th century. This talk includes slides and songs, giving context to the phenomenal success met by the son of Armenian immigrants, now a symbol for French and Armenian cultures across the world.   

Presented by: Cazes, Dr. Hélène, Professor Department of French History—General

Is Notre-Dame Burning? (in English or French)

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

The recent (April 2019) fire that destroyed the roof of Notre-Dame de Paris was met with sorrow, generosity and passion in France and abroad. Hundreds of millions were raised in days for a speedy reconstruction, messages of despair, support, hope and love were exchanged, published, all over the world. For a few days, political life was suspended in France while all news were devoted to the fire, its extent, its causes… How to understand this emotion? What does the Parisian Cathedral represent? And now, in 2022-3, what has happened with promises, reinventions, public debate?

Presented by: Cazes, Dr. Hélène, Professor Department of French History—General

The Slaughter of the Bison and the Reversal of Fortunes on the Great Plains

Secondary school Available virtually New

Economic effects of the slaughter of bison on Indigenous economies historically and into the present.

Presented by: Feir, Dr. Donn, Associate Professor Department of Economics History—General

European Thought & Culture Since 1700 (in English or French)

Secondary school Available virtually

This talk examines European thought and culture since 1700: on topics related to enlightenment, romanticism, modernism and postmodernism.

Presented by: Fromet de Rosnay, Dr. Emile, Assistant Professor Department of French History—General

Women Travellers Throughout the Ages

Available virtually

This session presents the lives and experiences of nine exceptional, interesting and enthusiastic women travellers from the 4th to the 21st century who wrote about adventure. Reading list included.

Presented by: Mayfield, Dr. Margie, Professor Emerita Department of Curriculum & Instruction History—General

Histories of Race, Racism & Anti-Semitism in Canada

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Presented by: Sitara, Dr. Georgia, Assistant Teaching Professor Departments of History & Gender Studies History—General

Ethnicity: Histories of Various Ethnic Groups in Canada

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Presented by: Sitara, Dr. Georgia, Assistant Teaching Professor Departments of History & Gender Studies History—General

Sexuality: Histories of Sexuality, Practice, Naming and Regulation

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Presented by: Sitara, Dr. Georgia, Assistant Teaching Professor Departments of History & Gender Studies History—General

Colonialism & Decolonization: the History of Canadian Colonialism, and Approaches for Decolonization

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Presented by: Sitara, Dr. Georgia, Assistant Teaching Professor Departments of History & Gender Studies History—General

Histories of Children and Youth: The Role of Children and Youth in History

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Presented by: Sitara, Dr. Georgia, Assistant Teaching Professor Departments of History & Gender Studies History—General

Buffalo: Why and How did the Buffalo Disappear?

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Presented by: Sitara, Dr. Georgia, Assistant Teaching Professor Departments of History & Gender Studies History—General

From Narratives of Social Justice to the Call for Prison Abolition

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Presented by: Sitara, Dr. Georgia, Assistant Teaching Professor Departments of History & Gender Studies History—General

Exile: The Expulsion of Japanese Canadians, 1946

Available virtually New

This talk examines the decision, in 1946, to expel 4,000 Japanese Canadians to Japan as well as the responses of Japanese Canadians to this decision. It is based on a book in progress.

Presented by: Stanger-Ross, Dr. Jordan, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

Nazism in Canada? The Internment of Japanese Canadians and the History of a Comparison

Available virtually New

Nazism in Canada explores the frequent comparisons to Nazi Germany in discussions of the uprooting, internment and dispossession in the 1940s. Why were Canadians making this comparison and what can we learn from it?

Presented by: Stanger-Ross, Dr. Jordan, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

Remembering the Holocaust in Victoria: A History of Local Commemoration

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

Remembering the Holocaust examines the history, since the 1980s, of holocaust commemoration in Victoria, particularly in Kristallnacht ceremonies. It explores, in particular, the dynamics of commemoration in a settler-colonial city.

Presented by: Stanger-Ross, Dr. Jordan, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

New Archaeological Discoveries at Ancient Eleon in Greece

Available virtually New

This talk presents the results of ongoing field work at the site of ancient Eleon in Boeotia, Greece. The results from the summer field work conducted in 2022 will be discussed and placed in their historical and regional context.

Presented by: Van Damme, Dr. Trevor, Assistant Professor Limited Term Department of Greek & Roman Studies History—General

Climate Change and Collapse in Ancient Athens

Available virtually New

This talk presents the results of ongoing study of archaeological finds from the Athenian Acropolis that provide evidence for a major drought in Athens around 1200 BCE. The talk will review the latest climatic models for southern Greece in the Late Bronze Age and examine their impact on the collapse of the Mycenaean society. I also discuss how collapse opened up new opportunities that ultimately led to the emergence of Athenian democracy.

Presented by: Van Damme, Dr. Trevor, Assistant Professor Limited Term Department of Greek & Roman Studies History—General

How “Race” is Made Historically

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

This illustrated talk explores the contested concept of ‘race’ and its use across the British empire and into the present day, particularly in North American contexts.

Presented by: Vibert, Dr. Elizabeth, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

A History of the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict (Jan-April)

Secondary school Available virtually

The conflict between Palestine and Israel is one of the most highly publicized and bitter struggles of modern times. This talk examines not only the historical basis of the conflict, but also looks at how and why a resolution to the conflict has been so difficult.

Presented by: Bunton, Dr. Martin, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

A Sinner's Guide to Food and Sex in Time

Available virtually

A Sinner's Guide to Food and Sex in Time offers a historical guided tour of six sites in history associated with food and sex, beginning with a "stew" or bathhouse in medieval London and ending with a men's grille in 1960s New Orleans. The talk traces how the linkage between food and sex has changed over time. This is a fun talk.

Presented by: Cleves, Dr. Rachel Hope, Professor Department of History History—General

The First Treaties: The Roots of Indigenous–Settler Relations in Canada (in English or French)

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

This talk explores the 500-year history of alliances and treaties involving the Indigenous peoples of what is now Canada and settlers who arrived from Europe and elsewhere after 1500. Its focus is on the lesser-known treaties negotiated before Confederation in 1867, including the Vancouver Island treaties of 1850-54.

Presented by: Cook, Dr. Peter, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

The British Monarchy: Why Does the Royal Family Travel So Much?

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Royal tours – in Britain and throughout the world – are perhaps the most striking feature of the modern British monarchy. This talk locates the origins of this practice in the mobile royal courts of the Middle Ages, discusses its near-disappearance in the 1600s and 1700s, and explains its revival in the modern era in the context of modern technological and cultural developments.

Presented by: Devereaux, Dr. Simon, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

The War of the Windsors: Charles and Diana, 1981-1997

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

The marriage of Charles Prince of Wales to Lady Diana Spencer in July 1981 was a global media event. Within a decade, however, their marriage ended in a mutual acrimony that was relentlessly detailed in that same media which once had celebrated this fairy-tale romance. This talk reviews the story from start to finish and considers how it nearly inspired the British entirely to abandon one of their most cherished national institutions.

Presented by: Devereaux, Dr. Simon, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

Conspiracy Thinking: A Rational Guide to Thinking Irrationally

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

This talk introduces the major human needs that animate conspiracy thinking in the modern world: the need for big explanations for large-scale disasters; the need to believe that order prevails over chaos; and the superior appeal of complexity by comparison with simple answers.

Presented by: Devereaux, Dr. Simon, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

The Road Hill Murder of 1860: A Great Victorian Mystery

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

In June 1860 a four-year-old boy was savagely murdered in a comfortable upper middle-class home Wiltshire. The only person ever accused was his 16-year-old half-sister, Constance Kent. This talk revisits this case, one of the most sensational of the age.

Presented by: Devereaux, Dr. Simon, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

Jack the Ripper & the Royal Family: Murder and Myth

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

This talk reviews the many different theories which, since 1970, have suggested that Jack the Ripper – the most famous killer in history – was either a member of the royal family or someone acting on its behalf.

Presented by: Devereaux, Dr. Simon, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

Bad Kings: Edward VIII and the Abdication Crisis (1936)

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

More than eighty years after, King Edward VIII’s abdication of the British throne still haunts the royal family. This talk locates the Abdication Crisis in the king’s own character and reviews some of the controversies which surround the Crisis and its outcome to this day.

Presented by: Devereaux, Dr. Simon, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

Bad Kings: George IV & William IV of England, 1820-1837

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Most people believe that widespread contempt for the monarchy is only a recent development. In fact, as this talk reveals, the reigns of two of George III’s sons—men of extraordinary personal and fiscal dissolution—brought the institution to a historical low-point in the years just before the accession of their niece Victoria would restore its lustre.

Presented by: Devereaux, Dr. Simon, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

Murder, Bodysnatching and Anatomization in England, 1752-1832

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

This talk reveals the relationship between public execution, anatomical education and grave robbing in late Georgian England.

Presented by: Devereaux, Dr. Simon, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

Dr. Crippen: Sex, Murder and Science in Early 20th-Century England

Secondary school Available virtually

In 1910 a seemingly meek London doctor murdered his wife and fled England with his young mistress. Through a combination of “cutting-edge” forensics and determined detective work, Dr. Crippen was pursued, arrested and brought to the gallows. This talk revisits this particularly famous criminal justice sensation.

Presented by: Devereaux, Dr. Simon, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

Conspiracy Thinking: Communism and McCarthyism in 20th-Century America

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

This talk revisits and explains the gap between the perception and the reality of the danger of Communism in the years after World War II.

Presented by: Devereaux, Dr. Simon, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

Conspiracy Thinking: UFOs Over America, 1947-69

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

This talk examines the nature and investigation of Unidentified Flying Objects (or flying saucers) in America during the first two decades after World War II.

Presented by: Devereaux, Dr. Simon, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

Why was Capital Punishment Abolished in Postwar Britain?

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

In 1945 the abolition of execution for murder seemed unimaginable to most English people. 20 years later it took place. This talk briefly reviews the issues and cases which led to this most striking of criminal justice reforms.

Presented by: Devereaux, Dr. Simon, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

Execution, Transportation and the Founding of Australia, 1775-1789

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

In the popular imagination, all forms of punishment in pre-modern England were brutal. This talk shows how transportation was an indispensable alternative to hanging large numbers of people and explores how the absence of that alternative during the 1780s led to executions on an almost unprecedented scale.

Presented by: Devereaux, Dr. Simon, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

Bad Kings: The Madness of George III, 1760-1820

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

George III’s insanity is now probably the most widely-known fact of his long reign. This talk revisits the nature and significance of the madness of King George.

Presented by: Devereaux, Dr. Simon, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

Conspiracy Thinking: Extraterrestrials in America since 1966

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

This talk offers some explanations for the abiding belief that beings from another world have contacted human beings and are engaged with them in both positive and sinister ways.

Presented by: Devereaux, Dr. Simon, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

Conspiracy Thinking: The Unending Mysteries of the JFK Assassination

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

This talk considers how decisions made in the immediate aftermath of the assassination of Pres. John Kennedy—perhaps the greatest public trauma of the postwar era—gave rise to our abiding belief that the crime was the work of various sinister forces in American society.

Presented by: Devereaux, Dr. Simon, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

Murder & the Media in Victorian England

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

The newspapers of the Victorian age were obsessed with murder. This talk reveals the origins of this fascination in the rise of the modern newspaper press and a growing fascination with the cultural divide between towns and the countryside.

Presented by: Devereaux, Dr. Simon, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

Petty Traitors and Domestic Tyrants: Spouse Murder in England, 1660-1800 (in English or French)

Secondary school Available virtually

In 17th and 18th-century England, the murder of a husband by a wife was classified as a species of “petty treason,” punishable by the horrific aggravated sentence of being burnt alive at the stake. Lurid contemporary pamphlets represented murderous wives as monsters of depravity whose crimes struck at the heart of the social and gender hierarchy. This talk will explore the real incidence of, and trials for, petty treason in Britain’s largest criminal jurisdiction, the Old Bailey courthouse. We will see that most cases of husband-murder were pedestrian affairs, and—in contrast to a handful of cases sensationalized in the press—many defendants received surprisingly lenient treatment. In practice if not in theory, 17th and 18th-century London courts prosecuted petty treason like any other homicide, with attenuating factors such as provocation and good character taken into account and often leading to manslaughter verdicts or acquittal. This article aims to shed light on the experience of women accused of spouse murder by placing them in a larger context, comparing their trials to those of men accused of murdering wives or common-law partners, and exploring the relationship between gender, class and credibility, verdicts and ultimate punishments.

Presented by: McKenzie, Dr. Andrea, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

The Bloody Code: Criminal Trial in 17th and 18th Century England

Secondary school Available virtually

The English criminal law of the 17th and 18th century was notoriously harsh, with around two hundred separately defined offences punishable by death, the vast majority of which were property crimes, many of them non-violent and trivial by modern standards. This was a period in which the public hanging formed a regular feature of urban life, and in which aggravated capital sentences (burning at the stake, drawing and quartering) and gory posthumous punishments (gibbetting, dissection, the display of the heads and limbs of executed traitors) were familiar sights. Later legal and social reformers would condemn the so-called “Bloody Code” as not only harsh and barbaric but also arbitrary and irrational, with many legal loopholes and strange anomalies. For instance, until the early nineteenth century, kidnapping a child was only a misdemeanour -- subject to whipping or a fine -- while stealing the shoes from that same child was a capital offence, if they were valued at over a shilling. This talk will provide a larger context for the “Bloody Code”, exploring and explaining some of its striking features and contradictions and focusing on the many ways in which its harsh capital provisions could be, and often were, ameliorated by the discretion of judges, juries, prosecutors and other courtroom actors.

Presented by: McKenzie, Dr. Andrea, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

The Great Fire of London September 1666

Secondary school Available virtually

The Great Fire of London, which broke out in a bakery in the heart of the city after a long dry summer, was a spectacular and devastating event. The fire raged uncontrolled for three days and nights, creating a firestorm of such intensity that the stone walls and windows of the medieval Gothic cathedral of Saint Paul’s melted, literally creating a river of molten lead and glass; fiery sparks burned the clothes of those huddled in boats on the Thames, attempting to escape the flames. The Fire destroyed most of the city within the medieval walls, London Bridge, hundreds of churches and tens of thousands of houses, leaving 100,000 people homeless. Although methods of firefighting were rudimentary and fire was a common occurrence in early modern London, where buildings were made of highly flammable materials, contemporaries preferred to see the disaster as having supernatural or human, rather than natural, causes: a divine visitation upon London (the new Babylon) for its sins, or – even more likely – a sinister arson plot. The “usual suspects” included radical republicans, the Dutch, the French and, especially, Catholics – viewed at least since the 1605 Gunpowder Plot as potential traitors with divided loyalties. This talk will explore the way in which the Great Fire of London transformed both the literal and the mental landscape of London, spawning conspiracy theories that would shape the memory politics of England for centuries to come.

Presented by: McKenzie, Dr. Andrea, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

The Mystery of the Lost Norse Colony of Greenland

Secondary school Available virtually

During the warm period known as the “medieval climatic optimum”, from c. 800-1250, Norse raiders (“Vikings”) dramatically expanded their range, exploring, conquering and settling territories over a vast area -- from the Mediterranean to Russia, the coasts of France to the Hebrides, Shetlands, Faroe Islands and Iceland, even establishing a brief foothold in “Vinland”, an area widely believed to be in modern Newfoundland. The Norse colony in Greenland was established by Eric the Red around 1000. During the “High Middle Ages” (c.1050-1300), Norse Greenland boasted a population of about 2000, numerous religious houses and even a bishopric, a flourishing trade in walrus and narwhale tusks (“unicorn” horns), live gyrfalcons and polar bears. After about 1300, in the wake of economic downturn, political disruptions and cooling weather, the colony declined and communication became more sporadic and disquieting, with rumours of attacks by pirates and Skraelings (the Thule Inuit). The last verified report was brought back by an Icelandic ship in 1408: after this there was only silence, as pack ice cut off the colony from the rest of Europe. Early eighteenth-century Scandinavian missionaries found only the ruins of the settlement, and tantalizing fragments gleaned from the oral traditions of the Greenland Inuit. Had the Norse Greenlanders been violently replaced or assimilated by the ancestors of the Inuit? Had they emigrated en masse, or succumbed to plague or some sudden disaster? Or they slowly starved to death, the victims of overgrazing, “the Little Ice Age” (1300-1800) and their own stubborn inability to abandon European customs and practices? This talk will explore these and other theories about this unsolved mystery, and propose some tentative conclusions.

Presented by: McKenzie, Dr. Andrea, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

Remember, Remember the Fifth of November: The 1605 Gunpowder Plot

Secondary school Available virtually

The 1605 Gunpowder plot to blow up both Houses of Parliament, and James VI & I of Scotland and England and the Prince of Wales, would have been the most devastating terrorist act in British history, eliminating most of the ruling class and the royal family in one fell stroke. But the conspiracy—the work of a handful of disgruntled English Catholics—was famously foiled after an anonymous letter raised suspicions and led to the discovery of Guy Fawkes in a cellar under the House of Lords, as he was about to detonate 30 barrels of gunpowder. This non-event has left an indelible mark on the English psyche: to this day bonfires and celebrations commemorate “Guy Fawkes Day” on 5 November, originally an anti-Catholic holiday but now become an opportunity to burn in effigy unpopular political figures of all denominations. The Gunpowder Plot remains controversial and has given rise to many conspiracy theories. To this day there are claims that it was an “inside job” intended to frame innocent Catholics. This talk will explore the pre-history, context and afterlife of this formative event, which ensured that harsh penal laws relegating Catholics to the status of second-class citizens in their own country remained in place until the early nineteenth century.

Presented by: McKenzie, Dr. Andrea, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

Who Killed Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey? Revisiting the Most Famous Murder Mystery of the 17th Century

Available virtually

The death of the middle-aged justice of the peace, Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey, in October 1678, is one of the most famous unsolved mysteries in English history. Shortly after taking the depositions of the unscrupulous perjurer Titus Oates, who claimed to have infiltrated several Jesuit seminaries in order to uncover an elaborate “Popish Plot” against the government, Godfrey went out for a walk and never returned. His body – apparently beaten, strangled and then posthumously run through with his own sword – turned up several days later in a ditch in Primrose Hill, several miles from his home in Charing Cross. Godfrey’s death, and the conviction that he had been murdered by the “papists” (Catholics), sparked a sustained moral panic and set in motion a prosecution of innocent Catholics that constitutes one of the darkest chapters in English history. From the autumn of 1678 to the spring of 1681, hundreds of Catholic Jesuits, priests, laymen and Jesuits were arrested for their involvement in what would prove to be a wholly fictitious plot to assassinate King Charles II and to reinstate Catholicism in England: twenty-four were convicted of treason and executed; many others died in prison. The political repercussions of the “Plot” were dramatic, leading to the Exclusion Crisis and the formation of modern political parties (the “Whigs” and the “Tories”). This talk will explore some of the many theories about Godfrey’s mysterious death, and introduce some new evidence.

Presented by: McKenzie, Dr. Andrea, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

The Strange Origins of the First Modern Political Party: The Whigs, Anti-Catholicism and Conspiracy Theories in 17th-Century England

Secondary school Available virtually

The “Whig Theory of History” popularised by such 19th-century British historians as T.B. Macaulay (a “Whig”, or Liberal, MP) celebrated the gradual evolution of uniquely English legal traditions and institutions as a grand narrative of progress—the triumph of parliamentary government over the arbitrary powers of the crown. This talk will tell a different and darker story about the 17th-century origins of both this self-congratulatory view of English history and the “Whigs,” precursors to the Liberal party. As we shall see, the widespread belief in a Catholic conspiracy to subvert the English constitution and the Protestant religion was a central component in the rise of parliamentary opposition and the beginnings of modern party politics. Moral panics about real and imagined “popish” plots and assassinations not only resulted in the persecution of hundreds of Catholic priests and lay people, but played a pivotal role in the major political events of the seventeenth century: the outbreak of Civil War in 1642, the execution of Charles I in 1649, the Exclusion Crisis of 1679-81 and the deposition of the last Catholic monarch, James II, in 1688—the so-called “Glorious Revolution”. 

Presented by: McKenzie, Dr. Andrea, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

Royal Martyr or “Man of Blood”? Spinning the Execution of Charles I, 1649

Secondary school Available virtually

The execution of Charles I on 30 January 1649 was one of the most dramatic, and divisive, events in British history. The decision of the Army and Rump Parliament to publicly try and, subsequently, execute the king for treason set an important precedent in terms of separating the person of the monarch from the state and was aimed at legitimating the new Cromwellian Puritan regime. Anti-royalist propaganda not only sought to portray the king as an ordinary man (“Charles Stuart”), but a man whose hands were stained with the blood of his own people and whose defeat in the Civil War could be read as a divine judgement against him. However, as scholars have noted, the decision to allow the press to report on the king’s trial and execution was a grave miscalculation on the part of the fledgling republic. This was largely due to the publication of the Eikon Basilike: the Portraiture of His Sacred Majesty in His Solitudes and Sufferings, a collection of personal reflections, meditations and prayers supposedly written by Charles I while awaiting judgement and death. The “King’s Book” was a runaway bestseller and a propaganda coup, successfully rewriting the warmongering “man of Blood” of Puritan critics as a charitable Christ-like figure who solemnly absolved his subjects of the guilt of his death. Yet, by the later seventeenth century, the royalist propaganda machine sputtered and began to backfire: growing rumours that the Eikon had been ghostwritten posed a fundamental threat not only to the cult of the Royal Martyr, but even to the sanctity of the monarchy itself.

Presented by: McKenzie, Dr. Andrea, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

The Bottomless Pit: Conspiracy Theories and the Mysterious Death of Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey, 1678

Secondary school Available virtually New

This talk explores conspiratorial beliefs in Restoration England, and the ways in which various conspiracy theories about Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey reflected, perpetuated and deepened religious and political divisions—creating a major moral panic and a constitutional crisis. Godfrey was a London magistrate whose mysterious disappearance and death in 1678 became one of the most famous unsolved mysteries in British history. The subject of this talk however is not just a murder mystery—although it is a murder mystery of a very politically partisan kind. But above all else it is the story of how accusations, rumours and speculations about the death of one man transformed English political culture, making this talk an anatomy of a conspiratorial crisis.

Presented by: McKenzie, Dr. Andrea, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

Medieval Conspiracy Theories: Anti-Semitism in Europe, c. 1000-1400

Secondary school Available virtually New

Conspiracy theories about the Jews are older than Christianity itself, but they first began to take on elaborate—and deadly— form during in the middle Ages. Many anti-Semitic conspiratorial beliefs, including the infamous “blood libel”— the belief that Jews abducted and ritually sacrificed gentile children during Passover—originated in Christian Europe during this period. Such allegations were not only widespread and invidious, sometimes sparking legal persecution and popular acts of violence, but also long-lived, with many of them continuing to inform anti-Semitic beliefs in the 20th century and even up to the present day. Indeed, modern scholars have argued that medieval anti-Semitic beliefs have inspired and provided the template for most modern conspiracy theories.

Presented by: McKenzie, Dr. Andrea, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

The Real Witch Hunts: Witchcraft Prosecutions in Europe, c. 1400-1700

Secondary school Available virtually New

From the late middle ages until the end of the 17th century, Europe witnessed intermittent but dramatic and deadly legal prosecutions of tens of thousands of alleged witches. These now-notorious campaigns against overwhelmingly female and middle-aged or older defendants have been seen as the result of superstition, misogyny and mass hysteria—the “witch craze”. The expression “witch hunt” has come to epitomise any unjust persecution or miscarriage of justice. This talk will situate these prosecutions in their larger context of contemporary belief in demonology and religious and social tensions, investigating the critical role of both class, gender and various other destabilizing factors, such as decentralized and/or contested political and religious authorities and institutions.

Presented by: McKenzie, Dr. Andrea, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

The Salem Witch Trials, 1692-3: Anatomy of a Moral Panic

Secondary school Available virtually New

The witchcraft prosecutions in Salem Massachusetts from 1692-3 have become a byword for cruel, unjust persecution and barbaric punishments, superstition, irrationality and “mass hysteria.” The trials and execution of the individual women and men that suffered at Salem have become synonymous with both witch-hunts in particular and irrationality, rushing to judgment and moral cowardice more broadly. This notorious moral panic has often been used as an analogy for subsequent shameful episodes in American history such as the McCarthyism of the 1950s, most famously in Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible. This talk will narrate the story of the Salem witchcraft trials, discuss some of its central actors and review the most important theories. Were these deadly accusations the result of Puritan theology, misogyny, frustrated social aspirations, smouldering community tensions, psycho-sexual tensions, teenage hysteria or anxiety about the religious and existential threat of Indigenous peoples?

Presented by: McKenzie, Dr. Andrea, Associate Professor Department of History History—General

Voices Not Normally Heard: A Digital Exhibition of Two Chinese Canadian Community Newspapers (in English or Chinese)

Secondary school Available virtually

The presentation will highlight stories and themes from the digital exhibition “Glimpses into Chinese immigration in Canada: The New Republic & The World Journal newspapers”, which displays selected articles from two Chinese Canadian community newspapers in BC, and includes relevant interviews and historical documents related to the newspaper history and the evolution of local Chinese immigrant community. All articles are full-text searchable in both English and Chinese.

Presented by: Liu, Ms. Ying, Librarian Libraries, Reference Services History—Victoria & BC

Fathoming Halibut Water: Indigenous and Colonial Marine Knowledge in the Pacific Northwest

Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

In the 19th century, Britain and the United States laid claim to vast stretches of the North American coastline. Mapping these shores was a vital component in colonial efforts incorporate new acquisitions into their continental and overseas empires. In the Pacific Northwest, marine charts produced reliable navigational knowledge, helping mariners avoid hidden hazards, navigate intricate passages, and arrive safely to port. Charting expeditions were critical to the success of imperial projects of mobility and access to land, water, and resources in the region. Such knowledge cannot be understood solely as a colonial imposition, however. Indigenous labour and knowledge were critical to the success of mid-nineteenth century surveys in the Pacific Northwest. But the Indigenous mariners who served as guides, informants, and crew did so on their own terms, drawing hydrographic expeditions into their own agendas and benefiting from their relative geographic ignorance. This presentation explores how Indigenous and colonial knowledge of the ocean intersected in surprising and fascinating ways.

Presented by: Robertson, Mr. Jesse, Graduate Student Department of History History—Victoria & BC

Spanish Colonialism on Vancouver Island in the 18th Century (in English or Spanish)

Secondary school Available virtually New

Spain was present on Vancouver Island from the time of first contact between First Nations and Europeans. This talk examines the establishment of a Spanish outpost at Yuquot between 1789 and 1796.

Presented by: Restrepo Gautier, Dr. Pablo, Associate Professor Department of Hispanic & Italian Studies History—Victoria & BC

British Columbia’s Ambiguous Relations with the Rest of Canada

Secondary school Available virtually

From the time that British Columbians first considered joining Canada, their relationship with the rest of the country has been ambiguous. They are proud of their province and of being Canadians, but they frequently felt that the rest of the country failed to appreciate them and exploited them.

Presented by: Roy, Dr. Patricia, Professor Emerita Department of History History—Victoria & BC

Boundless Optimism: Richard McBride's British Columbia

Secondary school Available virtually

Richard McBride was premier, 1903-1915, an era of unprecedented growth. A native of the province, he became premier at age 32, brought some order to provincial politics, promoted the development of railways, encouraged British investment and immigration, and played a role on the national and imperial stage.

Presented by: Roy, Dr. Patricia, Professor Emerita Department of History History—Victoria & BC

Cartoonists at Sea: British Columbia Ferries and Their Predecessors

Available virtually

Transportation between Vancouver Island and the Mainland has often amused local cartoonists. With cartoons going back to the early years of the 20th century and carrying through to today, this presentation examines the political issues around ferries as well as imaginative suggestions for travel and perennial complaints about the service.

Presented by: Roy, Dr. Patricia, Professor Emerita Department of History History—Victoria & BC

Fannin & Fauna: The Early Days of the Provincial Museum

Available virtually

John Fannin was the curator of the Provincial Museum from its founding in 1886 until his retirement in 1904. This illustrated account is a story of wilderness adventures, the collection of natural history specimens, and the establishment of the Museum as a tourist attraction.

Presented by: Roy, Dr. Patricia, Professor Emerita Department of History History—Victoria & BC

A Humorous History of British Columbia's Highways

Secondary school Available virtually

Transportation has been a key to the development of BC. Using cartoons from the 19th century to the present, this talk is a light-hearted approach to the history of the province's highways and the politics around them.

Presented by: Roy, Dr. Patricia, Professor Emerita Department of History History—Victoria & BC

At the Bridge: James Teit and an Anthropology of Belonging

Secondary school Available virtually New

This talk draws from my 2019 book, At the Bridge: James Teit and an Anthropology of Belonging. It covers the period of the 1880s–1920s in British Columbia, though the story extends to the UK (Shetland), Ottawa and the USA (NYC, Chicago, Boston). The focus is the political protest movement that took place in BC and Ottawa (Indian Affairs) associated with the BC Indigenous leaders' case for title and sovereignty. It also covers the role of anthropology in the region during this period.

Presented by: Wickwire, Dr. Wendy, Associate Professor Emerita Department of History History—Victoria & BC

Shetland's Long Reach: James Teit and the Struggle for 'Indian Rights' in British Columbia

Secondary school Available virtually New

I will be drawing lots from my 2019 book, At the Bridge: James Teit and an Anthropology of Belonging. This talk covers the period, 1880s-1920s, in British Columbia, and extends to the UK (Shetland), Ottawa and the USA (NYC, Chicago, Boston). The focus is the political protest movement that took place in BC and Ottawa (Indian Affairs) associated with the BC Indigenous leaders' case for title and sovereignty. It also covers the role of anthropology in the region during this period.

Presented by: Wickwire, Dr. Wendy, Associate Professor Emerita Department of History History—Victoria & BC

Blacklisted: 'White Agitators' and the Fight for 'Indian Rights' in British Columbia, 1900-1920

Secondary school Available virtually New

I will be drawing lots from my 2019 book, At the Bridge: James Teit and an Anthropology of Belonging. This talk covers the period, 1880s-1920s, in British Columbia, and extends to the UK (Shetland), Ottawa and the USA (NYC, Chicago, Boston). The focus is the political protest movement that took place in BC and Ottawa (Indian Affairs) associated with the BC Indigenous leaders' case for title and sovereignty. It also covers the role of anthropology in the region during this period.

Presented by: Wickwire, Dr. Wendy, Associate Professor Emerita Department of History History—Victoria & BC

Anthropology, First Nations and Museum-building in British Columbia, 1880s-1920s

Secondary school Available virtually New

I will be drawing lots from my 2019 book, At the Bridge: James Teit and an Anthropology of Belonging. This talk covers the period, 1880s-1920s, in British Columbia, and extends to the UK (Shetland), Ottawa and the USA (NYC, Chicago, Boston). The focus is the political protest movement that took place in BC and Ottawa (Indian Affairs) associated with the BC Indigenous leaders' case for title and sovereignty. It also covers the role of anthropology in the region during this period.

Presented by: Wickwire, Dr. Wendy, Associate Professor Emerita Department of History History—Victoria & BC

The Evolution of Human Language

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Language makes us human. Why did it evolve in our species but not others? Adaptation or mutation? From genomics to fossil remains, explore the linguistics of this most human mystery.

Presented by: Archibald, Dr. John, Professor Department of Linguistics Languages & Linguistics

Using Technology to Assist in Learning Pronunciation (in English or French)

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

In this interactive presentation, I introduce different speech visualization tools for learning pronunciation, including ultrasound imaging for seeing the tongue articulate sounds in real time, and Praat speech analysis software for "seeing" the acoustic signal associated with speech.

Presented by: Bird, Dr. Sonya, Associate Professor Department of Linguistics Languages & Linguistics

The Sounds of Coast Salish Languages (in English or French)

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

In this presentation, I introduce the sounds that are found in the Coast Salish languages spoken in these territories, including ones in local words like PKOLS (Mount Douglas) and sxʷeŋxʷəŋ təŋəxʷ (the new James Bay library branch). I describe how they are pronounced and (depending on interest) lead an interactive session on learning to pronounce some key words (as a sound expert, not as a mother-tongue speaker). I also spend some time discussing the role of authentic pronunciation in the context of Salish language revitalization.

Presented by: Bird, Dr. Sonya, Associate Professor Department of Linguistics Languages & Linguistics

The Edge of Innovation: Language Change is Constant

Secondary school Available virtually

Living languages are in a constant state of change. This talk reviews common myths on the language of youth and discusses the critical role they play in the ongoing evolution of individual languages, focusing in particular on English.

Presented by: D’Arcy, Dr. Alexandra, Professor & Associate Dean Research Department of Linguistics Languages & Linguistics

Accents, Dialects & Voice Qualities

Secondary school Available virtually

Presented by: Esling, Dr. John H., Professor Emeritus Department of Linguistics Languages & Linguistics

Sounds of the World's Languages

Secondary school Available virtually

Presented by: Esling, Dr. John H., Professor Emeritus Department of Linguistics Languages & Linguistics

The International Phonetic Alphabet

Secondary school Available virtually

Presented by: Esling, Dr. John H., Professor Emeritus Department of Linguistics Languages & Linguistics

Research-informed Strategies for Supporting Language Learners with Refugee Experience

Available virtually

This session explores non-linguistic and linguistic issues, and discusses the pedagogical implications associated with supporting Syrian learners with refugee experience. The session draws on the most up-to-date research in the Canadian context as an example that may offer applicable strategies for supporting learners with a refugee background. 

Presented by: Huang, Dr. Li-Shih, Associate Professor Department of Linguistics Languages & Linguistics

Discovering Varieties of French in Canada: Pronunciations, Words and Grammatical Features (in English or French)

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

A survey of Francophone communities in Canada (Acadian, Québécois, Franco-Ontarian, Fransaskois, etc.), highlighting key social, historical, and cultural aspects. This talk will also introduce pronunciations, words, and grammatical characteristics of different French vernaculars in Canada and the attitudes linked to them—some features having been stigmatized, others being seen as valuable.

Presented by: Léger, Dr. Catherine, Associate Professor Department of French Languages & Linguistics

Animal Rights, Climate Change, and Zoonotic Pandemics: What are the Links?

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

This talk explores the multiple connections between how humans exploit animals, climate change and zoonotic pandemics that we often do not hear about in mainstream media.

Presented by: Deckha, Prof. Maneesha, Professor and Lansdowne Chair Faculty of Law Law & Justice Issues

Veganism, Dairy, Decolonization: How Being Vegan Aligns with Decolonization Goals

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

This talk addresses the misunderstanding that being vegan is a “white” or “western” thing, opposed to reconciliation and decolonization. We will explore the synergies between ethical veganism, reconciliation and decolonization.

Presented by: Deckha, Prof. Maneesha, Professor and Lansdowne Chair Faculty of Law Law & Justice Issues

Animal Rights, Feminism, Anti-Racism: Understanding the Connections Across Social Justice Issues

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

Explains why rights for animals align with feminist and anti-racist goals.

Presented by: Deckha, Prof. Maneesha, Professor and Lansdowne Chair Faculty of Law Law & Justice Issues

Animals, Culture and Law: Why the Law does Not Protect Animals—and How it Could

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

This talk explains why animals are not protected under the law even though most people think they are. We will also review current proposals for dramatic legal change.

Presented by: Deckha, Prof. Maneesha, Professor and Lansdowne Chair Faculty of Law Law & Justice Issues

Access to Justice: Designing Legal, Dispute Resolution and Justice Systems to Meet Community Needs

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

What should we expect the legal and justice systems to do for us? What are the current gaps and barriers that prevent these systems from helping us, and meeting our expectations of them? How can we redesign these systems to assist in achieving better outcomes - healthy individuals and families and sustainable communities?

Presented by: Lapper, QC, Prof. Robert, David & Dorothy Lam Chair in Law and Public Policy Faculty of Law Law & Justice Issues

Addiction and Insanity: Access to Justice in Criminal Law

Available virtually New

This presentation will survey the legal circumstances of accused persons and offenders in the Canadian criminal justice system who struggle with co-occurring substance use and mental disorder. It will examine the law governing criminal responsibility and sentencing, and will consider the extent to which this law adequately addresses the complex access to justice needs of this population.

Presented by: Lawrence, Dr. Michelle, Associate Professor Faculty of Law Law & Justice Issues

Machine Listening, Improvisation and Access to Justice in Family Law

Available virtually

Particularly in the area of Family Law, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and/or Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) is often aligned with Access to Justice (A2J) as a means of making legal decision-making cheaper, faster and more accessible to the general public.  Yet, can machines ever truly listen deeply and attentively to the singularity and uniqueness of the situation before them, thereby dispensing justice in the family law realm? Or, contrary to widespread urgings in favour of technology as a facilitator of access to justice for litigants, is “machine listening” inherently unjust? This talk looks to research undertaken by both critical improvisational and legal scholars to examine whether it is possible, or even desirable, to utilize machine listening in the family law context with a view to enabling more just decision-making, or dispelling what is now being called Digital Family Justice.

Presented by: Ramshaw, Dr. Sara, Professor Faculty of Law Law & Justice Issues

What Happens If You Die Without a Will?

Available virtually

This talk provides an overview of the law in British Columbia related to intestacy including the law, and how that law has been interpreted in British Columbia.

Presented by: Rivers, Prof. Deanna, Adjunct Professor Faculty of Law Law & Justice Issues

Can I Disinherit My Child/Spouse?

Available virtually

Provide an overview of the law in British Columbia related to claims against estates including the law, and how that law has been interpreted in British Columbia.

Presented by: Rivers, Prof. Deanna, Adjunct Professor Faculty of Law Law & Justice Issues

My Parents Disinherited Me—What Do I Do?

Available virtually

Provide an overview of the law in British Columbia related to disinheritance—including the law, and how that law has been interpreted in British Columbia.

Presented by: Rivers, Prof. Deanna, Adjunct Professor Faculty of Law Law & Justice Issues

I am Named as Executor in My ___'s Will. What Does that Entail?

Available virtually

Provide an overview of the law in British Columbia related to planning for incompetence—including the law, and how that law has been interpreted in British Columbia.

Presented by: Rivers, Prof. Deanna, Adjunct Professor Faculty of Law Law & Justice Issues

Valkyries & Vikings & Mermaids—Oh My!

Secondary school Available virtually

Did Vikings believe in mermaids? The question arises from Louis Moe’s illustrations for Ragnarok (1929) and Valkyrien (1941) and also from Johann Gerht’s illustration for Thridrek’s Saga (1901). I will examine the cultural history of mermaids in illustrated texts from classical antiquity, the Christian Middle Ages and Old Norse mythology.

Presented by: Baer, Dr. Trish, Adjunct Professor Medieval Studies Program Literature

Two-Spirit and Transgender Youth Resilience in and through Literature

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

Gender-diverse youth currently face debilitating levels of anxiety and trauma, because of the Republican and Christian nationalist campaign to demonize and threaten them. The hateful rhetoric that dehumanizes them, deprives them of healthcare, threatens to remove them from their families, criminalizes their parents, and promotes violence against them, like that recently perpetuated against the members of Club Q in Colorado Springs, creates a field of threat which makes it very difficult for gender-diverse youth just to face daily challenges, like getting out of bed and going to school. The broad political middle seems too easily swayed with deliberately confusing rhetoric that questions the effectiveness of medically-proven and well-researched trans-affirming care, leaving trans youth without broad political support in North America. Even though most of the anti-trans rhetoric and legislation is coming out of the states, North America is one unit in terms of the anxiety this produces in gender-diverse youth. Schools, unfortunately, are also failing gender-diverse youth by failing to include the histories and stories of gender-diverse people in their curriculum. Knowing these histories is an essential source of strength for gender-diverse youth. My mission is to connect gender-diverse youth with the histories and stories that will help them counter the massive hatred and discrimination that they face, stories like those collected by the Chair in Transgender Studies at the University of Victoria for their Trans Oral History Project: https://exhibits.library.uvic.ca/spotlight/trans-activists/feature/main-exhibit and other important resources in the Transgender Archives at the University of Victoria. I also draw upon the Two-Spirit and Transgender literature that I am studying for my current PhD dissertation on representations of hunger and fulfillment in gender-diverse literature in Canada, models of healing from trauma in coming-of-age novels by gender-diverse and culturally-diverse young authors. My second mission is to re-evaluate the successes and failures of SOGIE 123, which has opened amuch-needed conversation, but unfortunately serves more as a smokescreen to suggest that meaningful curricular inclusion has been made if it does not mandate specific forms of learning for each grade and provide specific resources for teachers to deliver that learning. It’s time that educators realize that the current suppression of gender diversity, in which they are complicit, affects ALL youth, not just trans and Two-Spirit youth and the benefits of gender-inclusive learning will likewise benefit ALL youth.

Presented by: McKenzie, Ms. Kai, Graduate Student Chair in Transgender Studies Literature

Writing Short Fiction

Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

The Introduction to Writing Short Fiction talk provides a brief introduction to writing short fiction, ranging from novella to short stories, flash and micro fiction. Overviews some key craft concepts including character, structure, voice and POV, and covers examples of canon and contemporary short fiction. This lecture will get participants excited about the genre of short fiction and introduce them to an exciting literary scene.

Presented by: Mason, Ms. Hana, Graduate Student Department of Writing Literature

Introduction to Autofiction

Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

Introduction to Autofiction: an introduction to autofiction, covering the history, controversy, conventions, and critiques of the burgeoning genre. Autofiction, or “autobiographical fiction” is a genre growing in popularity and includes novels such as Shelia Heti’s How Should a Person Be? and recent Nobel Prize winner Annie Ernaux’s work. This lecture will teach participants what autofiction is and start to get them comfortable and confident with writing about themselves in a fictive voice.

Presented by: Mason, Ms. Hana, Graduate Student Department of Writing Literature

Revision and Editing

Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student New

Revision and Editing is a crash-course in the editing and revision process of short prose. Covers common craft issues, different methods of revision, how to find a workshop group, and how to get short prose published.

Presented by: Mason, Ms. Hana, Graduate Student Department of Writing Literature

A Viking Voyage: Trading, Raiding or Emigrating?

Secondary school Available virtually

This presentation looks at Viking voyages in terms of material culture. I will begin with the observation that before going on a voyage it was necessary to select the type of ship best suited for the journey, e.g. not all Viking ships were warships. I will discuss the different types of ships and the materials necessary to build them along with the tasks involved in spinning, weaving and waterproofing the woolen sails. I will also discuss what is known about navigation methods; the necessities to pack onboard for the voyage; and the types of shelter used on the voyage and on land, e.g. tents or turf houses. 

Presented by: Baer, Dr. Trish, Adjunct Professor Medieval Studies Program Literature

The Victorian Retellings of Viking Mythology: A Mythological Makeover

Secondary school Available virtually

In the hands of Victorian/Edwardian storytellers and illustrators, the Old Norse myths were bowdlerized, moralized, Christianized and merged with folk and fairy tales. My presentation will focus on the illustrations of Thor´s hammer Mjöllnir and the myths concerning him. Distorted or diminished, Mjöllnir loses aspects of its fundamental cultural, iconographical, and mythological significance in the retelling.

Presented by: Baer, Dr. Trish, Adjunct Professor Medieval Studies Program, Literature

Christine of Pizan: A Life of Her Own (in English or French)

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Christine de Pizan (1364–c. 1430) became one of the most important French authors when (and because) she was widowed. An exceptional writer and fighter for women's rights, she wrote poetry and prose on the burning topics of her time and of her life: love, equality of men and women, royal justice, good government, and Joan of Arc, among other subjects. She was forgotten for a long time before the relatively recent rediscovery of her works.

Presented by: Cazes, Dr. Hélène, Professor Department of French Literature

The Golden Age of the English Detective Novel

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

The years between the First and Second World Wars are universally seen as the “golden age” of English detective fiction. This talk suggests why this was the case through the examples of Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers and G.K. Chesterton—and, of course, their forebear Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Presented by: Devereaux, Dr. Simon, Associate Professor Department of History Literature

American Literature and the Christian Right

Secondary school Available virtually

This talk discusses the surprising re-emergence of conservative Christianity as a powerful political and social force since the 1960s, and the consequences of that emergence for mainstream American literature. For more information: http://religiondispatches.org/who-are-we-and-how-should-we-live-american-literature-and-the-god-gap/.

Presented by: Douglas, Dr. Christopher, Professor Department of English Literature

Fundamentalism & Literature

Secondary school Available virtually

This talk is an introduction to the theology and politics of Christian fundamentalist fiction. Includes famous novels such as Left Behind, The Shack, and This Present Darkness.

Presented by: Douglas, Dr. Christopher, Professor Department of English Literature

The Bible’s Many Gods

Available virtually

An introduction to some of the historical-critical Bible scholarship that examines the development of monotheism out of an earlier polytheistic cultural matrix. Includes a discussion of the lingering traces of polytheism in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and New Testament.

Presented by: Douglas, Dr. Christopher, Professor Department of English Literature

19th-Century French Literature & Culture (in English or French)

Secondary school Available virtually

This talk discusses 19th-century French literature and culture: the role of science, industry and politics in literary production.

Presented by: Fromet de Rosnay, Dr. Emile, Assistant Professor Department of French Literature

French Literature Since 1800 (in English or French)

Secondary school Available virtually

This presentation can discuss any topic in literature from the Enlightenment onward, from Voltaire to the present. It can also include topics such as the Enlightenment novel, romantic and modernist poetry, and postmodern culture.

Presented by: Fromet de Rosnay, Dr. Emile, Assistant Professor Department of French Literature

Poetry and Social Movements

Secondary school Available virtually

Budd Hall is a Professor Emeritus at UVic who has had a career in adult education, community-development and participatory research. He is the Co-Chair of the UNESCO Chair in Community-Based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education. His current focus is on training young people for doing locally based participatory research and supporting the strengthening of community-university research partnerships. He is also a poet and part of the Victoria Social Movement Poets Collective.

Presented by: Hall, Prof. Budd, Professor Emeritus, School of Public Administration Literature

The Conscious Art of Storytelling and Mythmaking

Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student

I will talk about the creative process within comics, art-making and writing as a storyteller and academic. I am able to engage creatively and provide the talk as a workshop.

Presented by: Kernan, Mr. Luke, Graduate Student Department of Anthropology Literature

What We Can Learn from Peoples’ Lived Experiences of Madness

Secondary school Available virtually Graduate Student

I have extensive knowledge of states of mind, consciousness and mental health topics from my research as a Ph.D. candidate focusing on creative methods and lived experiences of psychosis. My fieldwork aims to be a form of activism and compassionate outreach.

Presented by: Kernan, Mr. Luke, Graduate Student Department of Anthropology Literature

Did Shakespeare Invent Love?

Secondary school Available virtually

This talk explains how Shakespeare's poetry transformed existing conventions around romantic love, bequeathing to the modern West the ideas about romance we now generally consider natural or given but which actually emerged at a particular moment in time.

Presented by: Kuchar, Dr. Gary, Professor Department of English Literature

Why is Shakespeare's Hamlet so Good?

Secondary school Available virtually New

This talk explores Shakespeare's Hamlet, explaining why it has fascinated generations of readers and audiences.

Presented by: Kuchar, Dr. Gary, Professor Department of English Literature

Shakespeare and Canadian Television: The Case of Slings & Arrows

Secondary school Available virtually New

This talk explores the success of the critically celebrated Canadian television series Slings & Arrows, a fictional depiction of the Stratford Festival in Ontario. Particular attention will be given to the way the series interweaves its story with the stories of Shakespeare's plays and modern Canadian theatre history.

Presented by: Kuchar, Dr. Gary, Professor Department of English Literature

How Volodymyr Zelensky Taught Me to Read John Milton's Paradise Lost

Secondary school Available virtually New

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that the war in Ukraine is as close to a clash between good and evil as geopolitical conflicts get. Through an analysis of John Milton's Paradise Lost, this talk explains why many people in the west share Johnson's intuition.

Presented by: Kuchar, Dr. Gary, Professor Department of English Literature

The Poetry of Anglican Survivalism (1643-60)

Secondary school Available virtually New

In 1643, the Church of England was disestablished and the Book of Common Prayer replaced with an alternative liturgical manual based on Presbyterian principles. In the wake of these events, writers loyal to the Church of England began a writing campaign to keep alive the older Elizabethan tradition. This talk examines the role that poets and poetry played in the literature of Anglican survivalism, helping the church through its darkest hour.

Presented by: Kuchar, Dr. Gary, Professor Department of English Literature

Into the Woods with German Myths and Fairy Tales

Available virtually

This presentation is about the enduring relevance of fairy tales and addresses the following questions: Why do we need fairy tales? What is a hero? What is a quest? Why do fairy tales often take place in a forest environment? What is the cultural significance of wolves and ogres?

Presented by: Pnevmonidou, Dr. Elena, Assistant Professor Department of Germanic & Slavic Studies Literature

The Tale of Genji: The World's Oldest Novel (in English or Japanese)

Available virtually

Presented by: Poulton, Dr. Cody, Professor Emeritus Department of Pacific & Asian Studies Literature

Japan's Iliad: The Tale of the Heike (in English or Japanese)

Available virtually

Presented by: Poulton, Dr. Cody, Professor Emeritus Department of Pacific & Asian Studies Literature

Modern Latin American Literature (in English or Spanish)

Secondary school Available virtually

Presented by: Russek, Dr. Dan, Associate Professor Department of Hispanic & Italian Studies Literature

Modern Latin American Literature and Visual Arts (in English or Spanish)

Secondary school Available virtually

Presented by: Russek, Dr. Dan, Associate Professor Department of Hispanic & Italian Studies Literature

Modern Latin American Culture (in English or Spanish)

Secondary school Available virtually

Presented by: Russek, Dr. Dan, Associate Professor Department of Hispanic & Italian Studies Literature

Paul Bunyan and the Colonial Greenwashing of Indigenous Environments

Elementary school Middle school Secondary school Available virtually New

The material covered in each presentation broadly centers around Indigenous environmental issues, on both Earth and in outer space. These talks center Indigenous worldviews and highlight acts of Indigenous resurgence in the face of colonialism. A citizen of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, the presenter’s research and work is situated at the intersection of critical Indigenous geographies, political ecology, and science and technology studies. Smiles' current work focuses on the ways that Indigenous nations can use cultural resource management and preservation as a framework to undertake adaptation and mitigation strategies in the face of climate crisis.

Presented by: Smiles, Dr. Deondre, Assistant Professor Department of Geography Literature

How Can a Film be Philosophical? Let Me Count the Ways

Secondary school Available virtually New

Have you ever left a theatre wishing everyone would stay and talk about the film? This talk will explore the many ways plot, character, image, sound and more, through which a film can affect us, make us think, maybe tell us something true.

Presented by: Belmonte, Dr. Nina, Assistant Professor Department of Philosophy Music, Art, Film & Theatre

Hercules: Greek Myth or Disney?

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

This talk compares the Greek myths about Hercules to the Disney version of the story.

Presented by: Bowman, Dr. Laurel, Associate Professor Department of Greek & Roman Studies Music, Art, Film & Theatre

Edith Piaf, the Parisian “Sparrow” (in English or French)

Middle school Secondary school Available virtually

Spend half an hour with the music, the lyrics and the life of an iconic singer of the 20th century. This talk includes slides and songs, giving context to the phenomenal success met by a street singer, now a symbol for French culture across the world.

Presented by: Cazes, Dr. Hélène, Professor Department of French Music, Art, Film & Theatre

French Cinema (in English or French)

Secondary school Available virtually

This talk examines 19th-century French literature and culture: the role of science, industry and politics in literary production.

Presented by: Fromet de Rosnay, Dr. Emile, Assistant Professor Department of French Music, Art, Film & Theatre

Building Community through Live Music—Exploring the Roles of Artist, Presenter and Public (in English or French)

Available virtually