Law Professor Larissa Speak Helps Bring Communities Together

Legal scholar Larissa Speak says she practices Anishinaabe law because it offers her healing and a respectful way to live in the world that honours the dignity of all.

Professor Speak's skills as an educator have made her law school classes extremely popular. In 2025, she won a Contribution to Teaching Award—a student-nominated award that recognizes instructors who have demonstrated high levels of teaching performance at Lakehead University.

"I'm focused on promoting resurgence at the community level, which helps Lakehead University with its commitment to Canada's Truth and Reconciliation (TRC) Calls to Action," she says.

She adds that being an assistant professor at Lakehead University's Bora Laskin Faculty of Law and a member of Fort William First Nation has helped shape her perspective on resurgence and Truth and Reconciliation.

"We need to figure out respectful relationships between Indigenous and settler communities to live well together on Anishinaabe lands," Professor Speak says.

She's helping forge these relationships as a teacher, researcher, and co-director of the law school's Mino-waabandan Inaakonigewinan Indigenous Law and Justice Institute. She collaborates closely with co-director Robin Sutherland in her work with the institute.

The institute was established in 2021 in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's Call to Action #50, which called for the creation of Indigenous law institutes across the country.

"The institute works with communities to revitalize Indigenous law and to increase access to justice for Indigenous Peoples," she says.

Professor Speak and Robin Sutherland are co-directors of the Mino-waabandan Inaakonigewinan Indigenous Law and Justice Institute, which means "seeing the law in a good way." Robin Sutherland is also the law school's Director of Indigenous Relations. Above, he helps first-year law students build a sweat lodge at the law school's first annual Law Camp.

It also offers important academic and outreach programming to law students, such as the annual Gaa-maada'ooniding Land-based Law Camp co-hosted with the School of Indigenous Learning (SOIL).

Gaa-maada'ooniding—Anishinaabe for "the place where we share together"—welcomes first-year students to the law school community and introduces them to Indigenous law through land-based practices, ceremonies, art, and sharing circles led by Indigenous knowledge holders.

A Leader in Indigenous and Aboriginal Law

Professor Speak's teaching, research, and advocacy are closely intertwined with the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law in other ways, too.

"We live in a very powerful place, and the Indigenous community wants to share that with people," Professor Speak says. "The sacred mountain—Anemki Wajiw—is the home of the Thunderbirds." Above, Professor Speak works on a moose hide after learning the practice from hide-tanners Jean Marshall and Shelby Gagnon.

She joined the law school as a contract lecturer in 2020, later becoming a professor, but she first stepped through its doors in 2013 as a student and a member of the law school's charter class.

"Studying at the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law helped me better understand my Anishinaabe identity and the responsibilities that it carries," Professor Speak says.

"My family had become disconnected from Fort William First Nation, but law school helped me establish relationships in my community and got me really interested in learning about Indigenous law, especially Anishinaabe law."

When students arrive at the law school's Gaa-maada'ooniding Land-based Law Camp, Professor Speak says they "set up the tents and stations, bring the Elders food, and help clean up, because if you're going to learn something, you also need to give something back." Above, students help soften a moose hide by tossing Professor Speak into the air at the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law's 2025 Law Camp.

Her exposure to these forms of laws wasn't accidental. One of the law school's three mandates is the teaching of Aboriginal and Indigenous law.

"Aboriginal law deals with how Canadian law applies to and affects Indigenous people, for example, treaty and hunting rights," Professor Speak explains. "Indigenous law refers to the law practiced by Indigenous people, which is separate and apart from Canadian law."

An Anishinaabe Worldview

Professor Speak specializes in the law practiced by Anishinaabe people and communities in northwestern Ontario. "It's an oral tradition based on protocols, relationships, and how to live and act in a good way so that you don't cause harm."

Fundamental to Anishinaabe law is a more inclusive version of personhood in which humans have no superiority over other living things—animals, plants, lakes, and trees are equal to humans and imbued with agency and spirit.

This conception of the world means that Anishinaabe law is often expressed through communal activities that happen on the land, such as respectful harvesting and hunting. For this reason, supporting Indigenous people being on the land is crucial to Professor Speak's teaching and research.

"I also try to broaden law students' understanding of what constitutes law through practices like deer and moosehide tanning," she says.

Last year, Professor Speak offered an upper-year elective course called "Anishinaabe Governance in Practice: Visiting and Learning at Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung." Students in Lakehead's Faculty of Law program and the Outdoor Recreation Parks and Tourism (ORPT) program went to the Manitou Mounds Historical Centre on Rainy River First Nations lands with ORPT Director Dr. Leigh Potvin. The course built on extracurricular trips to Manitou Mounds led by Robin Sutherland in previous academic years. "Robin established strong ties with Manitou Mounds and the local knowledge holders, setting us up for success. We visited a protected site with burial mounds, some of which were 8,000 years old, and the students were part of a ceremony to repatriate ancient remains," Professor Speak says. "They also learned Anishinaabe teachings about the stars and constellations." Above, as part of the course, Professor Speak and students look for "jumping name," also known as sturgeon, in the Rainy River.

In collaboration with Dr. Leigh Potvin, she has hosted two hide-tanning gatherings at Lakehead University, funded by a SSHRC SIG Community-Engaged Research Grant (CERG) and a Lakehead University Indigenous Research Capacity Development Grant. The gatherings were open to Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, and anyone from the wider community interested in participating. These kinds of gatherings strengthen Anishinaabe law and teach non-Indigenous people about the places where they live.

We All Have a Part to Play in Truth and Reconciliation

Professor Speak says that many of the TRC's calls to action remain incomplete.

"There's been backsliding and a resistance to decolonization at the institutional level. That's why I'd like to see non-Indigenous people step into leadership roles to support this work, including commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30."

Professor Speak says that non-Indigenous students often arrive at law camp feeling very nervous, but that they soon relax. "They eat so much food at law camp, which is how I know they're becoming comfortable," she says. "In sharing circles at the end of the three days, many students describe it as an amazing experience." Above, Knowledge Holders Jeordi Pierre, Marlene Pierre, Irene Linklater, and Ron Linklater at the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law's 2026 Law Camp.

Professor Speak believes that the best way to begin engaging in Truth and Reconciliation is by attending Indigenous community events and getting to know people—whether it's a Powwow, an art exhibition, Lakehead University's annual Fall Harvest celebration, or other campus gatherings.

"Then think about specific calls to action you want to respond to, because this work is for all of us to do," she says.

How to Show Your Support on September 30:

• Attend National Day for Truth and Reconciliation events in your community
• Wear an orange shirt
• Watch the Phyllis Webstad - On Orange Shirt Day video
• Read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's Calls to Action
• Support Indigenous-led businesses
• Use social media hashtags:
  #OrangeShirtDay, #EveryChildMatters, #TruthAndReconciliation, #NDTR, and #ReconciliACTION

A new academic year is about to begin at Lakehead University, as students and new faculty from across Canada and around the world prepare to arrive at its campuses and begin a new chapter.

Over the coming weeks, Lakehead's campuses will transform as new and returning students move into residence, reconnect with friends, meet classmates and faculty, and take part in activities designed to help them find their place in the Lakehead community.

Classes for the 2026/27 academic year begin Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026.

“There's something special about this time of year at Lakehead,” said Dr. Gillian Siddall, President and Vice-Chancellor of Lakehead University. “You can feel the energy change as students arrive on our campuses, many of them experiencing university for the first time. They are bringing with them different experiences, ambitions and ideas, but they are all becoming part of the Lakehead community.” 

“This is an exciting beginning, and we want every student to know that there are people here ready to support them, challenge them and celebrate their successes along the way,” said Siddall about the close to 10,000 students on our Thunder Bay and Orillia campuses and Barrie Hub this fall. 

That welcome begins before the first day of classes through a series of Orientation and Welcome Week activities designed to help students build connections, learn about available supports and services, explore their communities, and feel at home at Lakehead.

Across Lakehead's Thunder Bay and Orillia campuses and the new B

arrie STEM Hub, students will take part in a variety of activities throughout the first weeks of September, including welcome events, campus and community activities, social gatherings and opportunities to connect with fellow students, faculty and staff.

One of the first signs of the new academic year began today as students and their families arrive for Residence Move-In Day. Welcome Week activities will continue across Lakehead's locations leading into the first day of classes next week. As well, students new to Canada and to Thunder Bay are busy exploring the region, including a visit to Fort William Historical Park.

“Starting university is a big transition, and Orientation is really about making that transition feel less overwhelming and more p

ersonal,” said Keir Thornburg, Director, Student Success. “We want students to meet people, ask questions, discover the supports available to them and, most importantly, begin to feel that they belong here.” 

Orientation doesn't end when classes begin. Events and activities will continue throughout September, giving students opportunities to meet people, discover services, get involved, and build connections both on campus and in their communities.

For Siddall, those first few weeks represent one of the most important moments of the university year. To learn more about Orientation events at Lakehead University, visit www.lakeheadu.ca/students/orientation/

Meet an Emerging Leader Using Indigenous-Centred Care to Support Well-being

"The birth of my niece and nephew made me see myself as part of a long line of people," Céline Wick says.

It was a realization that led this Lakehead University PhD student and new Indigenous Learning professor on a transformative journey.

"An Elder told me that being an auntie means being a little mother," Céline says. "He also talked about our responsibilities to children as well as to our ancestors, our grannies, and our grandfathers.

That's why I'm committed to fostering healthy, bright, and loving futures for my community and my nation."

"I never saw myself pursuing a PhD, but having people like Lana Ray, Denise Baxter, and Kristin Burnett believe in me made me realize it was possible," Céline says. "Now I have my dream job as an Indigenous Learning professor. I love my colleagues and will keep finding ways to be useful to my people and my Nation, including through health research." Above, Céline collects plants from the Gitigaan Medicine Garden at Lakehead University's Sweat Lodge Site.

Finding Strength in Métis Culture

Céline has already earned two Lakehead degrees and is on the verge of completing her third—
a health sciences PhD focused on Indigenous well-being.

She credits her BA in Political Science and Government with introducing her to the postsecondary world and her Master of Social Justice degree with deepening her connection to her Métis heritage.

For her master's, Céline collaborated with her mother and her grandmother to document their experiences of being Métis women. Her resulting thesis provided insights into how relationships enable Métis women to sustain their cultural identity.

"It was through this degree that I began to see research as a useful way of bringing resources to my community," she says. "This, in turn, got me interested in Indigenous health."

Céline's grandmother was born in a Métis road allowance community in southern Saskatchewan. These communities arose after the government displaced Métis people to make way for immigrant farmers from Europe. These settlements didn't have running water and houses were built with salvaged materials. "It was a really difficult time, but it was also a time of resource sharing and Métis values," Céline says. Left, a photo of Céline as a toddler with her great-grandmother Agnes (Bellerose) Bellamy.

Céline master's thesis supervisor Dr. Lana Ray— Lakehead's Anishinaabe Kendaasiwin Institute Director and the Canada Research Chair in Resurgent Methodologies for Indigenous Health with Athabasca University—played a pivotal role in this shift.

"I spent the year after my master's degree as a research assistant with Dr. Ray's Waasegiizhig Nanaandawe'iyewigamig Mino Bimaadiziwin (WNMB) project," Céline says.

"It explored how access to traditional medicine has the potential to support overall well-being and address high rates of cancer and other chronic diseases.

Her project helped prepare me for my PhD, and it helped prepare me as a human being."

The Power of Traditional Medicine

Céline's PhD dissertation, co-supervised by Dr. Ray and Dr. Anna Koné, is investigating how love and care can act as protective factors against the harms of settler colonialism.

"Colonization attacked our relationships to ourselves, each other, and the land, and this has been really detrimental to our health," she explains.

"My PhD is focused on how culturally responsive care can be an antidote to these harms by treating the whole of an individual's being."

"Part of the process of my master's research was coming to understand the importance of unconditional love and how it helps you find your place," Above, Indigenous members of the WNMB research project. Left to right: Dr. Alanna Morgan (MD), Dr. Lana Ray, Ida Copenace, Dr. Cindy Peltier, and Céline Wick.

Traditional medicines and ceremony support health and good living because they are underpinned by love.

"Love is the fabric that holds everything together, and it's how my people survive impossible realities," she says.

“Over the summer of 2025, after I was hired as an Indigenous Learning professor, I did a lot of reflecting on this new chapter,” Céline says. “I want my students to know that they’re brilliant and that they can do anything that's important to them.” Above, Céline is honoured with an eagle feather for her WNMB research work at a medicine camp teaching lodge.

"My goal is to tell the story of the important work being done in our communities to undo the ongoing harms of colonization. Both Indigenous and Western approaches to medicine have an important role in health and well-being, and it's important to ensure that both are respected."

Céline's work as a health research advisor with the Métis National Council reaffirmed her commitment to this area of research.

"I worked on a docu-series called "We Won't Be Ignored." We interviewed Métis people across the country about their experiences with diseases and other health issues because Métis health is very under-researched."

Mentors Inspire the Changemakers We Need

"Dr. Ray has been wonderful and much more than a master's and PhD supervisor," Céline says. "She's helped me grow into my community responsibilities and shown me what it means to be a strong Indigenous woman in an academic space."

When the position of Indigenous Learning professor opened up at Lakehead, it was Dr. Ray who encouraged Céline to apply.

"Learning about traditional healing has been one of the most beautiful parts of being on Dr. Ray's research team," Céline says. "We worked with traditional knowledge holders and the Waasegiizhig Nanaandawe'iyewigamig Health Access Centre (WNHAC)." Above, Céline processes medicines harvested at a medicine camp near Kenora, Ontario, as part of the WNMB project.

"I was really nervous and didn't think that I'd get the position," Céline says. "Now, I'm just starting my second year of teaching. It's been amazing to see my students get excited about learning and research that can nurture their communities."

She's also grateful to Indigenous Learning professor Dr. Kristin Burnett for encouraging her to enrol in Lakehead's master's program and for the ongoing support of Indigenous Initiatives Vice-Provost Denise Baxter and the Indigenous Initiatives team.

"All the love that's been poured into me, I want to pass forward," Céline says. "I want to be the cheerleader and supporter that so many of my mentors have been to me."

Watch the "We Won't Be Ignored" video Céline helped produce about Métis people's experiences with cancer and their barriers to treatment.

Lakehead University thanks the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) for their $1.2 million in funding in support of the Waasegiizhig Nanaandawe'iyewigamig Mino Bimaadiziwin research project led by principal investigator Dr. Lana Ray.

She Helped an East African University Improve its Research Program

Academics Without Borders (AWB) chose Dr. Anna Koné from applicants across the globe to go to Kenya in 2026 and boost the research capacity of Karatina University.

"I'm always looking for ways to contribute to social justice, and I wanted to give back," says Dr. Koné—an associate professor in the Department of Health Sciences and the first Lakehead University faculty member to volunteer in Kenya with AWB.

"I'd never been to Kenya before, and it was a new place to discover for me," she adds. "It also felt a bit like going back home since I'm from Ivory Coast."

"My background is in statistics, and my work is centred on access to care, health disparities, and social determinants of health," Dr. Koné says. "It's crucial that policymakers have accurate information to make evidence-based decisions. This is especially true when it comes to marginalized communities, who are often overlooked. In the public health field we say: 'If you are not counted, you don't count.'"

AWB is a non-profit organization that describes its mission as helping "people in low and middle-income countries realize their dreams through higher education because education is the key to a flourishing society and a sustainable world."

When Lakehead University joined AWB in October 2024, Dr. Koné was quick to respond to a call asking for faculty members willing to offer their time and talents to AWB initiatives. She became Lakehead's second AWB volunteer, following in the footsteps of former Research and Innovation Vice-President Andy Dean who volunteered in Uganda in 2025.

For their part, Karatina University and AWB were keen to harness Dr. Koné's expertise as a statistician, epidemiologist, and public health researcher.

Before travelling to Kenya, Dr. Koné developed an online course specifically for Karatina University faculty members, which she taught during the winter 2026 term.

Then, in May 2026, she spent almost two weeks in Kenya presenting workshops to the 15 course participants, who she was delighted to meet in person.

"I worked with faculty from across Karatina University, including the health, agriculture, and languages programs, because statistics and data analysis applies to every field of study," she explains.

Supporting East Africa's Economic Hub

The Karatina University project—called "Reigniting Research Excellence at Karatina
University"—was designed to strengthen the university's research capacity, enhance data-driven decision-making, and integrate emerging technologies into academic practice.

Karatina University asked Academics Without Borders for assistance with training in data analysis, data management, and machine learning. Above, Dr. Koné (far right) presents a workshop called "Concepts and practice of data analysis and modelling" to Karatina faculty members.

"I think that everyone should have educational opportunities wherever they are," Dr. Koné says. "Education has had a massive impact on my life. I was able to immigrate to Canada in 2000, and succeed, because of my education."

Dr. Koné earned a Bachelor of Engineering from the École Nationale de Statistiques et Économie Appliquée in Ivory Coast. Later, scholarships and awards enabled her to earn a Master of Science in Community Health and a PhD in Public Health and Epidemiology at the Université de Montréal.

"Thanks to my varied training and performance, I was able to start teaching and conduct research at a relatively young age," she says. "For instance, I was the only graduate student/non-faculty member involved in a training program offered by the Université de Montréal in collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine in Haiti."

Visiting the Horera Forest Edge Tea Factory—a tea plantation near Karatina—was one of the highlights of Dr. Koné's time in Kenya. "The gentleman who owns it is in his 80s, but he's still passionate about tea farming," she says. "He also dries and packages his teas for sale."

Her passion for learning and sharing knowledge made the prospect of working with Karatina University an exciting one. She was also intrigued by Karatina's history and geography. Located in the foothills of Mount Kenya, the university initially operated as the Karatina Tea Training Institute.

"Tea farming is a big industry in Kenya," Dr. Koné says. "Many tea varieties are grown there including purple tea—a rare tea that's low in caffeine and extremely high in beneficial antioxidants."

Karatina's agricultural programs still support the tea industry, but it has been steadily expanding to give students many more educational paths to choose from, including the health sciences.

Empowering Transformative Research

Dr. Koné familiarized herself with each faculty member's project so that she could help them carry out their research more effectively.

Their projects, while diverse in nature, are aimed at making the lives of everyday Kenyans better.

"There was a PhD student trying to improve infant well-being by offering new mothers nutrition and food education training to keep their babies as healthy as possible.

Another faculty member was investigating factors that affect food production and supply in urban areas, while a third participant wanted to apply statistics to help tea farmers more effectively manage their crops."

Dr. Koné had been hoping to go on one of Kenya's famous safaris, but her jam-packed schedule didn't give her much time for sightseeing. Above, elephants gather at a river near Mount Kenya, which is only a few kilometres from Karatina University. (Photo Credit: Unsplash/Leon Pauleikhoff)

Dr. Koné's collaboration with Karatina University helped further Academics Without Borders' fundamental purpose—sharing expertise where it's needed and doing so in a way that allows this expertise to be sustained once AWB volunteers leave.

"I didn't go to Kenya as a saviour," she says.

"I helped Karatina, and they helped me. I was able to challenge myself and develop my skills as a statistician, and the faculty were incredibly open to learning and wonderful to work with.

I even picked up a few words of Swahili, Kenya's national language."

The AWB Network is a consortium of Canadian post-secondary institutions that support AWB's mission to work with higher education institutions in low and middle-income countries on capacity building initiatives to drive development and improve the quality of life in communities around the world. AWB coordinates volunteer expertise to work with colleagues at institutes of higher education on priority initiatives in academic disciplines, teaching and learning, research support, and administrative functions. Lakehead University joined the AWB Network in 2024.

Dr. Kone's work addresses the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

In recognition of Mr. Lynne F. Sevean's contributions to the Faculty of Natural Resources Management and his service as a member of the Board of Governors, please join the faculty for a tree planting ceremony:

Wed. Sept. 23 at 1 p.m.
Lakehead's Memorial Garden

If you are unsure where the Memorial Garden is, please meet us at BB 1001G at 12:30 p.m.

The North Shore is a landscape of survivors, relics, and holdouts. Glaciation, climate and geology have created cold-air pockets, dry exposed bedrock, coastal cliffs, and mineral-rich wetlands, allowing plants associated with very different climates and ecosystems to persist side by side. Through carefully preserved herbarium specimens, discover these “out of place” species and the hidden side of the North Shore they reveal, one shaped by ancient climates, ecological boundaries, and millions of years of evolution.

Developed in partnership by the Thunder Bay Museum and Lakehead University's Claude E. Garton Herbarium, the exhibit draws upon generations of botanical collecting to explore what these unusual plants reveal about the region’s natural history. It also celebrates Claude E. Garton, whose passion for botany helped shape the Herbarium and inspired generations of naturalists. Botanical illustrations by Emily Palahnuk.

This exhibition runs from August 12, 2026 – March 21, 2027.

Thunder Bay Museum
425 Donald St E.
Thunder Bay, ON P7E 5V1
https://www.thunderbaymuseum.com/

The Research and Innovation Bulletin is distributed weekly every Tuesday by the Office of Research Services and includes information on research funding opportunities, events and workshops and updates from our funding partners.

Check out the latest version of our Bulletin, by clicking here.

Have a business idea rooted in the forest sector? Curious about the opportunities waiting in Northwestern Ontario's boreal economy?

Join the NWO Innovation Centre for the Discovery & Connections Forum, an opportunity to learn about the Boreal Springboard business accelerator and the supports it provides to grow a forest-based business’s product or technology.

Explore forest-based business opportunities, connect with industry, and discover $40,000 in funding and supports.

Whether you already have an idea, are interested in joining a venture, or are simply interested in entrepreneurship and the forest sector, this is a great place to start!

Discovery & Connections Forum

Tuesday, September 29 | 11:30am - 1:00pm | Lunch provided

Ingenuity (CASES Building - Lakehead University)

Register online: springboardforum.eventbrite.ca

Students, entrepreneurs, and anyone curious about growing a new or established business in Northwestern Ontario are encouraged to attend. For more information about the program, visit borealspringboard.ca.

We are looking for volunteers to help with site clean-up, tent and activity station setup, welcoming and supporting Elders, serving our community and assisting with activities throughout the day.

Join us in making this a warm and memorable Fall Harvest celebration. We'd love to have you be a part of our day!

Click the link below to register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSek7q5XsIynsbTu54HKQZxZSs1YEeHn3sBt57trb-puDZ2gxg/viewform

The Ascend Accelerator Program is Helping Him Develop a Solution

Bohdan Krauze is a talented student in the Master of Science in Physics program. Most days, you'll find him in professor Dr. Alla Reznik's Advanced Detection Devices Lab where he conducts medical imaging research.

His spare time, though, is consumed with developing a system that could disable small first-person view (FPV) drones armed with explosives.

Although nets can capture and disable drones, Bohdan won't incorporate them in his counter-drone system. "Nets often open up too early or they miss the drone entirely," he says. (Photo Credit: Unsplash/Valentin Zickner)

"There are a limited number of counter-drone systems worldwide, and most of those I've seen are designed for larger drones," he says.

"What differentiates my system is that it's designed to address the growing limitations of traditional radio-frequency (RF) counter-drone systems, which are becoming less effective as drone technology develops."

Bohdan has been able to pursue this project because of the support he's received from Lakehead's Ingenuity Ascend Accelerator program. Ingenuity is a business incubator that mentors young entrepreneurs keen to launch start-up companies.

"Ascend was wonderful," he says. "I learned a lot of essential business skills, and Alyson MacKay, who runs the program, lets me know about grants I'm eligible for."

Starting a New Life in Canada

Getting his counter-drone system off the ground has become an urgent challenge for Bohdan after witnessing the devastation Ukraine has suffered in the war with Russia.

He grew up in central Ukraine's rolling fields and fertile farmland, and Bohdan was there on February 24, 2022—the day his country was invaded.

"It was terrifying," he recalls.

Until then, his biggest concern had been applying to overseas master's programs.

Bohdan enjoys pushing himself academically. "I've loved physics since high school because it's hard and challenging to understand," he says. "At first I was bad at it, but I thought I could be good if I applied some effort. I wanted to become a researcher who helps solve problems." In 2022, he earned an undergraduate physics degree at Volodymyr Vynnychenko Central Ukrainian State Pedagogical University.

"Suddenly, there were missile attacks not far from our house. Air raid sirens would go off and my parents would shout, 'Get down to the cellar!'

And the conflict is even more dangerous for Kyiv and cities close to the frontline," he says.

A couple of months after the war began, Bohdan's mother, father, and his eight-year-old sister immigrated to Thunder Bay after his parents found jobs in the city.

Bohdan was accepted to Lakehead's physics program, but the situation was more complicated for him. The Ukrainian government had prohibited younger men from leaving the country, so he had to wait a full year before receiving permission to begin his master's studies in Canada.

Bohdan lived most of his life in central Ukraine (above) before coming to Canada in 2023. (Photo Credit: Unsplash/Ivan Antonenko)

"I chose Lakehead to be with my family and because I was attracted to its powerful physics department," he says. "I wanted to study with Dr. Alla Reznik, an excellent physics professor."

He was eager to get involved with Dr. Reznik's positron emission tomography (PET) research, which is aimed at helping people with cancer and Alzheimer's disease.

"I thought, 'Wow, she is so cool, I want to be like her," Bohdan says. "Now she is supervising my master's thesis."

Taking Action Against Atrocities

Despite being absorbed in research to develop better brain-scanning technology for Alzheimer's patients, Bohdan was often preoccupied by the war in Ukraine.

"I saw YouTube videos of the Russian military using drones to strike civilian targets, including farmers, farm vehicles, paramedics, and ambulances," he says.

"It made me super sad. I remember crying and thinking, 'What can I do to make a difference?'"

For his master's thesis, Bohdan is combining Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to diagnose Alzheimer's disease more accurately. The goal is to reduce the number of expensive scans needed by patients. He and Dr. Reznik's research team are doing this by building a PEM insert that can be used in existing MRI machines.

At first, Bohdan was doubtful he'd be able to contribute anything of value. Large Ukrainian defense companies were already manufacturing sophisticated weapons systems.

"Then I decided that I wasn't going to sit at home doing nothing," he says. "I would try to build something that would help save lives."

From Bohdan's resolve came the idea for a counter-drone system that can destroy small FPV-armed drones easily and cheaply.

"Although drones are very precise, their weakness is that they have to slow down as they're getting ready to strike," he explains.

"My system would shoot down decelerating drones with a weapons system that could be mounted on vehicles."

Creating a More Secure World

Bohdan's counter-drone system is in the development stage, and he hopes to have a prototype ready in the near future. At that point, he'll begin applying for grants to refine his invention and incorporate his company.

He believes his system could be deployed to protect both military personnel and civilians at risk of being attacked.

"I see it as potentially helping Ukrainian farmers working in fields because they've often been targeted by small drones carrying explosives."

"I thought my counter-drone system would be ready in three months, but it takes much more time to develop a product," Bohdan says. "Sometimes, things I imagine in my head don't work as well in reality. For instance, after ordering camera lenses, I discovered that they didn't fit the camera, so I had to find connectors for them." Above, is a draft version of Bohdan's counter-drone system.

He hopes to collaborate with a company that uses video technology to detect approaching drones. This would allow people to gather in a safe spot while his invention eliminates drones.

"Rather than focusing exclusively on expensive military-grade systems," Bohdan says, "I envision a system with civilian and public-safety applications that could protect populated areas near active conflict zones."

Funding from The John Dobson Foundation has helped make Bohdan's research possible.