Explore Indigenous languages and cultures through immersive learning technology developed at Georgian College.

Learn more about this teaching tool that can support elementary, high school and postsecondary students. Each VR world provides students with fun and engaging ways to learn and practise Indigenous language comprehension and speaking skills, and spaces to gather and socialize. The worlds also include Indigenous elements, such as the Medicine Wheel, so students can learn about their significance and other key Indigenous teachings.

Open to all students, faculty and staff.

Undergraduate and graduate students from the Faculty of Business Administration will host the first poster presentation during R&I Week. 

About the Event

Sexual violence is a serious problem on university campuses. This presentation focuses on the findings of a systematic review of students’ experiences with campus sexual assault initiatives. The presenters will describe the salient themes and highlight the importance of incorporating students’ experiences in the development of effective prevention programs.

Speakers

Dr. Karen McQueen, School of Nursing

Dr. Jodie Murphy, School of Social Work

Registration

To register for this event, please click here.

At just 13 years old, Simon Jackson founded the Spirit Bear Youth Coalition to save Canada’s endangered white Kermode, or spirit bear. Over the next two decades, Jackson became the accidental leader of a global movement with a network of six million people across 85 countries. His efforts led to the creation of the largest land protection measure in North American history, with the last intact habitat of the spirit bear being set aside from development.

Through sharing his personal story, Jackson inspires audiences to realize the “power of one” — how it only takes one person to make a difference and bring real change. He shares lessons learned from his leadership journey to show audiences how they can empower themselves and those around them to create a better world.

About Simon Jackson
Simon Jackson is a storyteller and movement builder who has dedicated his life to finding a better balance between the needs of people and nature. At just 13 years old, Jackson founded the Spirit Bear Youth Coalition, leading a network of six million people in over 85 countries to save Canada’s endangered white Kermode, or spirit bear. Through sharing his personal story, Jackson inspires audiences to realize the “power of one” to bring real change, and challenges people to re-think how we tackle complex environmental challenges.

For two decades, Jackson led the campaign to save the spirit bear through his youth coalition, building the organization into the world’s largest youth-led environmental movement. It resulted in the creation of one of the largest land protection measures in North American history, with the last intact habitat of the spirit bear being set aside from development.

In recognition of his work, Jackson was awarded Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, named as one of the “100 Angels of the Earth by UNESCO”, and, most notably, honoured as one of Time magazine’s “Heroes of the Planet” — one of only six young people selected from

around the world. His life’s work was the focus of an internationally televised movie, Spirit Bear: The Simon Jackson Story.

Today, Jackson is focused on advancing environmental literacy as the co-founder of Nature Labs— a virtual, storytelling-driven high school textbook. Nature Labs aims to build the critical thinking skills necessary to create a more thoughtful citizenry and a more creative workforce —one that strives to find a better balance between the needs of people and nature.

Jackson has contributed to the success of numerous non-profit organizations, having served as a board member of the Jane Goodall Institute, DreamNow, the International Institute for Child Rights and Development, and The WILD Foundation, amongst others. He is also an award-winning photographer and a widely published writer, who has contributed images and chapters to eight books, including A Geography of Hope: Saving Primary Forests, and has served as a columnist for CBC and The Huffington Post.

Registration

To register for this event, please click here.

About the Event

Healthy Kids HOME (Health On the Move for Equity) is a community-based health promotion initiative designed to address health disparities in equity-deserving neighbourhoods through community partnerships. Informed by local research, HOME helps children and families gain access to vital, resident-driven services that might otherwise remain out of reach. Through HOME community partners, this is operationalized via two key components: 

1) Healthy Kids Sites (HKS): Established neighbourhood "hubs" offering diverse, consistent programming (e.g., cooking classes, playgroups, food cupboards, swimming, counselling) in both virtual and in-person formats; and 

2) Healthy Kids Family Program (HKFP): A recurring, four-week educational series focused on mental health, nutrition, physical activity, and smoking cessation, aimed at empowering families through enhancing knowledge, skill development, and readiness to access neighbourhood services. 

To date, nearly 20,000 children/family members have accessed services across three HKS via 2000+ program offerings. Ten iterations of the HKFP have engaged 59 parents/guardians over time, with qualitative feedback emphasizing improved mental health literacy, nutritional knowledge, and stress management. These outcomes underscore HOME’s role in mitigating pandemic-exacerbated disparities and advancing health equity in our community. As this 5-year project nears completion, key findings and lessons learned will be shared and of interest to those working to promote health and wellness among children and families in our region.

About the Speakers

Dr. Erin Pearson is an Associate Professor in the School of Kinesiology at Lakehead University and Principal Investigator of Healthy Kids HOME. Her research program is health promotion-oriented with a focus on behaviour modification and lifestyle psychology. Integral to her work is the opportunity to collaborate with community-based organizations to create asset-focused, participant informed projects. 

Rachel Globensky Bayes is the Program Coordinator for Healthy Kids HOME and a health systems leader with over 15 years of experience in the realms of  health promotion and equity advocacy. A Certified Red Seal Chef and graduate of Lakehead University, she specializes in stakeholder engagement, strategic planning, and impactful initiatives addressing social determinants of health and community well-being.

About the Event

The View From Up Here is a six-part historical documentary series that utilizes “found footage” to take a satirical look at the themes and events at the Lakehead. The foundation for the series is archival footage from between 1958-1978 used by CKPR television in Thunder Bay for nightly newscasts. This presentation looks at the process of recovering the footage and an example of the results.

About the Event

The research team for the Bringing Our Children Home Initiative will talk about their work and the protocols that were established by the Survivor Committee to guide and direct the research. The goal is to gather evidence about the experiences of children who were taken to Pelican Lake Indian Residential School including survival testimony especially to identify/find children who went missing or died.

Panelists

• Barbara Ruotsalainen, Initiative Director, Bikiiwewinig Nindawaashishiimanaanak Bikewewinagwa Kibi’Noonjiminanik/Bringing Our Children Home Initiative.
• Lauren Augustine is a Community Researcher, Bikiiwewinig Nindawaashishiimanaanak Bikewewinagwa Kibi’Noonjiminanik/Bringing Our Children Home Initiative.
• Fern Chisel is a Community Researcher, Bikiiwewinig Nindawaashishiimanaanak Bikewewinagwa Kibi’Noonjiminanik/Bringing Our Children Home Initiative.
• Denise Baxter is the Vice Provost of Indigenous Initiatives at Lakehead University and a member of Marten Falls First Nation
• Juan Sanchez Martinez is a professor in the Department of Indigenous Learning.
• Kristin Burnett is the Chair of the Indigenous Learning Department and a historian. 

About the Event

Digital Storytelling (DST) is an innovative qualitative research method that combines personal narratives, multimedia, and technology to amplify participants' lived experiences. It utilizes digital tools such as images, photography, videos, and music to tell participants’ stories, creating an engaging and impactful format. DST has a profound effect on both participants, their audiences and key stakeholders by fostering understanding through personalized storytelling.

Drs. Costa, Kortes-Miller, and Sprakes will discuss their various research approaches to DST and highlight its transformative impact on participants, communities and systems. The presentation will feature digital stories created by participants, sharing their personal experiences with medical assistance in dying, opioid overdoses, or trauma-informed wound care.

The Speakers

Dr. Idevania Costa, School of Nursing

Dr. Katherine Kortes-Miller, School of Social Work

Dr. Abigale Sprakes, School of Social Work

About the Event

Dr. Idevania Costa, Associate Professor in the School of Nursing at Lakehead University, leads EQUIP@Action. This dynamic research lab fosters health equity through interdisciplinary collaboration, global health advocacy, and person-centered research. Rooted in ethical principles and equity-oriented healthcare, EQUIP@Action focuses on advancing innovative solutions to improve the holistic well-being of individuals living with chronic conditions, particularly diabetes and its complications.

Join us for this engaging event where Dr. Costa and her research assistants will showcase the latest outputs from EQUIP@Action. This event offers an opportunity to explore groundbreaking research, engage in meaningful discussions on health equity, and learn how research-driven advocacy can influence policy and practice in chronic conditions management.

Poster Presentations: Moderated by Dr. Costa

Research Outputs Include:

Why Attend?

● Discover the latest research on chronic conditions and health equity
● Connect with researchers, students, and healthcare professionals
● Explore opportunities to join the EQUIP@Action Research Lab

Light nutritious snacks will be provided. 

Everyone is welcome—let’s innovate for health equity together!

Registration

To register, please click here.

Faculty and researchers from a variety of disciplines will showcase their research, projects and initiatives.