In February 2026, the Centre for Learning Futures will launch the Indigenous Scholars Webinar Series.
Throughout the series, researchers will share their insights into the importance of studies led by Indigenous scholars, advice to support Indigenous students in bringing their unique perspectives into their work and highlights from their own careers in research and academia.
These events are open to everyone.
A Pep Talk for Indigenous Graduate Students With Dr. Shawn Wilson (he/him/his)
In this talk, Wilson will offer insights from his nearly 60 years of experience as an Indigenous researcher. Hopefully, you will begin to recognize how you are, or can become, what he calls, “Indigenous plus” as a scholar-practitioner.
Dr. Shawn Wilson is from the Opaskwayak Cree Nation in northern Canada and lives on Syilx territory in Kelowna, B.C. He is an associate professor of Indigenous studies and co-ordinates the Indigenous knowledges theme at the University of British Columbia.
Shawn has worked with Indigenous people worldwide and co-leads a research project aiming to define rules and guidelines for respecting and safeguarding sacred teachings, such as Ceremonial and Star Knowledge. He has spent time living, teaching and researching across Canada, the US, Australia and Norway, along with supervising research projects in Bangladesh, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Shawn is the author of Research is Ceremony, which has sold out multiple printings. He is on the board of directors of the Tapestry Institute and has joined the newly established advisory group at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Shawn has presented at Goals House (Davos) as part of the World Economic Forum and the MIR Centre for Peace. He cites his three kids as his greatest achievement, pride and joy.
Shawn Wilson (he/him) BSc (University of Manitoba), MA (University of Alaska), PhD (Monash University).
What is three-eyed seeing? Why is it significant? With Dr. Myrle Ballard (she/her/hers)
Feb. 27, 2026, at 11 a.m. on Microsoft Teams
This talk will centre on Ballard’s three-eyed seeing framework, which explores how we can understand the importance of braiding and weaving Indigenous science, western science and Our Relations for better conservation and management practices.
This talk will give an overview of Indigenous laws and their application toward a holistic understanding of Our Relations. We will examine the implications of policies if the voices of Our Relations are not included.
Dr. Myrle Ballard is Anishinaabe, Canada Research Chair Tier II (Indigenous Science and Sustainability Science) and associate professor in the department of earth, energy and environment, at the University of Calgary.
She coined and developed the three-eyed seeing framework and its importance in conservation practices. Her research includes the use of Anishinaabemowin and how it can be used for baseline iData used for biomonitoring and identifying indicators to transform approaches to land and water resource management.
Ballard has also researched and documented the forced displacement and relocation of communities from flooding and has researched climate change and weather. Additionally, she is a videographer and has documented the stories and events of the 2011 super flood of Lake St. Martin First Nation.
She was recently selected as lead author on Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) AR7 WG III Chapter 4 Sustainable Development and Mitigation. She was appointed as a scoping expert for the second Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) global assessment of biodiversity and ecosystem services; and an expert for the IPBES task force on Indigenous and local knowledge.
In November 2025, Ballard was inducted into the Royal Society of Canada. She has been invited to do numerous keynote talks, with the most recent one being from the University of Cambridge in January and May 2026.
