Our next IRES Seminar is in AERL Room 107:
February 13, 2025: IRES Student Seminar with Jasmine Lambert and Emily Shilton
Time: 12:30pm to 1:30pm
Location: AERL Building Room 107 (main floor, 2202 Main Mall)
No food and no drinks allowed in the seminar.
Weaving and respecting local Indigenous nations’ ways of knowing and being in land-based learning with the UBC Farm Wonders Summer Camps: A participatory action research project
Talk summary:
This case study examines how the UBC Farm Wonders Summer Camps can respectfully integrate local Indigenous nations’ ways of knowing and being into their land-based learning curriculum. Situated on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓-speaking xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) First Nation, these camps provide a unique opportunity to foster children’s connections to the land while uplifting Indigenous voices and practices. Guided by the principles of “two-eyed seeing” and the 4Rs of respect, relevance, reciprocity, and responsibility, the study employs interviews, focus groups, and participatory action research to assess the current state and potential of Indigenous-inspired land education at the camps. Data will be analyzed thematically to identify actionable improvements, with the ultimate goal of creating a toolkit for educators to incorporate meaningful land-based learning and contribute to the decolonization of outdoor youth programming. The findings aim to inform not only UBC Farm Wonders but also other outdoor programs in British Columbia and Canada, promoting a sustainable and equitable future grounded in respect for Indigenous knowledges and relationships with the land.
Jasmine Lambert, IRES MA Student
Bio:
Jasmine Lambert (she/her) is an MA student at IRES, supervised by Dr. Robert VanWynsberghe and Dr. Kari Grain in the Faculty of Education. Jasmine’s current research focuses on land-based learning, nature connection, and environmental outdoor programming. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto, majoring in Environmental Studies and Peace, Conflict, and Justice, with a minor in Human Geography and a Certificate of Sustainability. Before Jasmine joined IRES, she worked at an environmental charity in Toronto that focused on inspiring a love of nature in urban areas. Jasmine believes that her passion for nature stems from her childhood years living on Saturna Island, which shaped her appreciation for the environment, and understanding that nature is not separate from us, but rather a part of us.
An Addictive E-Waste Problem: Assessing the Environmental Effects and Regulatory Requirements of Vape Products
Talk summary:
The production and disposal of electronics create significant environmental and social challenges, harming human health in developing countries, damaging ecosystems, and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Nicotine vaping products have recently become a rapidly growing source of e-waste, expanding from a perceived trend into a $22 billion USD global market with an estimated 82 million users. To address this rising waste stream, countries like the UK and New Zealand have introduced bans on single-use vapes or mandated removable batteries, but in Canada, vape products and the e-waste they generate exist in policy gray zone that is creating a unique challenge for recycling and material recovery. This project addresses these challenges by conducting material flow analysis (MFA) and life cycle assessments (LCA) to quantify the environmental impacts of vaping products, surveying consumer purchase and disposal behaviours, and developing Canadian policy recommendations.
Emily Shilton, IRES MSc Student
Bio:
Emily Shilton (she/her) is an M.Sc. student at the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, supervised by Dr. Milind Kandlikar (SPPGA) and Dr. Alex Tavasoli (Mechanical Engineering). Her current research focuses on circular economy, public policy, and life-cycle assessments related to consumer electronics. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Waterloo, studying Mechatronics Engineering with a minor in English Literature. Prior to joining IRES, she was working as an electrical engineer on the Google Pixel team where her work inspired an interest in learning more about the intersection between technology and the environment!
See you next Thursday in AERL Room 107!
_______________________________________________________________________________
Bonnie Leung
RES Program Support (she/her/hers)
Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES)
University of British Columbia | Vancouver Campus | Musqueam Traditional Territory
Aquatic Ecosystems Research Laboratory (AERL Building)
Room 429 – 2202 Main Mall | Vancouver, BC | V6T 1Z4 | Canada
Email: bonnie.leung@ubc.ca
Tel: 604-822-9249
Check out our IRES Seminar Series!
