In between attending classes, studying, and volunteering, Haleema Ahmed is busy serving as a member of the Prime Minister’s Youth Council (PMYC), providing regular input on government programs and initiatives from a youth perspective. She and the council meet with senior government officials and federal agencies once a month to discuss issues of importance to them, their community and country. From Aug. 29 to 31, Ahmed and the council gathered for their first in-person meeting since the pandemic began. At this meeting, which took place in Ottawa, the council met with its Chair, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Vice-Chair and Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, Marci Ien, as well as other ministers.

“Serving on the council allows me to bridge youth issues and my opinions to a national table that shapes the future of our country. Having this access has also really motivated me to do more outreach,” says Ahmed. “I have been able to voice my perspectives on the issues closest to me, including mental health and Islamophobia.”

Ahmed joined the council in July 2021 as part of its fifth cohort – just as she was preparing to begin her studies at 91��ɫ as a biomedical sciences student that fall. The cohort began meeting virtually every month with agencies like the Public Health Agency of Canada, Elections Canada, Health Canada and the Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat, bringing their perspectives and stories to the table to shape policies. During their August 2022 meeting, the council discussed issues ranging from pharmacare to mental health to reconciliation for Indigenous peoples. Ahmed also spoke to the prime minister about Islamophobia and the need for federal action on Bill 21 in Quebec.

“It’s always insightful to hear from the other council members, who live in different parts of Canada and have unique experiences and perspectives that I may not have considered before,” says Ahmed.

She began her studies at 91��ɫ on a 91��ɫ Science Scholar Award, a $10,000 entrance scholarship that includes a paid summer research position after the completion of first year. As part of this program, in summer 2022 she worked with Assistant Professor Jude Kong in the Department of Mathematics & Statistics, studying the cultural and sociodemographic factors affecting the pandemic response by Canadian universities.

She is also a freelance writer, publishing articles about her views on high school education, Islamophobia and social justice for media like the Toronto Star, the Markham Economist & Sun and MYVoice Canada. Her latest opinion piece in the (May 5, 2022) discusses how to meaningfully include youth at every decision-making table.

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Congratulations to Postdoctoral Fellow Don Davies for receiving a grant from the Indigeneity in Teaching & Learning Fund (Office of the Vice Provost Academic, 91��ɫ) for his project “Dementia Care in the Indigenous Population.” Davies is also among the inaugural recipients of the Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowships for Black and Indigenous Scholars.

The Canadian Indigenous population consistently demonstrates a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease relative to the general Canadian population, partly due to a higher prevalence of modifiable risk factors such as diabetes.

“Despite this increased risk, the prevalence and treatment of dementia in the Indigenous population of Canada is chronically understudied, leaving a major gap in our understanding of how this population is uniquely impacted by this chronic brain affliction,” says Davies.

His goal with the new grant is to increase knowledge of how the Indigenous population understand and experience dementia, and the impact of the disease on the community. He will use qualitative research methods to examine pathways of dementia care for Indigenous people and identify effective cultural approaches to care, focusing primarily on the the Manitoba Métis population, with which he shares a strong sense of community. This work will include constructing a survey similar to the First Nations Regional Health Survey (FNRHS) with an emphasis on dementia including Alzheimer’s disease, and modifying it for use in the Métis population.

This research will both strengthen ties between 91��ɫ and the Métis nation, while promoting the study, dissemination and application of knowledge focused on unique challenges and prospects for Indigenous people coping with dementia. 

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The following projects were funded in the Faculty of Science:

Discussions on Indigenizing the Science Curriculum

Led by Biology Professor Tamara Kelly, this project will be a one-day conference that will explore ways to Indigenize the science curriculum. It will form part of the Faculty’s response to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and The Indigenous Framework for 91��ɫ: A Guide to Action. Currently, Indigenization of courses within FSc is low for various reasons. A key outcome of this conference will be to raise awareness of what Indigenizing the curriculum might mean in the context of science programs and courses, and to consider concrete examples. An additional desired outcome is that faculty members, staff, and students will be inspired to reflect on how we might better ensure that our courses and departments are welcoming and supportive to Indigenous community members, and that our programs not only recognize, but also weave Indigenous scholarship and perspectives into our programs.

Improving Student Supports for Indigenous Science Students

Led by Biology Professor Paula Wilson, this project will focus on learning more about the Indigenous student experience within the Faculty of Science, with the long-term goal of improving academic and social supports for Indigenous science and engineering students. Bethune College offers academic support services and leadership opportunities for science and engineering students, with a special focus on first year transition and first year experience. But it is unclear if Indigenous students use the services, if they feel welcome and included in the community, or how they can be better supported. The findings from this project will be used to improve programming in two thematic areas: to explore and/or establish new ways of supporting Indigenous undergraduate students through Bethune programming, share findings with faculty and graduate students, etc.; and to contribute to a more inclusive campus environment that values the plurality of Indigenous knowledge and scholarship.

Exploring the Interplay Between Indigenous Art and Mathematics

Led by Professors Pamela Sargent and Amenda Chow in the Department of Mathematics & Statistics, this project will be a series of workshops featuring local Indigenous artists who use mathematics in their artistic works. The workshops will be conducted in collaboration with University of Waterloo’s Faculty of Mathematics and topics will include bead work that requires mathematical concepts such as counting, logic and patterns, or illustration that uses symmetry, geometry and tessellations. There is also mathematics in such forms as indigenous storytelling, language and music. The workshops will be experiential and engaging with hands on fun educational activities. They will provide all participants with concrete connections between the discipline of mathematics and Indigenous knowledge and culture, and examples of how Indigenous knowledge can be incorporated into the mathematics curriculum. The workshops will be open to all members of the 91��ɫ and University of Waterloo community and Indigenous communities.

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Davies is currently a postdoctoral researcher at St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg. His research investigates a novel approach to the causes of Alzheimer’s disease, arguing that processes of forgetting are naturally amplified in major neurodegenerative diseases.

“The Canadian Indigenous population has an increased prevalence and earlier onset of Alzheimer’s disease than the Canadian non-Indigenous population,” he says. “This opportunity will allow me to establish a research program to study Alzheimer’s disease within the Indigenous community and accelerate growth in scholarly diversity through development of an academic pipeline for Indigenous scientists. I am very grateful for the advice from Dr. Steven Connor, who will be mentoring me during my postdoctoral fellowship.”

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