New EDI Scholars to build capacity for equity, diversity and inclusion at ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

trevor.kenney — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 16:16:20 +0000

Now in its fourth year, the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Scholars program at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge continues to grow, welcoming three new scholars for 2024-25.

Drs. Bonnie Lee and Anastasia Stuart-Edwards, along with doctoral candidate Tara Million, have been named EDI Scholars, and will undertake projects aimed at advancing the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s EDI goals. When complete, these scholars will share their findings with the broader campus community.

“We are thrilled to introduce our newest cohort of EDI champions,” says Hernando (Nando) Ortega Arango, project manager, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. “Congratulations to our 2024-25 EDI Scholars and thank you to all applicants. This was a highly competitive selection process, and we look forward to collaborating with this exceptional group to enhance EDI capacity.”

Since its inception in 2021, the EDI Scholars program has named 13 scholars, including this year’s additions. In 2023-24, the program expanded its application process to increase EDI efforts across various faculties, departments and backgrounds. The projects for 2024-25 reflect this diversity, with participation from the Dhillon School of Business and the Faculties of Arts & Science and Health Sciences.

“Championing EDI initiatives is a collective responsibility, and everyone can contribute to fostering inclusion and belonging,” says Ortega. “Through the work of the EDI Scholars, we hope to reach diverse audiences and strengthen the impact of EDI efforts across campus.”

2024-25 EDI Scholars

Dr. Bonnie Lee

Dr. Bonnie Lee (Faculty of Health Sciences — addictions counselling) will launch the Student-generated Quick Cases: EDI Dilemmas from Students’ Lived Experience project. This competition invites upper-level and graduate health sciences students to create “Hollywood-style” vignettes based on their personal experiences with EDI dilemmas. The goal is to generate real-life scenarios for discussion and role-play, helping students explore various perspectives and compiling a valuable resource for future educational use.

“EDI issues are more complex than meet the eye,” says Lee. “It’s always instructive to consider these dilemmas from the standpoints of the various actors involved. We want to understand why people take the positions they do and get a deeper sense of what they feel inside.”

Tara Million

Tara Million (Faculty of Arts & Science — Indigenous studies) will expand her research on Indigenous law by drawing on Blackfoot, Cree and Métis legal orders to begin Indigenizing conflict resolution policies and procedures at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

“I am very honoured to have been selected as an EDI Scholar,” says Million. “My research project draws on the premises that Canada is a multi-juridical country where Indigenous laws exist alongside Canadian common and civil law and that the Numbered Treaties express a range of Indigenous legal orders. It’s extremely important to me as an Indigenous faculty member that my research helps to create a theoretical and physical space where the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ can function under the umbrella of Indigenous legal orders, as well as within provincial and federal laws.”

Dr. Anastasia Stuart-Edwards

Dr. Anastasia Stuart-Edwards (Dhillon School of Business) will study incivility within academic settings by exploring the experiences of faculty members with diverse backgrounds and focusing on the prevalence, perception and personal and organizational strategies that can mitigate its harmful effects. Ultimately, Stuart-Edwards hopes her research will inform policies and practices that enhance organizational behaviour and well-being in educational institutions.

“Receiving this award is a significant milestone for me as it underscores the importance of addressing incivility within academic environments,” says Stuart-Edwards, who invites faculty members throughout Canadian academia to participate in her survey. “Through my research, I aim to uncover the prevalence and impact of selective incivility, particularly among faculty members with traditionally stigmatized attributes, and to develop effective strategies for fostering more respectful and inclusive academic settings.”

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge research projects earn SSHRC funding support

caroline.zentner — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 15:02:43 +0000

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) announced funding through several grant programs today and three ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge projects are among those receiving awards.

The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Transport and Quebec Lieutenant on behalf of the Honourable Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced over $1.8 billion in federal research support, including $35.3 million for 577 research projects at 66 Canadian institutions through SSHRC Insight Development Grants.

Among the successful ULethbridge projects is a proposed two-year study by Drs. Kevin McGeough and Shawn Bubel (Geography & Environment) that will examine how political leaders built economies that satisfied the demands of imperial powers and maintained local loyalties in Iron Age Jordan. Located in environmentally marginal but politically strategic locations, examination of the Iron Age kingdoms of Jordan informs us not just about ancient times, but about issues related to the origins of states, their resilience and collapse.

“The proposed project has the potential to transform the way scholars think about Iron Age Kingdoms such as Edom, as well as contribute to the preservation and interpretation of Jordan’s cultural heritage,” says McGeough. “The study will provide opportunities for ULethbridge undergraduate and graduate students to be trained in field archaeological techniques and laboratory analyses.”

Dr. Anastasia Stuart-Edwards, a Dhillon School of Business professor in Human Resource Management and Labour Relations, will investigate whether mindfulness can improve teamwork, which has been known to be inefficient and result in negative employee experiences and loss of profitability. Mindfulness, a state of being present and aware of what you’re sensing and feeling without interpretation or judgment, has been shown to be beneficial for individual employees, but it’s not clear if the benefits extend to teams.

“This project draws on teamwork theories and mindfulness to examine whether team members’ mindfulness scores are related to a state of shared team mindfulness,” says Stuart-Edwards. “We’ll also be looking at how team mindfulness relates to team processes, engagement and performance.”

The third project by Drs. Christy Tu and Rhiannon Mesler, professors at the Dhillon School of Business (Calgary Campus), will explore the relationship between charitable giving and social status and how the positioning of a charitable gift to consumers can affect donations. They are proposing a series of six studies with both student and public participants.

“This research has important implications for improving charitable giving and prosocial behaviour in society,” says Tu. “In addition, our results should help equip charitable organizations and governments with tools to better communicate and raise funds from consumers for prosocial purposes.”

Along with nearly $200,000 for these research projects, ULethbridge will receive a $2.4-million grant from the Research Support Fund which supports the indirect costs of research.

UNews - Anastasia Stuart-Edwards

New EDI Scholars to build capacity for equity, diversity and inclusion at ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

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��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge research projects earn SSHRC funding support

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New EDI Scholars to build capacity for equity, diversity and inclusion at ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge research projects earn SSHRC funding support