RECONCILIATION THROUGH ENGINEERING INITIATIVE RTEI SONIA MOLODECKY SHAKYA
- Slides: 11
RECONCILIATION THROUGH ENGINEERING INITIATIVE (RTEI) SONIA MOLODECKY SHAKYA SUR
TWO-EYED SEEING
INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE & WESTERN SCIENCE • ‘WHY’: Questioning, Predicting, Controlling. • We exist within nature (separation). • We look at nature as objects. • We are all individuals having individual experiences. • ‘HOW TO’: Accepting, Living, Adapting. • We are a part of nature (nonseparation). • We look at nature and see subjects. • Nothing is separate from anything else.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND WESTERN SCIENCE IS LOOKING TO BE REBALANCED. For healthy, quality living, continuing for future generations. Co-creating a better way of doing things.
RECONCILIATION THROUGH ENGINEERING INITIATIVE Three-year initiative focused on co-developing engineering solutions to infrastructure-based challenges faced by indigenous communities in Canada. Supported by Dean’s Strategic Fund Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
BACKGROUND Centre for Global Engineering
RECONCILIATION THROUGH ENGINEERING INITIATIVE U of T Engineering: • Civil & Mineral • Mechanical & Industrial • Chemical • Material Science • Electronics & Communications + other departments RTE I Funding: • RTEI has own funding for up to 6 projects • Will continue to seek external funding through U of T, public and private sectors Community priorities (examples): • Water • Housing • Food security • Energy • Transportation • Climate change adaptation
PROJECT OVERVIEW (AN EXAMPLE) • Building relationships • Project definition • Solution testing/implementation • Identifying priority areas • Addressing issues during implementation • Matching faculty expertise • Recruiting research associate from community • Identifying potential external partners • Training programs and workshops • Strategizing long-term funding options to continue supporting project Phase 3 Phase 1 Phase 2
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT Water and Energy Research Lab
“We have an opportunity and a responsibility. An opportunity to heal a relationship between two very distinct ways of understanding. A responsibility to use distinct knowledges to find the solution to the problems we are creating, not just for ourselves, but for the future. ” - Ojibwe Elder
THANK YOU