One of the newest advisory councils at AISES, the Canadian Indigenous Advisory Council (CIAC, pronounced “kayak”) supports the Board, staff, councils, and committees with insights about issues important to AISES members, and the entire Indigenous STEM community, in Canada. The council promotes the mission of increasing representation of Indigenous people in STEM across Canada, while helping the organization better serve all Canadian members and maintain relationships with corporate and postsecondary stakeholders.
The idea of a Canadian council was first proposed in 2015 by a group who wanted to bring AISES programming to Canada. Then in spring 2017, the council’s charter was initially approved by the Board of Directors, with official approval granted by a membership vote that fall at the National Conference. Founding officers are Matthew Dunn and Jamie Ricci, co-chairs, and Deanna Burgart, secretary. Melanie Howard represents CIAC on the Winds of Change Editorial Advisory Board.
The group hosted its first regional event, Maanomatapoyah: First Steps, at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta (see Member News), and is already planning next year’s gathering at McGill University in Montreal. Also underway are plans for the election of the first Canadian National Student Representatives.
As CIAC members work toward developing their 2018–2019 action plan, they are gaining momentum with initiatives to investigate Canadian charity status, increase the group’s online presence, and grow its relationship with the Corporate Advisory Council. They are also working on ways to better support Canadian students. Meanwhile, look for a more vibrant Canadian presence in Winds of Change and throughout AISES.
