Their research, teaching and service bring together different communities and world views for societal change. Now they’re newly appointed full professors and sharing insights into some of their passion this month.
Drs. Gloria Ramirez and Courtney Mason are featured speakers at the Inaugural Professorial Lecture series, which provides an opportunity for the Thompson Rivers University (TRU) and Kamloops communities to meet these professors and gain an understanding of their work in two online public lectures.
Ramirez, a professor in the School of Education, investigates children’s bilingual and biliteracy development and the mechanisms that aid the transfer of skills across languages. Recently, she has been collaborating with Secwépemc educators, Elders and knowledge keepers to revitalize Secwepemctsín.
Her lecture on Tuesday, Nov. 8, is titled “Searching for Meaning: A Research Journey Across Paradigms.” She will share her transformative journey shifting research paradigms to serve different communities through her work.
“Above all, research is service,” says Ramirez. “Researchers should be willing to embrace different paradigms, world views and research approaches to respond to the needs of different communities.”
Mason, a professor and Canada Research Chair, Rural Livelihoods and Sustainable Communities, examines how the creation of parks promoted the loss of ancestral territories and culture in many Indigenous communities. He looks at how protected areas might strengthen the livelihoods of Indigenous peoples and ecosystems by reconciling colonial histories, integrating conservation policies that support food sovereignty and enhancing sustainable development.
Professor Courtney Mason, Canada Research Chair
His lecture on Tuesday, Nov. 22, “The Future Has to Be Green Indeed: Rethinking Protected Areas, Food Sovereignty and Conservation in Canada,” highlights grassroots, Indigenous-led conservation practices that are drawn from his two decades of collaborative work with Indigenous communities in rural Canada and internationally.
His devotion to research is spurred on by hope. “I’m inspired by the passion of students, colleagues and community members. It’s the relationships we form that make my work possible, interesting and enjoyable.”
The Inaugural Professorial Lecture Series publicly recognizes a milestone for tripartite faculty: promotion to full professor.
“The Inaugural Professorial Lectures showcase the wonderful and gifted talent we have at TRU,” says President Brett Fairbairn. “Our tripartite professors bring so much to their work, which manifests in many ways. It improves the learning for students, and it improves TRU’s reputation as a place of learning. I look forward to these lectures, just as I know our community does as well.”
In-person seating is limited at the lectures. The public is invited to watch the events virtually.
Watch: Searching for Meaning: A Research Journey Across Paradigms
Tuesday, Nov. 8, 4:30 – 6 p.m. on YouTube
Watch: The Future Has to Be Green Indeed: Rethinking Protected Areas, Food Sovereignty and Conservation in Canada
Tuesday, Nov. 22, 4:30 – 6 p.m. on YouTube
