Fourth Annual Water Research Roundup

What: Creating a Blue Dialogue Webinar

Date: February 8th, 2023

Our fourth annual Water Research Roundup featured Angel Kennedy, Cheyenne Williams, and Aldyn Chwelos.

This panel of emerging researchers and young professionals discussed their work on the importance of youth engagement in watershed health discussions, listening to the agency of X’Pey (Western Red Cedar) in a changing climate, and how community is being built through the shared stories of climate disaster survivors who have experienced heat waves, wildfires, flooding, or intense storms.

Angel Kennedy is the Research Manager for the Researching for Eco-Social and Equitable Transformation (RESET) Lab, a PhD student at Simon Fraser University, Researcher for the Environment, Community Health Observatory (ECHO) Network, and coordinator of the Early Career Community for Ecohealth International. Her work focuses on research at the nexus of eco-social health equity, intergenerational justice, equity-informed knowledge exchange, and co-benefits.

Cheyenne Williams is a mixed-race individual. She is a Cowichan Tribes band member, has ties to Kyuquot in Nuu chah nulth territory, and has settler ancestry from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. She is an undergraduate student at the University of Victoria studying a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Indigenous Studies. In her home community, Cheyenne is currently working on contract with the Lulumexun Lands and Self Government department at Cowichan Tribes. Through this work, she has been supporting the Water Sustainability Planning process in which a co-governance agreement is in development to protect the Xwulqw’selu watershed in Quw’utsun territory. One project Cheyenne is leading is the development of a Xwulqw’selu Riparian and Freshwater Guardian Program.

Aldyn Chwelos is a journalist based in Lekwungen territory, Victoria whose writing has appeared in Canadian Geographic, Hakai Magazine, and The Tyee. They will present on their work as the Senior Research Associate for the Climate Disaster Project, an initiative based at the University of Victoria that collaborates with climate disaster survivors to tell their stories. A former full stack developer, Aldyn has contributed to interactive and community-designed tech projects, including a peer-to-peer overdose response app and a VR tsunami preparation game.

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The Creating a Blue Dialogue webinar series brings together expert water practitioners and thinkers, as well as emerging water leaders, to engage with innovative ideas on water policy and governance in Canada. By creating an online community of interest, the series strengthens the national capacity to engage with and solve problems, and raises awareness about emerging Canadian water issues, best practices, and policies. The series began in 2010 and is hosted by the POLIS Water Sustainability Project at the Centre for Global Studies, University of Victoria.