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VSA offers opportunities for professionals and students to further hone their skills through webinars, web chats, book clubs, and virtual networking. Virtual learning offerings address a variety of topics in our field and provide helpful resources and strategies relevant to a wide range of practitioners. These offerings provide opportunities for audience engagement, and provide time for participants to ask questions. Members of VSA receive discounted registration to these events, so consider joining!

If you would like to make suggestions for future Professional Development topics, please contact [email protected]. For technical assistance accessing the hangout, please contact [email protected].

** All fee-based web chats will be recorded. Those recordings will be sent out to registered participants after the session (both those who joined live and those who did not). The slide decks and chat messages shared during the live session will not be made available since they should be interpreted within the context of the speakers’ presentations. Participants during the live session do have the ability to save the chat to their devices.

New!  We plan to record reading group sessions. Register and the recording will be emailed to you after the conversation.
We have not recorded reading group conversations in the past to promote participation.  We hope the increased access outweighs the benefits of non-recorded communal space.

Support & Advocacy of Science Centres/Museums through Indigenous Advisory Committees
Wednesday, November 30 at 3:30 pm ET

Join 2 members of Science North's Indigenous Advisory Committees and the Senior Manager of anishinaabe kendaasowin in an informative talk on how advisory committees can inform and shape science centres on their journey of reconciliation. Through cultural competency training, work with local knowledge keepers, and the inclusion of a multiplicity of Indigenous voices, science centres, and museums have the opportunity to ensure Indigenous People are included, uplifted and their voices amplified. Listen to stories of learning, relationships, and reciprocity.

Speakers:

  • Julia Pegahmagabow
    Julia Pegahmagabow is a knowledge keeper, medicine carrier, and found of Akinoomoshin Wiigwam in Atikameksheng Anishinawbek. Akinoomoshin is a not-for-profit organization that focuses on learning from the land through the language and is centered on education for young learners, nurturing teaching and learning through immersion in Anishinaabemowin.
  • Melissa Roberts
    Melissa Roberts is a retired educator, knowledge keeper, drum carrier and singer, and a pollinator of ideas. As a member of Science North’s Indigenous Advisory Committee, she spends time working with the staff to ensure that all work on the new science centre in Thunder Bay is culturally relevant and rooted in Indigenous perspectives. She can be found dancing in the powwow circle with her bear, Mukwa, who was gifted to her through ceremony.
  • Amber Sandy
    Amber Sandy is the Senior Manager of anishinaabe kendaasowin at Science North in Sudbury, Ontario. She has managed various community-based projects and programmes where she gained skills in resource and program development, community outreach and educator training, and capacity-building projects integrating traditional and western science in her approach to conservation and environmental science. She believes that Indigenous people are natural scientists as science is inherent in Indigenous languages, stories, and interactions with the environment. It is her passion and commitment to share these views with indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike through education.
  • Emily Kerton
    Emily Kerton is a Senior Manager at Science North, working from the Thunder Bay satellite operation where she is leading a project looking at building 2 new science centres. Emily has worked at Science North for over 12 years, formerly leading the Outreach and Indigenous Initiatives department where she led a team of 20+ staff delivering science education programs to students across Northern Ontario.
REGISTER HERE
This is a VSA Members-Only Web chat.

SAVE THE DATE and CALL FOR PRESENTERS
2nd ZAFIG "Mini-Conference"
February 17th, 2023 | 3:00pm EST

  • Call for proposals/presenters is open now!
  • The mini-conference will be a virtual session of 5 to 7 ten-minute presentations on a topic or project of your choosing.
  • All are welcome to submit a proposal. You do not need to be a VSA member to participate.
  • Proposals will be reviewed and accepted on a first-come-first-served basis. We'll be in touch with you to confirm receipt and participation details.
  • When registration information goes LIVE for attendees we'll post those here and via the ZAFIG google group mailing list.
  • Event registration will be free to all!
  • Proposal submissions will be open through December 1st.
  • Questions? Please contact Nick Visscher ([email protected])