Grad students advance IDEA through research
December 12, 2024
Great IDEAs (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility) took place on November 6 at the Grad House. Food, drinks, themed bingo and an appreciative audience contributed to the laid-back and welcoming atmosphere. Organized by Equity and Human Rights as part of UVic’s 5 Days of Action, four grad students shared how they are advancing “IDEA” – inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility, through their research.
Ambreen Shehzad Hussaini
Art History and Visual Studies PhD candidate
“‘Fine’ Arts: Functional, Beautiful, Intellectual, Metaphysical? Or All of It?” focuses on how people engage with Islamic calligraphy through art in non-sacred spaces and in everyday life. Hussaini calls her approach a kaleidoscopic approach because it is multilayered, multifaceted, and is not restricted to one department or discipline; it is constantly changing. She focuses her research on the users and viewers of art rather than the artists by democratizing both the creation and understanding of Islamic calligraphy, and explores how art can be accessible with the contribution of everyone.
Bonnie Gao
Master’s student in the ReSET CoLab in Geography
“Powering the Future: Youth Inclusion for an Equitable Energy Transition” ³Ô¹ÏÍø how intergenerational equity can be upheld when looking at the climate crisis to shift to a low-carbon economy. Gao uses the frameworks of energy democracy, energy justice, intersectionality, intergenerational equity and feminist theory to identify barriers diverse youths may experience with energy transition, which can be useful for organizations to identify challenges to transitioning into a low-carbon economy.
Karl Hare
Master’s student in Geography
“Addressing Access to Country Foods using Ecological Modelling” explores how climate change is impacting traditional foods like northern berries in the Northwest Territories. Hare has created species distribution models using Indigenous knowledge and in-field methods. Using computer modelling and participatory mapping in partnership with the Gwich’in Tribal Council, he conducted an analysis on the accessibility of berries and how it is projected to change.
Lauren Sapic
Master’s student in Law
“Exploring Rights and Remedies for Sexual Misconduct in Elite-Level Sports: An Interdisciplinary Historical Analysis” explores how commercialization in elite-level sports reinforces exclusionary practices, commodifies athletes and perpetuates a culture of silence around sexual misconduct. Sapic’s research exposes institutional failures and calls for policy reform to centre marginalized voices. She argues that an independent oversight committee is needed to address sexual misconduct and to create safe and equitable spaces in sports.
Great IDEAs showcased important student research happening across faculties at UVic to bring about change to inclusive research practices and address systemic inequities. By hosting events like these, EQHR aims to inspire more researchers across all disciplines to consider how they can incorporate IDEA into their own research.
Written by
Zoé Lardiere, 4th year Geography and Environmental Studies student and Social Media Ambassador, Equity and Human Rights
Mandy Suen, Communications and Research Analyst, Equity and Human Rights