Research

Conference Program

WDCAG 2021: Beyond 2020: Geographical Research During Crises

Friday, March 5th

5:45pm Welcome

6:00-7:00 pm MST — Keynote Presentation ( https://uleth.zoom.us/j/96275776389 )

“Biocultural nation making: Biopolitics, cultural-territorial belonging, and Canadian National Protected Areas”

James Stinson (York University) and Libby Lunstrum (Boise State University)

Saturday, March 6th

9:00-10:00 am MST — Session 1

A. Beyond 2020 Education Panel: Part I

  • Gillian Krezoski (University of Victoria), Craig Coburn (University of Lethbridge), Crystal Huscroft(TRU), Katie Burles(COTR), Stuart MacKinnon(UBCO), “Beyond 2020: Creative solutions in remote teaching and learning – an interactive discussion on what went well for both instructors and students during the switch to online learning”
  • Katie Burles (College of the Rockies), Crystal Huscroft (TRU), Craig Coburn (University of Lethbridge), Stuart MacKinnon (UBCO), Gillian Krezoski (UVic), “Beyond 2020: Incorporating field and experiential experiences in remote teaching and learning – an interactive discussion on teaching hands-on topics remotely”

B. Physical Geographies of Northern Canada (Chair: Linda Flade)

  • Nick C. Noad (University of Lethbridge) and Philip P. Bonnaventure (University of Lethbridge), “Surface-based temperature inversion characteristics and permafrost in dissimilar Yukon valleys”
  • Andrew C.W. Leung (University of Toronto) and Samantha Yuen (University of Guelph), “Improve Yukon's historical snow depth records through staffed airport meteorological reports”
  • Linda Flade (University of Lethbridge), Chris Hopkinson (University of Lethbridge), and Laura Chasmer (University of Lethbridge), “Aboveground biomass and modeling of boreal shrubs and short-stature trees in northwestern Canada”

C. Remote Sensing (Chair: Sean Herridge-Berry)

  • Nicole Byford (University of Lethbridge) and Craig Coburn (University of Lethbridge), “Temporal variations in bidirectional reflectance of the Railroad Valley Vicarious Calibration Site”
  • Sean Herridge-Berry (University of Lethbridge), Derek R. Peddle (University of Lethbridge), Caleb M. Brown (Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology), Brian J. Pickles (University of Reading), and Craig A. Coburn (University of Lethbridge), “Remote sensing of dinosaur fossils and indicators using lab spectra and drone imaging”
  • Patrick Robinson (UNBC), Che Elkin (UNBC), and Scott Green (UNBC), “High resolution wildfire fuel mapping using Aerial Laser Scanning (ALS) data”

D. Environmental Geographies (Chair: Scott Shupe)

  • Scott Shupe (UFV), “3D modeling of environmental features in Kanaka Creek Watershed with a consumer-level drone”
  • Benjamin Hagerty (UNBC) and Zoe A Meletis (UNBC), “A wallaby, four turtles, and a superhero: How children of the 1990s learned about recycling”
  • Daniel Brendle-Moczuk (University of Victoria), Calvin Sanborn (University of Victoria), and David Boudinot (University of Victoria), “We fought the law but...: Plastic production pellets and BC governments & legislation”
  • Patrick Buckley (WWU), “A computable general equilibrium exploration of Hawaii’s post-Covid 19 tourism trade”

10:00-10:30 am MST — Coffee Break and Poster Q&A

A. Poster Q&A Session

  • Liam D'Aurizio (UNBC), “Indigenous conflicts surrounding British Columbian fish farming”
  • Rachel Stewart-Dziama (University of Victoria) and Brian Thom (University of Victoria), “Problematic polygons: Alternative cartographic representations of Indigenous territories”

B. Poster Q&A Session

  • Chinyere Ottah (University of Lethbridge), Laura Chasmer (University of Lethbridge), and Chris Hopkinson (University of Lethbridge), “Assessing pre-fire fuels and post-fire biomass variations in boreal peatlands and uplands using multitemporal and multispectral lidar data”
  • Melina Sorensen (Royal Roads University), “Predicting the ecotoxicological impacts of microplastics in the Salish Sea using GIS.”

10:30-12:00 am MST — Session 2

A. Borders & Migration Special Session (Chairs: Mariah Besplug, Wael Nasser & Julie Young)

  • John Pickering (Simon Fraser University), Valorie A. Crooks (Simon Fraser University), Jeremy Snyder (Simon Fraser University), and Trudie Milner (Yuma Regional Medical Center), “Which bird is this snowbird? Preparatory health strategies of Canadian retirement migrants”
  • Mariah Besplug (University of Lethbridge), “Does calling it a crisis help? Insights from the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program”
  • Rabindra Chaulagain (University of Lethbridge), Wael Nasser (University of Lethbridge), and Julie Young (University of Lethbridge), “#StayHomeSaveLives: Essentializing entry and Canada’s biopolitical COVID borders”
  • Roseann (Anju) George (University of Waterloo), “Engendering inclusiveness: The role of immigrant participation in the planning process”

B. Indigenous Perspectives Special Session (Chairs: Maura Hanrahan & Caroline Hodes)

  • Maura Hanrahan (University of Lethbridge), “Necropolitics in Canada: Indian policy from the 18th century”
  • Deanna Andreschefski (University of Lethbridge) and Megan Fisk (University of Lethbridge), “ Diving into Food Security in Inuit Communities ”
  • Caroline Hodes (University of Lethbridge), ““I make in rem--Against the World--the following order": Legal Proceedings as Digital Memory.”
  • Sylvianna Peterson (UNBC) and Zoë A. Meletis (UNBC), “Parking Colonialism: Considering adaptive co-management & sustainable tourism for Jasper National Park”

C. Teaching Geography (Chair: Joanne M. Moyer)

  • Terence Day (Okanagan College), “Undergraduate geography in post-pandemic universities and colleges”
  • Mackenzie Ross (University of Victoria) and Teresa Dawson (University of Victoria), “Is anyone out there? Can signature in-person field school learning outcomes be achieved online?”
  • Joanne M. Moyer (The King’s University) and Gerda Kits (The King’s University), “Cultivating hope in the university classroom”
  • Geraldine J. Jordan (Trinity Western University) and Nina Pak Lui (Trinity Western University), “Physical Geography 12: Assessing program place in the new BC curriculum”

D. Remote Sensing Applications (Chair: Laura Chasmer)

  • Jesse Aspinall (University of Lethbridge), Laura Chasmer (University of Lethbridge), Chris Hopkinson (University of Lethbridge), and Sam Gerrand (University of Lethbridge), “Multispectral LiDAR identification of early post-fire biomass regeneration”
  • Sam Gerrand (University of Lethbridge), Jesse Aspinall (University of Lethbridge), Tom Jensen (University of Lethbridge, Down to Earth Labs), Chris Hopkinson (University of Lethbridge), Adam Collingwood (Parks Canada), and Laura Chasmer (University of Lethbridge), “Partitioning carbon losses from fire combustion in a montane valley, Alberta Canada”
  • Laura Chasmer (University of Lethbridge), Linda Flade (University of Lethbridge), Chris Hopkinson (University of Lethbridge), and Kevin Devito (University of Alberta), “Environmental drivers of burn severity and post-fire resilience in boreal peatlands”
  • Mishélle A.E. Wehbe (University of Lethbridge), Philip P. Bonnaventure (University of Lethbridge), and Robert G. Way (Queen’s University), “An estimation of water equivalent storage within rock glaciers in Banff and Jasper National Parks”
  • Madeleine C. Garibaldi (University of Lethbridge), Philip P. Bonnaventure (University of Lethbridge), Sharon L. Smith, and Caroline Duchesne, “Active layer variability in the Mackenzie Valley between 1991-2014: An ecoregional assessment”

12:00-1:00 pm MST — Executive Meeting

12:00-1:00 pm MST — Lunch and Poster Q&A

A. Poster Q&A Session (12:15-12:45)

  • Amy Abdel-Malak (UNBC) and Zoë A. Meletis (UNBC), “Whale of a challenge: Aiming for sustainability while dealing with COVID-19 impacts on tourism”
  • Hayley Burns (VIU), “Navigating a new normal: Planning for resilient tourism on Vancouver Island”

B. Poster Q&A Session (12:15-12:45)

  • Anne-Cécile Delaisse (UBC), Luisa Veronis (UofO), and Suzanne Huot (UBC), “The ‘in-between’ role of the Francophone community for French-speaking immigrants in Metro Vancouver”
  • Emileigh Pearson (University of Victoria), “End of the line: An exploration of safety and security for women in transit”
  • Sydney Perry (The King's University) and Michael Ferber (The King's University), “Pedagogies of lament: Reframing social and environmental suffering in the classroom”

1:00-2:00 pm MST — Session 3

A. Beyond 2020 Education Panel: Part II

  • Crystal Huscroft (Thompson Rivers University), Katie Burles (COTR), Stuart MacKinnon (UBCO), Gillian Krezoski (UVic), and Craig Coburn (University of Lethbridge), “Beyond 2020: Creative solutions for improving academic integrity in remote teaching and learning – an interactive discussion of practical frameworks and lessons learned in the trenches”
  • Stuart MacKinnon (University of British Columbia, Okanagan) Katie Burles (COTR), and Gillian Krezoski (UVic), “Beyond 2020: Utilizing online tools for remote teaching and learning of geography – an interactive discussion of online resources that promoted engaged student learning”

B. Insect Decline and Conservation Special Session (Chair: Dan Johnson)

  • Dan Johnson (University of Lethbridge), “How can we track changes in range, abundance, and diversity of insects and spiders, and why should we care?”
  • Jennifer Lipka (UBC), Katelyn Hengel, Matthew Mitchell, Kate Smith, Juli Carrillo, “Introduced and native bumble bee species respond differently along a gradient of urbanization”
  • Nicholas Hassink (University of Lethbridge), Daniel Johnson (University of Lethbridge), and Philip Bonnaventure (University of Lethbridge), “The importance of microhabitat to the survival of the Northern Rock Crawler (G. campodeiformis)”

C. Environmental and Economic Geographies (Chair: Tom Waldichuk)

  • Richard Darko (UNBC), “Economic restructuring in resource-dependent communities in the aftermath of mill/mine closure”
  • Linamar Campos Flores (Metropolitan Autonomous University-Campus Iztapalapa), “Emotional geographies of Mexican women in resistance to Canadian mining companies”
  • Tom Waldichuk (Thompson Rivers University), “The pros and cons of the recent diffusion of solar panels on farmland in Japan”
  • Vanessa L. Jones (Trinity Western University), Virginia V. Oeggerli, Natalie M. Cook, Jessica R. Brouwer, Delia D. Anderson, Geraldine J. Jordan, David A. Jordan, Paul D. Brown, and David R. Clements, “Central Park Climate Change Resilience Project: The applicability of GIS”

D. Adapting to Climate Change: Challenges and Opportunities (Chair: DonAlexander)

  • Nicole Bonnett (University of Alberta) and S. Jeff Birchall (University of Alberta), “The influence of regional strategic policy on municipal climate adaptation planning”
  • Erin Nevison (UNBC), “Barriers to the electrification of passenger vehicles: A case study on the City of Kamloops”
  • Don Alexander (VIU), “Ingredients for university leadership in fostering climate resilience”

2:00-2:30 pm MST — Coffee Break and Poster Q&A

A. Poster Q&A Session

  • Natalie Bruner (Trinity Western University), “Salmon reach in two watersheds above dams on the Baker River”
  • Rabecca Thiessen (University of Lethbridge) and Philip P. Bonnaventure (University of Lethbridge), “Identifying and mapping the spatial distribution of rock glaciers in the Mackenzie Mountain Region”

2:30-3:50 pm MST — Session 4

A. Feminist Pedagogies Special Session — Chairs: Teresa Dawson (UVic) and Natasha Fox (UBC)

  • Panelists: Leonora Angeles (UBC), Juliane Collard (University of Bern), Zoë A. Meletis (UNBC)
  • What is feminist pedagogy and how do we practice it in our current context? A panel of teachers and students will reflect on the classroom-bound feminist teaching practices they hold dear, and discuss how well these translate into virtual teaching and learning environments. What forms might anti-racist, anti-homophobic, and anti-essentialist feminist pedagogies take? Does our pedagogy offer the potential for more inclusive experiences in courses that may not seem immediately suited to a feminist approach? Participants from all disciplinary backgrounds and perspectives are welcome to join us in an interactive discussion as we explore a variety of teaching strategies, approaches to content, and virtual classroom practices with a feminist pedagogical lens.

B. Lightning Round Special Session (Chair: Patrick Buckley)

  • Annie Pumphrey (UNBC), and Zoë A. Meletis (UNBC), “Who bears the brunt? An examination of ‘bear jams’ in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Alberta”
  • Grace Blue (WWU), Dayton Miller (WWU), and Mason Salley (WWU), “Cross border water issues management; Abbotsford, BC and Sumas, WA”
  • Anneka Bostrom (WWU) and Cat Kiser (WWU), “Where should climate refugees go, the United States or Canada?”
  • Craig Clarke (WWU), Jace Shelton (WWU), and Haley Winter (WWU), “Dairy farming: Variation of sustainable practices in Southwest British Columbia and Northwest Washington”
  • Jann Eberharter (WWU), “Limits of transboundary environmental impact assessments: US and Canada”
  • Zach Gabriel (WWU), “A cross-border comparative study of Salish Sea management as seen through eelgrass conservation”
  • Liam Hanson (WWU), Amanda Soria (WWU), and Patrick Buckley (WWU), “Role of social media mapping in the Covid-19 pandemic.”
  • Reid Kincaid (WWU), “Wolf management practices of the US and CAN: Is there a right answer?”
  • Elonna Jones (WWU) and John Stepan (WWU), “Southern resident orcas of the Salish Sea: Cross border management”
  • Raechel Youngberg (WWU), “Climate action planning in the Okanogan: Areas for cross border collaboration”

C. Place and Social Justice (Chair: Sergei Basik)

  • Cheryl-lee Madden (UBC) and G. Alexi Rodríguez-Arelis (UBC), “The right to 'Vancouverism': Social reproduction placemaking in the revanchist city”
  • Sergei Basik (Conestoga College), “Vernacular place names as the symbolic battlegrounds: Toponymic resistance in Minsk, Belarus”
  • Hannah Estabrook (University of Victoria), “On being a person in a place”
  • Margaret Spence (University of Victoria) and Denise Cloutier (University of Victoria), “The injustices of the housing crisis facing University of Victoria student renters”

D. Community and Natural Resources (Chair: Benjamin Dosu)

  • Ayla De Grandpre (UBCO), “Building adaptation pathways for local food production in the Okanagan bioregion”
  • Afia Zubair Raja (University of the Fraser Valley), “An assessment of Abbotsford community needs pre and post COVID-19”
  • Jessica E. Froese (UNBC) and Zoë A. Meletis (UNBC), “Living the sweet life: Exploring the political economy of Canadian maple syrup”
  • Benjamin Dosu (University of Lethbridge), Maura Hanrahan (University of Lethbridge), Tom Johnston (University of Lethbridge), and Harry Spaling ( King's University , “Rural Ghanaian women and girls as subalterns in water collection and use”

3:50-4:00 pm MST — Coffee Break

4:00-5:00 pm MST — AGM

5:15 pm MST — After party

Scavenger Hunt Live Finale
Awards
Social