Hudson bay coast northern field school
An immersive field program that takes you to the northern town of Churchill, Manitoba and to Wapusk National Park
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The hollow sound of feet stomping on wooden floors; slightly off-key voices joyously singing at the top of their lungs. The constant, crisp wind cooling me down and keeping the bugs away. The soft shades of gray on gray floating in the sky, all day, every day. A landscape so often described as flat when bumpy is a so much more apt description. The sound of shattered rocks klinking underfoot like glass and seashells rubbing together. The delicate texture of Arctic Aven foliage exploding into expanses of glowing tufts in the setting sun. The Northern Lights looming over me so large they feel like a hallucination that will crush me.
- Kari Z, 2015 participant
Course Introduction
This field-based travel course will provide hands-on research experience in natural ecosystems in the sub-arctic of the Hudson Bay coast. You will design a research project, collect and analyze data, and present findings in both written and oral format. This experiential course is an intensive introduction to the ecology and Aboriginal cultures of the sub-arctic: the interface between animals, people, and the environment. Before travelling to Churchill, students have a 5 hour lecture, followed by two 1-hour tutorials working with course instructors to develop their research proposal and review safety material. Groups are expected to meet at the university individually to develop research proposals and seek instructor help where required, through a self-directed learning process (approximately 24 hours). During the two week period on the course, students will have 21 hours of lecture, 30 hours of field lab demonstrations, as well as 84 hours of self-directed learning. The self-directed group learning includes fieldwork to collect data for the research project and is supervised by the instructors. Input is provided in troubleshooting research design, fieldwork, and data analysis where required. At the end of the course, students will have two 1-hour tutorials by the instructors to facilitate completion of their write-up, as well as 24 hours of self-directed group learning working collaboratively with group members to complete the final report, which is submitted to Parks Canada. Findings will also be presented to the community of Churchill. We also make time for excursions when possible, to experience the land and the culture of the area. Examples include boating with beluga whales, a trip to the historical Prince of Wales Fort, exploration of the museum, and plenty of hikes in Wapusk National Park.
The Instructor
Dr. Ryan Brook - University of Saskatchewan
Dr. Ryan Brook is a professor at the University of Saskatchewan. He is affiliated with the Department of Animal and Poultry Science, and the School of Environment and Sustainability. Ryan has a B.Sc. in Zoology, a Masters in Natural Resource Management, and a Ph.D. in Environment and Geography, all from the University of Manitoba. He conducted his postdoctoral training in Veterinary Medicine at the University of Calgary. Ryan’s work is interdisciplinary, including both ecological and social sciences, and examines wildlife health, landscape change, community-based monitoring, using local knowledge with science, and engaging youth in research. He has been conducting field research in the Greater Wapusk Ecosystem every year since 1994 and he has been leading this field school annually since 2004.