Aboriginal Access to Engineering: Instilling an appreciation for STEM subjects

Aboriginal Access to Engineering: Instilling an appreciation

Before European settlers began arriving in Southern Ontario in the early 1600s, the area that is now

Kingston was home to communities of Huron-Wendat, Anishinaabe, and Haudenosaunee peoples. These communities interacted with one another and with other First Nations across what is now Ontario and Quebec.

The contemporary Kingston

Indigenous community continues to be comprised of members of those First

Nations; there is also a significant Métis AAE Director Melanie Howard (second from left) and the AAE team earned community, and there are people from the Actua Experience Award – Indigenous Youth in STEM earlier this year other Nations across Turtle Island (aka for their outreach work in schools in Indigenous communities.

North America) who live in Kingston today. Our society was formed in part through, and bears qualities of, dinner. There are also special events know a bit more about what having that the interaction and integration of to mark milestones, like graduation, Indigenous history means to me. I was

Indigenous with settler cultures over and opportunities to be involved with really nervous about going to university, the past four centuries. This is why so Indigenous student organizations, such and I just feel this environment is so many official events at Queen’s begin as the American Indian Science and inclusive and supportive that anyone can with an acknowledgement that Queen’s Engineering Society. find success at Queen’s.”

University is situated on traditional “A lot of our students were very Off campus, AAE partners with

Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee high-performing in high school,” says primary and secondary schools in

Territory. Howard. “We look to support them not Indigenous communities across Eastern

It’s also why the Faculty of only academically, but also socially and Ontario to provide STEM education

Engineering and Applied Science (FEAS) emotionally. We’re looking at the whole programs. The aim is to help students at Queen’s supports Aboriginal Access to Engineering (AAE). AAE offers a suite of initiatives to provide support and community for Aboriginal engineering students, ongoing partnerships with Indigenous communities across Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec, and the promotion of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education to Indigenous youth. It is one of only three similar units at engineering faculties across Canada. Involvement with AAE can begin before Indigenous engineering students even arrive for orientation, as AAE Director Melanie Howard (Artsci’95, Artsci/Ed’98) reaches out to them soon person in an Indigenous context.” It’s work that earns high praise from the 40 or so Indigenous engineering students enrolled last year. “ ” I was really nervous about going to university, and I just feel this environment is so inclusive and supportive that anyone can find success at Queen’s. —Émélie Gagnon see science, technology, engineering, and math as enjoyable subjects. It’s also a way to provide professional development in STEM education to teachers without taking them away from their classes. AAE also works with the Queen’s Summer Engineering Academy and Science Quest programs to bring Aboriginal primaryand secondary-school students to campus during the summer months. Earlier this year, the AAE team earned the Actua Experience Award – Indigenous Youth in STEM. The award is national recognition for their work, especially with Indigenous youth. “Over the past five years, we have engaged more than 20,000 Indigenous after offers for admission arrive. First“Melanie does a great job of young people, and we continue to year students have a welcome day one connecting with the students,” says broaden our outreach to Indigenous day ahead of general move-in that affords Anishinaabe student Zackary McDonald communities right across Canada,” says them and their families the chance to (Sc’18). “We all know who she is. She Howard. “Through our unique model, meet fellow Indigenous engineering definitely cares about our wellbeing we partner with teachers and schools students and AAE staff before orientation and our success. “I didn’t really know a to deliver tailored content that matches week begins. lot about my Indigenous culture before the math and science curriculum,

Throughout their studies at Queen’s, coming to Queen’s,” says student Émélie while paying attention to Indigenous

AAE students have access to their own Gagnon (Sc’20). “My family didn’t contributions and cultural linkages student group room in the Integrated grow up on a reserve, I didn’t grow whenever possible.”

Learning Centre, academic support, up on a reserve. Participating in AAE, help with scholarship and employment and with Four Directions Aboriginal Learn more about Aboriginal Access to applications, and a bi-weekly social Student Centre, has really allowed me to Engineering at aboriginalaccess.ca.

for STEM subjects

GROUP ROOM: AAE students have access to their own group room in the Integrated Learning Centre for study, project work, and social events.