Workshop Invitations

Dear …,

We would like to hereby cordially invite you to the final gathering of our Genome Canada project; BearWatch, full name.

Why In a rapidly changing, and sometimes politically contentious environment, we believe that meaningful engagement with Inuit communities in polar bear research is crucial to a sustainable future for both bears and humans. We take great pride in our collaboration with local communities with whom over the past years we have developed and implemented a new non-invasive genomic toolkit. This gathering will center around the introduction of this toolkit and its potential to policymakers, research advisors, governance representatives and Nunavummiut communities. The gathering also aims to provide a space for collective exploration. How to implement this tool? How to ethically conciliate Inuit knowledge and values with genomic science when implementing this tool? How to mutually agree upon ‘management’ decisions when coming together in difference?

How We believe that the best way of coming together to explore creatively and with less restrictions, is to meet in spaces outside of the ones where day-to-day business-as-usual decisions are made. We invite you to gather with us in person, in the communities where much of the work has been developed and executed. We invite you to come as you are, both as an ‘expert’, ‘policymakers’ or ‘researcher’, but most of all as a human that deeply cares for polar bears and our ongoing relationship with them.

What Do not expect a purely conventional presenter/listener format. This gathering will introduce the Genomic toolkit, present scientific findings and its community inclusive approach, however we seek to do so by generating creative engagement. Expect a hands-on, partially on-the-land experience where multiple senses are engaged and challenging topics are approached through interdisciplinary lenses and reflections.

Kumospace

Apart form the community of Gjoa Haven, 28 people from the south were invited to the final workshop. Those that could not join, could participate remotely through a zoom-connection though a starlink satalite connection.

To provide a welcoming environment online, I had created a "kumospace" through which remote participant could find some research context and connect with each other outside of the plenary meetingspace in zoom.

Fee free to check out this Kumospace [[1]], or keep going - there is a lot to do, and time is running out. The community is on a boiling advisory, you need to organize toilets for the center, rides for the elders, arrange doorprizes, and set up an exhibition of Danny's work. And those are just a few things that are still on your list.

Bingo

A game of bingo, however, is the quintessential form of downtime in Gjoa Haven.

Have break from all that organizing.

Making posters

At one point during the pre-workshop, I had addressed the issue of science communication. I wanted to know through what form of presenting the science would be most accessible to the community.

The responses varied from 'brief', and 'just the main points', to the suggestion of not using jargon. In response to the last point, I had asked about visuals: whether it would be helpful to have some main scientific concepts like "DNA", which do not have an precise Inuktitut traintuitive visualized

During the pre-workshop on’t use jargon.

11:06 I suggest visual explainer of core scientific concepts. And ask how people feel about that.

Gibson says it’s a great idea. To get people up to speed, so they can jump right into the work.

Space for Gathering

Landmark: Preparation